An Analysis of Nature and Nurture in Rémi’s Development in Hector Malot’s Nobody’s Boy

Abstract

"This study explores the nature and nurture dynamic through the protagonist, Remi, in Nobody's Boy by Hector Malot (1878). The thesis follows a multi-theoretical methodology, utilizing Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, Erikson’s Psychosocial Development, Bowlby’s Attachment Theory, and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to analyze the character’s growth across three distinct developmental periods. While the psychological theories are used to examine Remi’s internal drives, attachments, and identity formation, the ecological framework reveals how external environments and social structures shape his opportunities. This combination allows for a deeper understanding of how a child’s innate potential is continuously reconfigured by the quality of care, labor, and companionship he encounters. The findings of this study indicate that Remi’s development is neither a result of a fixed nature nor a simple molding by nurture, but rather a dynamic negotiation between his active temperament and the layered contexts he inhabits. The analysis also reveals that despite the trauma of abandonment and poverty, Remi transforms from a ""nobody"" into a resilient adult through the cumulative power of secure relationships and meaningful work, highlighting the necessity of proper education and support for vulnerable children. Further research should be done to focus on other theoretical lenses such as trauma theory, broaden the literary corpus to include other nineteenth-century texts, or connect these literary insights to educational practices."