Who was Alfred Le Poittevin and how did he influence Gustave Flaubert?

Alfred Le Poittevin was a young philosopher and a close friend of Gustave Flaubert during his early years.1

His influence on Flaubert was significant in several ways:

• Philosophical Outlook: Le Poittevin’s pessimistic worldview deeply impacted Flaubert, helping to shape his own critical perspective.1
• Intellectual Collaboration: The two shared a disdain for conventional thinking, which they referred to as idées reçues (accepted ideas). Together, they created a grotesque imaginary character named "le Garçon" (the Boy) to mock degrading or narrow-minded remarks.1
• Development of the "Bourgeois" Critique: Through their shared intellectual bond, Flaubert solidified his intense dislike for the "bourgeois"—a term he used to describe anyone he perceived as having a low or unrefined way of thinking.1