Candide

Candide, by Voltaire:  Voltaire's Candide is a novel which contains
conceptual ideas and at the

same time is also exaggerated. Voltaire offers sad themes disguised by

jokes and witticism, and the story itself presents a distinctive outlook

on life.

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[Paper Title]:

Candide, by Voltaire

[Text]:

Candide, by Voltaire

Voltaire's Candide is a novel which contains conceptual ideas and at the

same time is also exaggerated. Voltaire offers sad themes disguised by

jokes and witticism, and the story itself presents a distinctive outlook

on life. The crucial contrast in the story deals with irrational ideas

as taught to Candide about being optimistic, versus reality as viewed by

the rest of the world.

The main theme which is presented throughout the novel is optimism.

Out of every unfortunate situation in the story, Candide, the main

character, has been advised by his philosopher-teacher that everything

in the world happens for the better, because "Private misfortunes

contribute to the general good, so that the more private misfortunes

there are, the more we find that all is well" (Voltaire, p. 31).

Pangloss, the philosopher, tries to defend his theories by determining

the positive from the negative situations and by showing that

misfortunes bring some privileges. As Candide grows up, whenever

something unfortunate happens, Pangloss would turn 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 "

(Voltaire, p.86).

According to Rene Pomeau, "Voltaire-Candide...have made him [Candide]

acquainted with the bad and the good side of human existence. The moral

of Candide is born out of its style; it is the art of extracting

happiness from the desolate hopping-about of the human insect" (Adams;

Pomeau p.137). Pomeau explains that Candide shows both sides of

humanity; how both great and terrible events are standard in a human

life. Also according to Pomeau, the whole point of the story is to

debate between good and bad; for example, as Candide becomes more

independent, he starts to doubt that only good comes out of life.

Pangloss is a very hopeful character in the story because he refuses to

accept bad. He is also somewhat naive and believes that he could make

the world a better place by spreading his theories on optimism. When

Candide had met up with Pangloss after a long period of time, Pangloss

said that he was almost hanged, then dissected, then beaten. Candide

asked the philosopher if he still thought that everything was for the

better, and Pangloss replied that he still held his original views. No

matter how little Pangloss believed in the fact that somehow everything

would turn out well, he still maintained his original views. Voltaire

exaggerates his point on optimism; there is nobody in reality who is

positive about everything all the time, especially about something so

horrible. One could conclude that Pangloss is an irrational and inane

figure, and Voltaire tries to expose how incomprehensible his beliefs

are which do not measure up to reality.

According to Linguet, "Candide offers us the saddest of themes

disguised under the merriest of jokes" (Adams; Wade p. 144). It seems

as if Candide was written as a comedy; not This is ONLY a preview of the article. If you would like to view the entire document, you must subscribe to Electronic References. Please register below now!

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