Sydney! Candide #3

Sydney, you beautiful, intelligent partner you! How art thou faring?

            Candide and his misfortunes continue to amount as the story continues on. However, by chapter 19 he has “to give up on optimism at last” (69). After journeying to the New World and finding that it was indeed not the best of all possible worlds, losing Cunegonde to yet another man, killing her brother, almost being eaten by Jesuit-haters, getting cheated by greedy people, leaving El Dorado, and meeting the slave that was tortured Candide realizes that his philosophy is unrealistic. One cannot turn a blind eye to the world after seeing such horror. I was surprised that the story of the slave with his “left and right hand missing” (68) was the one that made him change his mind. After all he had been through that was the tipping point to forsake Pangloss’ philosophy. Although he said that he would turn away from the notion of “insisting that everything is all right when everything is going wrong” (69). I thought that the realization that life had actually been going wrong instead of just as it should is proof that his newfound belief will stick. What are your thoughts? Do you think Candide’s revaluation that things do happen that are evil is legitimate or only temporary? Also, why do you think Voltaire chose that moment to have him recant?

            El Dorado clearly was the best of all possible worlds. It has been described a number of different ways in the past by other authors. Voltaire creates a world where gold is called “yellow mud” (65) and the sheep run faster than horses. His version of El Dorado is perfect and unique to other versions. I thought it comical that Candide was still more concerned with the philosophy and reasoning of the people of El Dorado instead of being concerned with the great wealth and customs of an undiscovered civilization. I thought this showed the simplicity of his brain. When Candide asks them about religion and all other government, punishment for wrong and other “civilized” things they reply that they do not exist. All of them are content and in perfect harmony. After all of the terrible things to happen I was very suspicious of the people of El Dorado and presumed that some horrible thing would come from Candide and Cacambo staying there. Where you trusting of those in El Dorado or were you waiting for another huge misfortune?

            The character added in chapter 21, Martin, is the exact opposite of Pangloss. He believes that the world is horrible and the Devil wreaks havoc on everyone. The man is a philosopher and Candide questions if he is “possessed by a devil” (74) to which the man replies that perhaps he is because the devil has his hand in everything. What do you think of this man’s philosophy and will he get along with Candide?

Good Luck!