In today's society, a strong performance ideal has emerged among young women, often referred to as the "good girl" syndrome. This essay examines how historical notions of female upbringing may have influenced the develoment of this ideal. Through a discourse analysis of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's work Emile, or on education from 1762, with focus on the portrayal of the female figure Sophie, the essay analyzes the norms and values conveyed regarding female virtue, obedience, and submission. These are then compared with modern expressions of the "good girl", such as the character Spara from an advertisement from Sparbanken's youth magazine Lyckoslanten. The essay is based on Michel Foucault's discourse theory and Byung-Chul Han's analysis of the achievement society to understand how external ideals of obedience are internalized over time into self-monitoring and self-discipline. The result show a clear continuity in how girl's value has been linked to adaptation, control and self-sacrifice. However, the essay does not determine whether these ideas originate specifically from Rousseau or a broader intellectual tradition.