CANDIDE 5

Simmons, Rachel; entry #5

Hey-o! Sydney, you queen of the earth.

Your question about why Voltaire has Candide switch from pessimism to optimism was interesting. I see your point in that Voltaire could have been trying to show how neither one is absolute. I agree with you. However, I also see that it could just be showing the simplicity of Candide. He is always fully supporting one or fully supporting the other until something comes up that changes his mind. Candide is not grounded or intelligent enough to support either one or to come up with his own philosophies.

The man who lives in essentially a perfect world proves that perfection does not bring happiness. One can have everything and still not be content. Human nature pushes us to always strive for bigger and better. We are never satisfied with what we do have. If the best of all possible world existed we still would not be content. In El Dorado things that astonished Candide were worthless there because they were abundant. If pure happiness was abundant and sorrow was rare, we would see life and happiness as ordinary rather than a treasured rarity.

Also, I had no idea the significance of the kings. I think it just showed how rich Candide was and how much even royalty suffers. Those with power and wealth know evil as much as the rest of us.

Throughout Candide different characters produce their own ideas about life. “Everyone has a worldview” (props to Mr. Dyck on this one) and in Candide everyone feels like they need to share it. James the anabaptist believed that “men...have corrupted nature...with which to destroy each other” (25), but he still did his best to make it the world better. His willingness to help others leads to his demise. After being flogged, Candide meets someone who is a complete hypocrite, the Grand Inquisitor. He condemns people for ridiculous things that are unholy, but he himself has many mistresses and is very sinful. He lives for himself and preys on the weak. The old woman thinks everyone is terrible and goes along with everything that happens. Martin hates everyone and believes that “the Devil has his hand in everything” (77). I assume that these were popular beliefs of the time. Are there any others you noticed? Which one did you connect with most? Personally, James was my hero even though he only lived for 3 chapters.