Voltaire,
“Candide, or Optimism” (373-413)
·
The plot entirely connects to philosophical
ideas: “Everything is for the best”. Ironically, they all encounter harsh life:
Murder, flogging, rape, death, hanging, etc.
·
This would tie into Optimism by way of
thinking everything is for the best, equaling the best version of the world.
·
Every chapter in the story is something
that happens from the previous story that leads into something new. This would
be cause and effect.
·
Candide sticks by what he was taught
throughout the whole story: “I have seen worse; but a wise man, who has since
had the misfortune to be hanged, taught me that everything was marvelously well
arranged. Troubles are just the shadows in a beautiful picture” (395). This is
rather surprisingly because of all the things he has been through. By now, one
would have thought that he would have learned differently. However, he does not
yet.
·
The ending makes since but is also
somehow interesting and surprising. They all talk about their philosophical
speculations at this point but it seems like some of them are having a hard
time believing them.
·
Pangloss still sticks by his original
claim but seems to not believe it. Maybe it is a pride thing. Example: “Pangloss
asserted that he had always suffered horribly; but having once declared that
everything was marvelously well, he continued to repeat the opinion and didn’t believe
a word of it” (412).
·
What also is rather interesting and Ironic
is that Cunegonde had the same fate as the old Woman. What was once a rare beauty
is now ugly; also both suffered through rape and torment.
·
It is funny that after all their
sufferings, they seem to survive and meet up towards the end as if they are all
being taught a lesson.
·
Ending: they all live on a farm and
garden the rest of their lives. It seems that this is how they achieve peace and
no longer look towards their useless Philosophical speculations.
·
It is not a disappointing ending.
No comments:
Post a Comment