Monkey And Candide Relationship Essay

In many stories the relationships between characters is the main focus of the plot. In both Monkey and Candide, the main relationship is between the main characters, Monkey and Candide respectively, and some sort of mentor. In both books, the way that the main characters approach the world, friendship, love, and community is colored by the idealistic beliefs of their mentors. This leads to a worldview that can change depending on the mentor or if there is a lack of one. Initially, Monkey views the world as privy to his own needs because he is his own master. His life is all pleasure in the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. He disrespects the customs of heaven and steals from the people of heaven. He chooses to engage in mischief and views the beliefs and actions of others as inferior to his own. He tells Natha, an emissary of Jade Emperor, to “tell the Jade Emperor that if he will give me [the rank of Great Sage, Equal to Heaven] he need send no more armies” (Waley 49). Monkey believes that he is above the control of his superiors and should not be forced to submit to any other being. This occurs until he tricked by the

He is naive and quite easily persuaded. Initially, he is under the tutelage of Dr. Pangloss, who preaches that the world which they live in is the best of all possible worlds. He earnestly and wholeheartedly believes Dr. Pangloss’s philosophy of the world who he calls “the greatest philosopher in the province and consequently in the entire world” (Voltaire 338). His life at the Castle of the Baron of Thunder-ten-tronckh, Candide presumes is the best that it could be. However, Candide cannot enjoy this way of living for long as he is literally kicked out of the castle for fornicating with the baron’s daughter. This marks the beginning of Candide’s life away from the castle where he is able to see how accurately Pangloss’s philosophy describes the real