How Was Candide Selfish

In most cases a man who travels the world has many experiences, is considered wise and knowledgeable, but in the novel Candide written in 1759 by Voltaire, the protagonist Candide is very childlike for his age and the extent of what he’s gone through. He was reckless and did not care about anything except reuniting with the love of his life, Cunegonde, the daughter of the Baroness. He was responsible for several murders and thought nothing of it. Candide’s childish actions were greedy because all he wanted was Cunegonde and would stop at nothing to get her. His actions had negative effects towards the people around him, he lacked a sense of empathy and portrayed qualities of arrogance. Candide was also very naive similar to a child, he couldn’t

make decisions on his own and he was easily fooled. Throughout the novel Candide, the character of Candide portrays a child-like persona through traits of recklessness, greed, and naivete which results in Candide being vulnerable to loss. (Jackson Smith)
Adolescence can be described as being Reckless.

Candide shows many signs of being reckless throughout his journey.“ It is I, Indeed, but my mother lied four hundred yards hence, torn in quarters, under a heap of dead bodies”(12.5).Candide did several murders with no regrets or guilt which showed how reckless he actually is. Not only did he murder he also gave away all his money. Candide lost his wealth many times by giving away more money than he could afford. He gave his riches to the Dutch captain and also to the Jews. Candide showed many signs of being reckless through ruthless murders and naive money decisions. (Tj

Smith)
Candide is the definition of naive because throughout the novel he is tricked and exploited by most of the people he comes across. The Dutch captain keeps raising the price of traveling aboard his ship:
“The skipper asked ten thousands piastres. Candide did not hesitate….Returning a little while after, he let him know that upon second consideration, he would not undertake the voyage for less than twenty thousand piastres….He went back to him again, and declared that he could not carry him to Venice for less than thirty thousand piastres. “Then you shall have thirty thousand,” replied Candide” (19.20).
Candide did not realize that the man was planning on robbing him of all his treasure.

He still went on Pangloss’ philosophy of that “.....Consequently they who assert that all is well have said a foolish thing, they should have said all is for the best” (1.5). He does not think that people are being evil or tricking him for the worst he believes that everything that happens is for the best. Candide innocently believed that the people he came across wanted to help him. He did not realize when the Bulgarians were asking him about his height they were checking to make sure that he was of the correct height to fight for their king in which he did end up having to do. Even the sight of war that did expose the horrors of the world to him did not change his outlook on how the world is for the best. (Alyssa

Harris)
Throughout the novel, Candide faces many life-impacting decisions in order to rescue Cunegonde. His decisions are altered by his child-like character and the greed he has developed. In many situations he is willing to take another life due to his attachment to Cunegonde. A child-like character generally has not learned the difference between wrong or right, nor the aspect of sharing and empathy. Candide displays these traits in many events including when he addressed Cunegonde, “My beautiful young lady,” responded Candide, “when one is a lover, jealous and whipped by the Inquisition, one stops at nothing” (9.9). Candide was willing to do anything for Cunegonde, without a sense of guilt or empathy. Instead of giving him power over others on his journey to find his lover, the persona that he portrays makes him weak, in that he is vulnerable to loss because he lacks the ability to analyze his situation and how it will affect everyone. The lack of discipline in Candide’s life resembles that of a child who fights for what they want, yet it still unhappy with the outcome. (Laihha)
In multiple ways, Candide’s child like actions of greed, recklessness, and naivete govern his decisions. These decisions made in favor of only himself resulted in the loss of power, money and loved ones. He acts as if he is able depict anyone’s life solely for the purpose of being with Cunegonde. Candide lacks the ability to make mature decisions that do not harm those around him.