Candide

1 Pages 329 Words

In the book “Candide” by Voltaire we are introduced to the main character Candide who
was born and raised in a castle in Westphalia. Candide has been brought up under the
teachings of the great philosopher Pangloss who is basically a philosopher of everything.
Pangloss’ main philosophical view is that “everything is for the best in this best of all
possible worlds.” Pangloss demonstrates this by using an example of the reason we have a
nose is for glasses to be placed upon it. However Candide gets kicked out of the castle
that he grew up in and as he continues to believe in Pangloss’ theory it is starting to be
contradicted greatly with the events that have been occurring in Candide’s life.
From the very first chapter in the book we are presented with events that
Candide’s faith in Pangloss’ theory. He faces a wide variety of tragedies one after another
including rapes, robberies, unjust executions, disease, earthquake, and betrayal. Yet as I
read through all these terrible events I felt that it was almost necessary for Candide to
keep faith in Pangloss’ theory because it is the only explanation that he has so far as to
why these horrible things are happening to him and others around him. In life when we
lack reasoning for the tragic events that occur we are often left very angry and confused.
It is good for Candide’s spirit to hold on to this theory that Pangloss has given him no
matter how unreasonable it is.
On the other hand Pangloss struggles to find justification for the unimaginable
things in the world and his arguments are simply absurd. For example, he says that syphilis
is necessary and is needed to be transmitted from the Americans to Europe so that
Europeans could enjoy new world delicacies such as chocolate. How bizarre is that
explanation?
So no matter how good of an idea Pangloss thought he might have had with his
theory that “everything is for the best in this best of ...