Candide is a satirical novel that was written by Voltaire and was published in 1759. It is the story of a man who desperately believes that he lives in “the best of all possible worlds.” It brought many questions to mind. Candide traveled the world, while looking for the love of his life, Cunegonde. Along the way he learns that optimism, or a belief in the perfect order of things, is absurd.
I found the book a little fast paced, the development in the characters was too much and too fast to follow. I would enjoy it more if it was slowed down rather than one detail directly after another. I was also wondering why Voltaire decided to kill off Pangloss and the Baron, but then bring them back later. Pangloss was hanged because the grand inquisition saw him as a heretic. Candide was beaten because he listened to pangloss. What was the purpose of “killing” them just to bring them back to life again later?
“This world being the best of all possible worlds”(pg43). Pangloss says that to Canddie as if he wants Candide to believe their world is perfect and hide all the imperfect things. In my opinion there can never be a perfect world because there is always going to be something to improve.