In both The Catcher in the Rye and The Great Gatsby, the common theme is the past is romanticized. Individual symbols in both books differ in teaching the readers how not to fall into this trap. In The Catcher in the Rye, Allies baseball mitt repeatedly conveys how not being willing to change can lead to being stuck in the past. While waiting for Phoebe, Holden sees two kids wandering around. After having a small conversation with them he asks, “You two guys interested in mummies” (Salinger 203).
Voltaire’s “Candide” was published in 1759. Candide experiences numerous undertakings. Some of them are clever, some are pitiful, and some are shocking. His eyes open to reality. He sees that everything does not happen generally advantageous as the rationalists and metaphysician Pangloss had let him know in the Baron's manor.
Voltaire, uses the scene in Chapter 6, to illustrate an aspect of his understanding about human nature through the suffering of Candide. During this scene, when the country men decide to offer human sacrifices to prevent future earthquakes (Voltaire 14) the author exposes the prideful and depraved aspects of unredeemed, human nature according to scripture. An example, of human pride, occurs when a few men think they can control nature, “…the wise men of the country... decided…the infallible secret of preventing earthquakes” (14). During this scene, readers encounter human pride by way of men seeing themselves as gods instead of seeking God for a solution (NIV Pr. 3: 5-6; 14:1).
While on their journey to Lisbon, a catastrophic earthquake surprises them. Although, they do survive the disaster, it leads them into a series of unfortunate events to come. First of all, after the earthquake wiped out most of Lisbon, the only way that the learned men of the land were able to regain order and avoid complete destruction was by “giving the people a fine auto-da-fe.” (Voltaire 432). This is a negative reflection on Pangloss and Candide’s actions, one for talking and the other for listening with an air of approval, because the authorities came with ropes and tied them up for them to be a part of this public ceremony.
Identical, as any reader may have figured out by the title, is about Identical twins. This book is probably one of the most morbid, saddest books I have ever read. This novel just like all the others written by Ellen Hopkins, is great. She never fails to bring something new to the table, as if her mind is an endless tornado.
Voltaire’s Candide takes us through the life and development of Candide, the protagonist. Throughout his adventures, he witnesses many travesties and sufferings. Like many Enlightenment philosophers, Pangloss, Candide’s tutor, is an optimist; this philosophy was adopted by many to help mask the horrors of the eightieth century. Pangloss teaches Candide that everything happens for a reason. Voltaire uses satire, irony and extreme exaggerations to poke fun at many aspects; such as optimism, religion, corruption, and social structures within Europe.
Throughout Voltaire’s brilliant short novel, Candide, he utilizes the influential tool of satire as a civil attack on Europe’s corrupt society. While there are many themes that Voltaire confers upon in his writing, the central thesis in my view is his sarcastic portray of the optimistic view from the Enlightenment. This optimistic view is strategically used to hide the horrors of life during this period such as sexual oppression, religious hypocrisy, brutal warfare, and more. In the beginning of the story, the reader is introduced to the protagonist, Candide, who is being taught by a philosopher named Pangloss whose focus is the idea of optimism.
Voltaire is well known for his suggestive satirical work, especially his masterpiece Candide. Candide is a timeless piece still relevant today, that was written to warn the public about the consequences of radical optimism (Online-Literature 1). The main character, Candide, is a naïve and trusting young man who is banished from his home. Despite his life being filled with a series of bizarre disasters, Candide holds fast to his optimism – which serves as an example to readers. Voltaire emphasizes the dangers of radical optimism by incorporating tone, themes and utilizing satire in Candide.
The story shows Candide as a naïve man who had a pure heart and expected others to be like him too. However, throughout his voyage around the world, he saw many selfish and dishonest people who only cared about taking advantage of others to benefit themselves. As the good Anabaptist died in the sea trying to save the sailor, the sailor stole what he can and only saved himself to the shore of Lisbon. And even during the earthquake that killed thousand and destroyed the city, he had stolen from victims and dead people to benefit himself. Voltaire showed that the absence of just law is normal when the justice government does not exist and the noblemen and religious people only work to benefit themselves.
Cunegonde’s story in Lisbon gives Voltaire the chance to focus on and show the injustices of protestants, intellectuals, slaves, Jews and most importantly women. For example, Cunegonde was abused as a slave and was sold more than one time. Paquette suffered because she was forced to be a prostitute. Voltaire is satirizing the attitudes of the society towards the “gender role” in the eighteenth century. He shows the submission of females in the male-dominated society.
Moreover, situations these forces create, and how they are beyond and within the control of Candide. Leading to Candide’s final beliefs, and how they illustrate the follies of optimistic determinism. At the beginning of Voltaire epic Candide is a naive scholar. He strongly adheres to the beliefs laid out for him by his mentor Pangloss.
One key facet of living in the world today is the ability for people to have free will over their own lives. In Voltaire’s story “Candide,” it is clear to observe that although Candide is free to form his own decisions, he allows himself to be strongly determined by his surroundings as well as everyone who he encounters. This story proposes that Candide is trying to find a balance between submitting completely to the speculations and actions of others while also taking control of his life through blind faith. Throughout the story, Candide encounters frequent hardships along his voyage to prosperity. These obstacles include, but are not limited to becoming a bulwark, being beaten and forced to watch his beloved Pangloss having been hanged, leaving such an amazing place as Eldorado, being lied to and tricked out of diamonds by the abb`e, killing Cunegonde’s two lovers, almost being boiled alive for killing the monkey lovers, and being persuaded to be promiscuous on Cunegonde.
Through the protagonist Candide one can deduce Voltaire’s negative outlook on human nature. He believes every word that Pangloss says, in the same way that people of the day believed everything that the Church would say. At the beginning of the text he blindly worships Optimism and by the end of it he worships the Turk’s philosophy of labour. “I also know… that we must cultivate our garden” (Voltaire 99). However it does appear that Candide has gained more knowledge and wisdom and has therefore made a more informed decision.
Voltaire is sis giving the reader the direct message that after experiencing like Candide did, one can come to an universal conclusion, that the world isn’t as great as we’re led to
Voltaire’s Candide is a story of a young man’s adventure and how his experiences change his philosophy on life. Although Candide’s adventures begin with a rather positive confidence that he lives in “the best of all possible worlds” his attitude is quickly transformed when he realizes the world is in fact full of evil. In
