Confessions: An opinionated essay in World Literature

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Confession in Book I, Part I:

His Fascination with his Caretakers

            Imagine if you will, that your life is lived as a boy who continuously receives punishment for wrongdoings that he did not commit most of the time. Moreover, imagine actually liking the punishment conflicted upon you. It might seem strange to some, however, to Rousseau, the chastisements were very enjoyable. Sometimes he was reluctant to purposely be troublesome. He had to carefully select what kind of mischief he could get into so that his actions would not hurt Mademoiselle Lambercier's feelings; for, he cared about her too much. Though he was unaware at a young age, he was essentially raising his level of sexual excitement with every punishment she inflicted on him.  

            As he grew into a young man, there came an unfortunate consequence that followed his past thrills. To be with women his age was not the most thrilling event for him because no other woman could hold a candle to the complicated, proper caretaker he knew of. It was as if the women in his life who were there for him as a boy remained to be his only desires. Additionally, no other female could have enticed his fantasies the way he once experienced.

            He wrote this when he was a much older gentleman, to recount his younger days. He did not realize the impact his caretakers had on his life until he had matured. For whatever it was worth, his confession was not to be ashamed of. He wouldn't have had it any other way.

(Thank you, college literature course!)