The Amazing Journeys of Candide

In Voltaire's satire Candide the reader follows the travel of the main character Candide. Candide dynamically develops through the book by adsorbing multiple philosophies,and eventually concluding his own design. Throughout his journeys he encounters three major philosophies: optimism, pessimism and realism. The first philosopher is Pangloss and he teaches about optimism. The second philosopher that he meets is cacambo, and he is a person who accepts the world as it actually is. The last philosopher that candide encounters is a pessimist, and the despises everything in the world. As these three philosophers travel with Candide, they helped him see different viewpoints of the world. As a result, Candide’s development is greatly affected by the philosophies of Pangloss, Cacambo, and Martin.

The first philosopher that Candide encounters is named pangloss, and he is presented as a follower of optimism. Optimism is the belief that the world they live in is the best possible world. During their travels together Pangloss contracts a disease from a handmaiden and comments, “Oh, Pangloss cried candide, what a strange genealogy! Is not the Devil the original stock of it? Not at all, replied the great man, it was a necessary ingredient in the best of worlds; for if Columbus had not in an island of america caught this disease… we should have neither chocolate nor cochineal.” (Voltaire, 8). This is an example of Pangloss philosophy on optimism because he takes a negative event and adds on something positive which in turn gives it an optimistic view point. Pangloss believes deeply in his philosophy despite the fact that he has contracted a disease which worsens his health and prevents him from spawning children. He even goes on to say that des...

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...ue perspectives on the world. Candide revived a glimpse of the the best possible world, the world as it really is, and the worst possible world. In the end all the philosophies are rejected and they decide that the world is full of good and bad events, “ there is a concatenation of the events in the best of all possible worlds: for if you had not been kicked out of the magnificent castle for love of miss Cunegonde; if you had not been put into the inquisition; if you had not walked over america; if you ad not stabbed the baron; if you had not lost all your sheep from the fine country of el dorado; you would not be here eating preserved citrons and pistachio nuts... but let us cultivate our garden “ (Voltaire, 87). Candide choses to ignore the philosophies and just simply live he came to this deduction after vast travels and experiences he decides to tend his garden.