Dearest Sydney,
Candide by
Voltaire has been interesting, disgusting, horrifying, but ultimately quite entertaining.
The main character’s misfortunes and those experienced by those around him are
told so matter-of-fact that they could almost be the punch lines to a dark anti-joke.
The style that Voltaire uses pushes the story along and leaves no room for
detail or expansion about the events that take place. He states things as they happen and does not write with much pitty for Candide.
The teachings of Pangloss had me skeptical from the beginning. The idea that everything that "is for the best purpose" (16) because we live in the best of all possible worlds at the best of all possible moments, fell onto deaf ears. I am too much of a realist to even begin to accept this idea as the world is clearly not at its best and will never be until Christ comes again. I have seen to much pain to say that everything is for the best. I am anxious to see how Candide overcomes or finds reality and puts off the ideals that have been instilled in him. What are your thoughts on the philosophies taught and the way the characters react to them?
After reading about Pangloss and the chambermaid's "lesson in experimental physics" (17), I immediately marked him as a hypocrite even though he had not once mentioned right and wrong. I assumed that as a teacher he should remain above reproach and be a quality example. He failed utterly. Because of his bad example Candide and Cunegonde were sepparated and Candide exiled. Did you think Candide was exiled fairly?
Latter after being exiled Candide is forced into war and tries to desert. It potrayed him as cowardly and unwilling to be in a fight. Perhaps Pangloss taught him that fighting was bad? We also hear of his home town being destroyed and Cunegonde being mistreated. Out of all of his recent circumstances which has been the most unfortunate misfortune yet?
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