Emile
Emile the subject of the book, the hypothetical child whom Rousseau is educating. He is a fiction of Rousseau's mind designed to illustrate his philosophy about the education of children. He matures into adulthood over the course of the book and becomes engaged.
The Tutor
Emile's Tutor illustrates the role of the instructor in a child's education. He remains with Emile from childhood into his adolescence. He teaches Emile formally, representing Emile's direct relationship to society.
The Vicar
The Vicar appears in Book 4. He's called upon to educate Emile in religion. His appearance in the book, as a whole, is the citation for the book's banning when it was published in the 1762. The Vicar speaks Savoyard, which is a dialect of Provincial France. Amid a push to preserve the pure French language, France had systematically banned and destroyed literature written in such dialects.
Sophie
Sophie is Emile's fiance. Rousseau introduces her to his narrative in Book 5 in order to address the education of girls. Rather than coupling Sophie in all of Emile's endeavors, Rousseau has her educated in domestic affairs and etiquette.
