How Voltaire utilizes Candide, Pangloss,and Martin
to satirize how blind optimism hinders the
perception of reality
by Lillian Bonar
Essay: How Voltaire utilizes Candide, Pangloss,and Martin to satirize how blind optimism hinders the
perception of reality
Pages: 11
Rating: 3 stars
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of reality.doc
Blind optimism has concealed the eyes of human beings from the defects of the world since the age of
Enlightenment. Defying the archaic thinking of society, Voltaire searched for practical and useful knowledge to
explain the world he lived in. Voltaire mocked philosophers, such as Leibniz ,who believed in the “best of all
possible worlds” ,and presupposed that all things happen for a reason rather than convincing himself that good
and bad are one and the same( 12). The term blind optimism refers to naievty, or having a tendency to expect the
best of all possible outcomes and never accepting conclusions in a negative way. In the novel Candide, Voltaire
strikes his major characters with atrocious events to challenge the unquestionable optimistic view of the world,
showing how ludicrous blind optimism truly is. Voltaire exemplifies this notion by utilizing characterization of his
characters Candide, Pangloss, and Martin to satirically demonstrate how blind optimism hinders the perception of
reality
Candide is outlined to be excessively trustworthy in everything he is disclosed to, and thus, childlike. After Candide
is kicked out of his castle, he is approached by two soldiers who ask him if he “has great affection for the King of
Bulgarians”, and when Candide replies that he doesn't know of the King, the two soldiers invite Candid to “drink to
[ the king’s] health”.As Candide joins them and drinks to a king he has never known “with all his heart”, he
demonstrates lack of independence for himself. The soldiers then take Candide to join their army and he goes
willfully, contented to be a involved in Bulgarian army. As Candide is exposed to many horrors such as war, abuse,
and homelessness, he realizes life is not constantly jubilant ,...
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