Character Analysis
Famous in His Own Right
Now, Diderot's not just some character Rousseau pulled out of thin air. He's a famous French intellectual, writer, and philosopher who just happens to be buddies with Rousseau. Perhaps because they come from similar backgrounds, Rousseau is overprotective of his pal. And Diderot gives him plenty of reason to worry: his Philosophical Thoughts and Letter on the Blind land him right in jail for ticking off the wrong people.
When Rousseau learns that Diderot has been released from his imprisonment, he finds it "painful" that he can't "hurry there at that very moment!" (8.1.3). This is a true bromance, Shmoopers. The two men can't help but sob and embrace one another when they finally meet up. Even though the two guys squabble at times, they've always got each other's backs.