Victor of Aveyron

Victor, the salvage of Aveyron, end XVIIIe

Victor of Aveyron
Born	c. 1788 Aveyron, France
Died	1828 Paris, France
Known for	Being a feral child

Victor of Aveyron (c. 1788 – 1828) was a feral child who was found in the late 18th century in the Aveyron region of France. He became a subject of interest and study for many scholars and is one of the most famous cases of a feral child.

Discovery

Victor was discovered in the forests of Aveyron in 1797. He was estimated to be around 12 years old at the time. He was captured but managed to escape shortly after. He was captured again in 1800 and was taken to Paris for observation and study.

Studies and Education

Victor was initially studied by the National Institute of Deaf-Mutes in Paris. He was later taken under the care of Jean Marc Gaspard Itard, a young medical doctor who specialized in the education of deaf-mutes. Itard attempted to teach Victor to speak and behave in a socially acceptable manner. Despite some progress, Victor never fully acquired language skills.

Significance

Victor's case was significant in the fields of psychology, education, and linguistics. It raised questions about the nature of humanity, the importance of socialization, and the critical period hypothesis in language acquisition. Victor's life and the efforts to educate him were documented by Itard in his reports, which remain influential in the study of feral children and language development.

Later Life and Death

Victor spent the remainder of his life under the care of Madame Guérin, who had been his caretaker during Itard's studies. He died in 1828 in Paris.

In Popular Culture

Victor's story has been the subject of various books, articles, and films. The most notable adaptation is the 1970 film The Wild Child directed by François Truffaut, which dramatizes Itard's efforts to educate Victor.

See Also

• Feral child
• Jean Marc Gaspard Itard
• Critical period hypothesis
• Language acquisition