Candide
I chose to read the novel, Candide, by the great eighteenth century author, Voltaire. The first time I read this book I was in the eighth grade and it was recommended to me by my English teacher who understood my passion to read. I have to admit that I did not appreciate the satire and the universal themes that encompass this novel as much the first time as I did when I read it again for a class project my junior year in high school. This book tells the tell of a man brought up to believe that he lives in the “best of all possible worlds” (Voltaire 123) even though he faces every possible misfortune known to man. As Candide, the lead character in the piece, journeys through life he encounters obstacle after obstacle, and not once does he surrender his belief that everything happens for a reason. To Candide he truly lives the greatest life despite all his tragedies. I really enjoyed this novel because I like the way that Voltaire uses satire to poke fun at the philosophy that suffering is part of the human plan. I also liked how Voltaire describes all of the scenes in his book with such great detail. Lastly I had great appreciation for the universal theme present in this piece that proclaims that you may go th . . .
It is intriguing for the reader that as soon as things start to go the right way for Candide it is all stripped away and he finds himself in yet another precarious predicament. I am thankful for the opportunity to break this book out and read it again. To me it seems that literature written today will never reach the grandeur that it did during the seventeenth and eighteenth century when authors, with one swoop of the pen could make some of the most convincing and well thought out points ever read. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Voltaire is describing the land in the New World (somewhere in South America) known as Eldorado. In another scene the author describes Candide and his companions journey away from the magical land of Eldorado as being so perilous that you would be afraid to even think of it. Candide, the main character is lead through various adventures starting off in chapter one with the expulsion from the beautiful castle he grew up in and the murder of his family. With high mountains, deep rivers, quicksand, and armies of enemies the scene Voltaire describes is truly terrifying. Good descriptive writing is a key element that is necessary for me to enjoy a novel thoroughly and Voltaire does an excellent job of accomplishing this. Candide killing the Baron will only prolong his journey. Voltaire makes us realize that everything in life is not fair, but quite the opposite-very unfair. There are many other points made by Voltaire that I really enjoyed that helped to make it one of my favorite books, but the satire, description used, and the theme that states that “all truly is not always for the best” (Voltaire 123) are the main reasons that I think that the book Candide and the author Voltaire have withstood the test of time and the reason why Candide is still a treasured literary favorite among many today. This is demonstrated when the Anabaptist friend of Candide and Pangloss falls off the ship en route to the New World. The next reason that I enjoyed this novel was for the way that Voltaire uses such immense detail in describing the characters and places in the book. Pangloss reasons with Candide the this happened to their dear friend because the “Lisbon Harbor was formed expressly for the Anabaptist to drown in” (Voltaire 28). For example just when Candide finally meets up with the object of his affection, Cunegonde again he is attacked by the Grand Inquisiter who owns her and he has to kill the man.
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Acceptance Essays
