The Forbidden Experiment: The Story of the Wild Boy of Aveyron

by Roger Shattuck, Jed Perl (introduction)

On a cold morning just a few days into the year 1800, the citizens of the southern French village of Saint-Sernin awoke to a strange a hairy boy, naked, who appeared as if by some witchcraft from the nearby woods. Captured while digging up vegetables from a tanner's garden, the boy did not--could not--speak. Instead, he emitted a few weird cries, trying to hide himself from his puzzled captors. The next day, the gendarmes took the boy to a hospice in a nearby town. From there, writes the historian and literary scholar Roger Shattuck, his path took this "prisoner without a crime," now called Victor, into the studies and laboratories of revolutionary France, where the boy presented a rare homegrown instance of Rousseau's "noble savage" to the civilized world. Much scholarly and scientific debate surrounded him. Finally, Victor, now famed as the "wild boy of Aveyron," came under the care of a sympathetic young doctor who concluded that Victor was in fact an abandoned deaf-mute, intelligent but forlorn, who had somehow been able to survive on his own. Dismissed in a contemporary encyclopedia as "half wild" and "incapable of learning to speak in spite of all efforts to teach him," Victor was eventually forgotten. "A state pension kept him alive, like an animal in a zoo," writes Shattuck, "and when he died no one noticed." Scientific debate about his condition was renewed from time to time, however, and the story of the wild boy was influential in the development of several theories of language learning and human evolution. Shattuck's slender narrative is a fine work of scholarly detection, yielding an instructive episode in the history of science. --Gregory McNamee

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Psychology, Science, Biography, Language, France

256 pages, Paperback

Published August 19, 2025

Reviews

[pauline]

1. If, for example, I go to his room at nightfall when he has just gone to bed, his first movement is to sit up so that I can hug him, and then to draw me to him by taking my arms and making me sit on the bed. Then he usually takes my hand, places it over his eyes, on his forehead, on the back of his head, and holds it with his own in these places a long while.

2. Oh! at that moment as at many others when I was ready to give up the task I had imposed on myself and when I looked on all my time as wasted, how deeply I regretted ever having known this child, and how I condemned the barren and inhuman curiosity of those men who first uprooted him from an innocent and happy life!

[Peachy Keen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was hard to decide on a rating--I'll read more about this topic so might amend it. For a TLDR, I'd say this book is probably the best for a casual read on this subject. Shattuck does a good job summarizing Itard's reports and provides context from newspapers and other reports, something you don't get in just reading the original source material. He also has some insightful reflection on the case; I appreciate his sensitive and clinical eye. His description of the philosophy of the time is a bit imperfect, but if you've read Locke or Kant before, you know that's hard to hold against him. Still, he should've consulted with some people who work on that stuff-- it's not hard to get a Locke expert to nerd out about Locke.

I like the author's style in many ways; he sounds a bit like Itard, the doctor who worked with "Victor" (the Wild Boy); I think he'd take that as a compliment. He tries to be clinical but humanist in his observations, same as he thinks Itard was. There are moments of sensitive observation about Victor and Itard--not quite pitying, but obviously feeling for them in the difficult situation they found themselves in. And the book has a lot of information about the case-- it seemed quite thorough in that and was very readable.

Much of the book summarizes Itard's two reports, and Shattuck is quite passive until the end of the book. For instance, at one point the boy is described as uninterested in sweets; this is only a couple pages after Shattuck describes Victor as filching a bunch of desserts from a dinner party table. So, was he or wasn't he interested in sweets? Or did they just not work as rewards...? But more often, Itard draws hasty conclusions about the abilities of the boy, and Shattuck doesn't usually offer comment (or seems to explain why Itard may have thought that, but doesn't point out the possible flaws). Buried at the end is some general commentary on the deep flaws of Itard's program, most notably that he basically isolated Victor to having only himself and Mme Guerin as companions, of sorts, both of whom are authority figures (Shattuck doesn't mention this last bit, only that Victor was never encouraged to interact with kids his own age). Yet when puberty hits, it seems Victor does engage with girls his age, behaving quite awkwardly with them. It's unclear why or how Victor started socializing outside his two guardians at that point; maybe Itard doesn't say, but Shattuck doesn't even seem to find it odd.

So I do like the book. It's a useful resource, an easy and engaging read. I just wish there was a bit more to it.

[Nefer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very thorough account of the life of the so-called "Wild Boy of Aveyron", but it gives too many details about the author's point of view on history and politics and philosophy, and not so much information about the difficulties Mr. Itard went through to teach the "wild boy" how to talk. I am afraid the linguistic part was what interested me the most.

It gives a very insightful peace of information, though: Itard failed in his task to teach the boy how to talk because he insisted on obligation and practice almost blindly, and neglected the most effective method, the only one the boy was properly responding to —reward.

The author offers an appendix in which he mentions other famous cases such as Helen Keller's or poor Genie's, very different but also similar in regard to the loss of a natural acquisition of language.

And this is an interesting quote about Itard's discussion on the "state of nature":
«What we call 'savage' peoples have already been raised and trained within a certain cultural pattern. They tell us nothing about the totally uncivilized state of man.»

Also, I learned that Jean-Gaspard Itard was the father of otolaryngology.

And another curious fact: Victor Hugo lived only two houses away from the Wild Boy of Aveyron during his teen years, could the sight of the boy have inspired his Quasimodo?

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book. The story of feral human beings has always been a subject of amazement and legend. Many accounts being embellished or flat out false. This is a true account of a young boy discovered in France in 1800. A truly feral young boy. The book covers his removal from his wild existence and the efforts made to "civilize" him. In my opinion, they should have left him where and how he was. You will learn a lot from this book. And once he falls under the care of a Dr. Itard, the book really is gripping. I would give it 4 and a half stars. I thought it was an amazing story.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of the Wild Boy of Aveyron, who, in the year 1800, was captured in a small French village. The boy, who was in the age range of 9 to 12, had apparently been living wild in the forest for several years, and had survived on his own even through the harsh winters. The boy had to be kept locked in or on a leash at first or he would run away again. He had to be recaptured several times. The boy was without speech, though not deaf, and had no social skills at all. The boy was passed through a number of hands before a Dr. Itard took a hand and spent five years working diligently to try and rehabilitate the youth. The boy, named Victor, never did learn to speak but did acquire some civilized behavior.

This book looks at Itard's training procedures, which he recorded, documents the successes and failures, and then evaluates these based upon our modern understanding of psychology. It also asks questions, most of which have no answers, about what Victor might be able to teach us about humanity. I thought it was well done and an important work, although it doesn't really have much in the way of conclusions to draw.

[Peter Landau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come for the feral curiosity, stay for the endless debate between Rousseau and Hobbes. But what got me was it’s by the same author as The Banquet Years. I love that book.

[Anastasia Walker]

I inhaled Shattuck's book about 1890s Paris, "The Banquet Years," around the time I entered grad school, and had been meaning to read this book for years. A week back in Maine this summer seemed like the perfect occasion.

Like his better known work, I found "The Forbidden Experiment" an immensely readable, if dated, account of the life and education--or more properly acculturation--of the so-called Wild Boy of Aveyron, who for a year or two at the turn of the 19th century was the talk of Paris. The boy's story seems from the distance of over two centuries incredible. He apparently survived for 3-6 years as a child alone in the wild. He was untamed at the time of his capture near a small village in southwestern France (he was mostly naked, did not speak, wasn't "housebroken," etc.). No one ever claimed him, nor was it ever determined who his family was. Shattuck does a fine job in his account of the subsequent efforts to "civilize" the boy of teasing out the ambiguities of the situation. The boy belonged among his own kind, yet his story was in a real sense tragic, in no small part because the formative years he spent alone seem to have foreclosed the possibility of his developing more than rudimentary social skills, including the ability to communicate. More than once, Shattuck asks (without sentimentality) whether it would have been better to leave the boy in his wild state? The psychological scholarship Shattuck draws on is of course out of date (the book was published four decades ago), and his use of some older terms (e.g., "idiot," "retarded") is at times cringe-worthy. But the tale he has to tell is both fascinating and moving. In sum, if its subject is of interest to you, "The Forbidden Experiment" is well worth your time.

[genna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A smooth, beautiful analysis of a story which has captivated me since I was young. Shattuck tells the story of Victor, the Wild Boy of Aveyron, in a way that is stripped of romantic delusion but elegant and full of feeling. He considers not only psychology, but the importance of Victor's emergence as a subject of study in a France still bloody with revolution struggling to create itself in the image of the Enlightenment. Shattuck's attention to the ethical implications of Victor's case and his difficulties communicating conjure a very real boy, who without words is able to ask us what makes a human.

As a historian, I would have liked to see more specific citations, but the lack thereof does facilitate reading. This book was edifying, with excellent prose and deep empathy.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

feral children are the best kind of children

[Salamanderinspace · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting account of this case. The age of the book does irk me in a few spots where the author makes sweeping statements about the nature of humanity. These sometimes feel outtdated. However, that is minimal, as this is mostly a historical investigation. The author does posit that there is some sort of brain damage that happens as a result of isolation... I wonder if "damage" is the correct categorization, or if more contemporary theorists would chalk changes up to plasticity.

Minor spoilers:


It's blowing my mind that there are multiple accounts of wild people who never develop a direct interest in sex. Here's a quote:

"In the fall Victor seems to have become attached to a young girl whom he met in the Observatory gardens. One weekly newspaper following his case described Victor's behavior toward her as a mixture of devotion, fear, and obedience interrupted by constant distractions. Very little had occurred in his life to direct his lusts or his longings toward "the other sex." In fact, all accounts imply that he had little opportunity or encouragement to form an idea of another sex, or to see himself as male Romantic love with its ideal of intense emotion concentrated on one person was surely beyond his ken. With a few inevitable exceptions, Victor did not know either the "facts of life" or the social forms through which we approach them. After nine months in civilization he still apparently had no sense of shame or modesty about any bodily functions or activities."

[Bryce Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Forbidden Experiment by Roger Shattuck gives an insight into the real case study of the Wild Boy of Aveyron during the time of early 19th century France. The case is quite interesting to learn about, particularly for the development, or lack thereof, of the Wild Boy throughout his life during and after living in the woods for several years. The story provides details about the various learning techniques that were attempted to bring the Wild Boy into society.

The book is a bit dense and sometimes slow to get into the specifics about the techniques used to progress the development of the Wild Boy. However, the story gets very interesting once the methods that the primary physician was using to teach the boy are highlighted and described. I would recommend this book to those who are interested in psychology, especially the effects of child development and the concept of a "critical period," as the Wild Boy is a firsthand account of the complications associated with social isolation and neglect.

The book further poses philosophical ideas about the purpose of human existence in the absence of socialization, habituation, and culture. I thought this was a unique addition and gives the reader opportunity to ponder the question of humanity.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"But the question about leaving the boy in the woods is really moral--moral in the root sense (like mores) that concerns conventions of behavior in a given society, and moral in the modern sense, invoking principles of right and wrong . The question could easily catapult us into a vast philosophical discussion about the goals of life, the nature of man, natural rights, and the relation between an individual human being and the society that nurtured him. I shall try to keep things simple" (51).

"For in the end, we all yearn to see through eyes other than our own, to enter another life. Proust called this dream the 'fountain of youth'" (172).

[Peter Rock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Been thinking about this person for a long time.

"What I call the forbidden experiment is one that would reveal to us what 'human nature' really is beneath the overlays of society and culture. Or at least an experiment that could tell us if there is any such thing as human nature apart from culture and individual heredity."

"Our refined drinker goes to the window and stands with his yes turned toward the open country. It is as if at such a moment of enjoyment this child of nature wanted to reunite the only two possessions that have survived his loss of liberty--a drink of clear water and the sight of sun and countryside."

[Ron Scrogham · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a "wild boy" comes out of the forest in southern France in 1800 the public, government, and scientists are fascinated about this "noble savage." Except for a devoted caretaker and teacher, the novelty soon wears off when the boy, eventually named "Victor," fails to progress to a recognizably human state. Roger Shattuck retells this story with great compassion and insight. Ultimately, the Wild Boy of Aveyron gives an opportunity for all considering it to reflect on the question of what it means to be human.

[Amber Fernie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating. It is so interesting to see the difference in clinical language between the early 19th century, 40 years ago, and today. Yet despite Dr. Itard’s failures, this child was given better and more lasting care in 1800 France than Genie was given in 1970s America. It seems that in all these cases, a lot of publicity surrounds the children followed by further abandonment, but at least Victor had a devoted foster mother who loved him after all the testing and training ended.

[Vicki Gooding · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story happened a long time ago. Questions were being passed around regarding elect mutism, feral children, and teaching a genuine young male. He does not have any language skills other than strange grunting noises. When they try to make him a boy with clothes, food habits, grooming and socially acceptable behavior around others. I felt pity for the young man, but just seeing how it works make it extremely exciting, and learn

[Francesco Granati · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sort of stumbled on this small but interesting booklet. Definitely too long given its true aim, but also very interesting especially in terms of the psychological and developmental questions it posits (i.e. nature vs nurture). Also, generally said, an incredible story that I wish I could have seen with my eyes.

[Marianne Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never enjoyed studying psychology; this book made me realize it's because it's all too complicated. The mystery seems often unsolvable. However the story of this boy was fascinating and I'm truly grateful to the written records of Itard who tried to understand and train.

[Jason DeLillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good. But a bit dated in use of terminology and possibly in its attitude towards disability.

[The Badger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victor was never truly given a chance. The simple fact that he was passed from caretaker to caretaker and paraded around as an anomaly made working with him prohibitive, as he had no sense of permanence or safety. He lived in a state of "fight or flight," which is not conducive to learning.

While Victor may have been past the age where language skills are easily learned, it saddens me that he wasn't offered other means of communication, such as sign-language. In my practice we do this with autistic children and children with selective mutism. It doesn't mean we're giving up on teaching them language skills--WE still talk to them and give them words and scripts, but we recognize that they need to feel some empowerment and accomplishment if they're going to take the next step.

Poor Victor came in a time where he wasn't seen as a child--only a case study. He was nothing more than another animal in a zoo, and he lived a short, unhappy life in captivity.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another research book. Shattuck delves into the essential question driving Itard's work with Victor namely, What IS Man's Essential Nature? "The forbidden experiment" refers to raising a child in an environment in which he/she is completely cut off from contact with humans or human culture. Itard, and all of post-revolutionary France hoped Victor would answer this question...essentially settle that pesky nature or nurture thing once and for all. He didn't. Surprise. Surprise. While I don't always agree with Shattuck, he's pretty thorough and compassionate which count for a lot.

[Jessy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ended up reading this for a Deaf Studies course I was taking. I'm not usually one for non-fiction books, so I didn't love it. However, the prose wasn't plodding and had a pleasing rhythm; I didn't have to force myself to keep reading.

The subject matter was interesting. Shattuck's approach considers the social environment in which Victor's appearance occurs, as well as accounting for what we know of Victor's life.

I will say, this is a great book to read if you want the non-fiction exposure without the 400+ pages.

[Aspasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was briefly mentioned in my social science textbook in a section on feral children. The Wild Boy of Aveyron was captured in January of 1800. His history has been untraceable and many physicians and psychiatrists for the past 210 years have tried to successfully diagnose him. The Wild Boy was eventually named Victor was rehabilitated enough to live with a guardian. Victor might have also been the inspiration for Quasimodo in Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

if you like books about feral children, you'll love this one.

[A.K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out for a "cheap thrill"
Instead, a "meditation" on "human nature"

Neat!

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish it were more graphic, maybe I'm sick.

[Corrijean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. Very interesting subject matter.

[Margy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although a very interesting subject, it is written like a scholarly journal or textbook,

[AC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as interesting as I had expected or hoped.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simon lent this to me and I LOVED it.