Everything is not for the best
Everything is not for the bestFrancois-Marie Arouet De Voltaire, the son of a notary, was born on November 21st, 1694, in Paris. In 1704 he was enrolled to the Jesuit College of Louis-le-grande to study law, but he remained there until his seventeenth year. Voltaire quickly chose literature as a career. He began moving in aristocratic circles and soon became known in Paris as a brilliant and sarcastic wit. During his life he spend some time in Bastille for writing satiric verses about the aristocracy. He wrote many tragedies, comedies and few philosophical works. "Candide" is one of satirical and philosophical novels written by Voltaire. The main character, Candide, is an innocent man who after struggles to survive in the mad and evil world learns that irrational ideas taught to him about being optimistic (everything is for the best) are not always true.
The main theme, which is presented throughout the novel, is optimism. Out of every unfortunate situation in the story, Pangloss, his philosopher-teacher has advised Candide, that everything in this world happens for the best, because "Private misfortunes contribute to the general good, so that the more private misfortunes there are, the more we find that all is well". Pangloss tries to defend his theories by determining the positive from the negative situations and by showing that misfortunes bring some privileges. As Candide grows up, whenever misfortune happens, Pangloss would turn the situation around, bringing out good in it.
Pangloss is a very hopeful character in the story because he refuses to accept bad. He is also somewhat na�ve and believes that he could make the world a better place by spreading his theories on optimism. When Candide had met up with Pangloss after a long period of time, Pangloss said that he was almost hanged, than dissected, than beaten. Candide asked the philosopher if he still thought that everything was for the best, and Pangloss replied that he still held his original views. No matter how little Pangloss believed in fact that somehow everything would turn out well, he still maintained his original views.
During the course of Candide's journey, an earthquake strikes, murdering thirty thousand men, women, and children. In reality, this is a horrible predicament to be involved with. In Pangloss' world, "It is impossible for things not to be where they are, because everything is for the best", meaning that the earthquake was necessary in the course of nature, and so there was definitely a rationale for this situation.
To show contrast in the story, Voltaire introduces a character whose beliefs are completely opposite than the beliefs of Pangloss. This character is Martin, a friend and advisor of Candide who he meets on his journey. Martin is also a scholar, and...
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