FAMILY EDUCATION AND TRADITION: IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME

As an enduring social novel, In Search of Lost Time (1871-1922) not only traces the personal growth of its protagonist, Marcel, and also reflects the richness of French culture and tradition. This paper focuses on issues of family education and educational traditions within the novel. It provides an in-depth analysis of the educational behaviors and philosophies of Marcel’s grandmother, mother, and father, while tracing the social educational traditions that underlie these modes of parenting. The study reveals a complex coexistence of two distinct educational models in Marcel’s family, characterized by contrasting values, goals, and methods. This complexity stems from parental adherence to two differing traditions of family education: the traditional, status-oriented model focused on social legacy, and a modern, person-centered approach rooted in natural development. This study enriches interdisciplinary literary research while offering new insights into family education and sociological studies of tradition. By filling a gap in scholarship on family education in In Search of Lost Time, it lays groundwork for future exploration of conflicts and harmonies in educational traditions within the novel and other works with similar themes. The study employs Edward Shils’ sociological theory of tradition as a theoretical framework.