Learning about children from literature

Which tells us more about children, behavioral science or the general liter ature? Actually, neither gave us much information until the last two centur ies. Only since Rousseau's contributions in literature and Darwin's in scie nce have accurate descriptions been offered. Now one can find presentations on the impact of physical characteristics and disabilities, family interac tions, other social influences, and temperamental predispositions in both l iterature and science. The difference in treatment is that science describe s in abstractions the general principles of human nature, while literature synthesizes vivid, coherent illustrations of whole, believable persons in a ll their complexities. Literature, moreover, has ventured into some areas t hat science has not. The complete pediatrician needs both sources of inform ation for a well-rounded knowledge of children and their development.