Candide :: essays research papers

Candide     Voltaires Candide is a novel which contains enlightmenet and at the same time is also exaggerated. Voltaire offers disguised by jokes and sarcisam, and the story itself presents a distinctive outlook on life in the 1700s. The crucial contrast in the story deals with irrational ideas as taught to Candide closely being optimistic, versus reality as viewed by the rest of the valet de chambre.     The main head that I got out of reading Candide is optimism. Out of every unfortunate bit in the story, Candide, the main character, has been advised by his philosopher-teacher that everything in the world happens for the better, because " reclusive misfortunes contribute to the general good, so that the more private misfortunes there are, the more we find that either is well".     As Candide grows up whenever something unfortunate happens Pangloss would wrench the situation around, bringing out the good in it. Candide learns that optimism is "The passion for maintaining that all is right when all goes wrong ". Candide also believes that he could make the world a better place by spreading his theories on optimism. integrity could say that Pangloss is an irrational figure, and Voltaire tries to expose how incomprehensible his beliefs are which do non measure up to reality. It is possible, however, that all along, deep down inside, Candide doubted the philosophies of his teacher because of his film to immorality in the real world. For example, Candide witnessed the public hanging of two Lusitanian Jews simply because they refused to eat bacon for dinner.It was occurrences like these which demonstrated the inhumanity that one someone can do to another, leading Candide to disbelieve Pangloss philosophies. Cunegonde, the object of Candides affections, was thought baseless by Candide but she had really been raped and sold into slavery.