Although the main characters in Voltaire's Candide supposedly resign themselves to work and cultivate rather than philosophize in the end, it is necessary for them to survive the struggle and to the troubles to achieve this awareness. The adventures which link Candide to his companions throughout the story constitute a model of Voltaire's view of the world. While it is obvious to any careful observer of the real world that Pangloss's optimistic philosophy must be rejected, the author also leaves his readers with the impression that hard work and conformity are the key to happiness. The potential flaws in this impression, however, ultimately show that true happiness is impossible to obtain in Voltaire's eyes, and throughout the story Voltaire seeks to reveal that it is impossible to advocate adherence to any system of thought. Whether a person is active or passive; optimistic or pessimistic; idealistic or realistic; he cannot do anything decisively to change his state and so he must rely on a reality that humanity cannot change. Because humans can only accept what they cannot control, Voltaire's satire does not act as a tool of reform but only of realism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayThe progression of adventures that Candide must embark on demonstrates the futility of reform in Voltaire's eyes. Even the speed with which Candide moves from one situation to another demonstrates how reform cannot be a goal. The fast-paced action of each event does not allow the reader to know many details or empathize with the secondary characters, and the lack of transition leaves no time to reflect on what has recently happened to the protagonist. With the combination of little time for reflection and the fleeting existence of so many characters, there is no need to reform situations that do not have the opportunity to present themselves again. Even a supposed death countered by a miraculous continuation of life does not modify the traits of certain characters. Pangloss is exemplary of this idea. The reader does not know many details about Pangloss other than his optimism, which survives two presumed deaths. When the reader only perceives a secondary character through a single trait, it is more difficult to imagine that character changing and reforming their opinions or actions. At the end of the story, Martin suggests that they "stop all this philosophy" (Voltaire, Candide, p.99) but Pangloss closes the chapter with more philosophy. His inability to stop philosophizing even when he agrees to do so functions as a paradigm for Voltaire's other characters. Baron de Tonnerre-ten-tronckh, Cunégonde's brother, is a follower of the paradigm proposed by Pangloss, and he is another character who is unable to change his opinion from the beginning to the end of the story. When Candide meets him in Paraguay, the baron becomes a mirror of his father's feelings and becomes hostile when Candide mentions his intention to marry Cunégonde (p. 39). At one point during the men's meeting in Constantinople, the Baron's opinion did not change, even after Candide "killed" him. “‘You can kill me again if you wish,’ said the baron” (p. 95). The challenge launched by the Baron to Candide and his immutable pride allow him to make a rather alarming observation. Death should be the ultimate end, but in Voltaire's world, a man can be killed without being transformed. Such happy opportunities to defy death show that even killing him “again” cannot change the situation. If all the characters had to followStrictly this model, there would be no hope of improvement for anyone, but Voltaire allows some characters to become so disillusioned that they must re-evaluate their views. Cunegonde shows promise that she could become more than what Voltaire made her in the end, and she is the first to become disillusioned by Pangloss's optimism. “So Pangloss cruelly deceived me when he told me that all was well in the world” (p. 20). It seems, however, that the revelation stops there, since Cunégonde cannot create a solution so that “all goes well in the world”. She knows that "Pangloss cheated on her", but she can't go one step further and do something. Ultimately, only Candide can realize his potential and act on his disillusionments. At a fundamental level, Voltaire therefore shows that humans generally demonstrate a reluctance, even an incapacity, to change. Although Pangloss and the Baron are only two practical examples among many that show the relative inability of Voltaire's characters to change, it is important that Candide himself does so. change. In response to Pangloss's philosophers at the end of the story, Candide is content to acknowledge his teacher's statement with "That is well said [...] but we must cultivate our garden" (p. 100). It took him longer than Cunégonde to understand the problem with Pangloss's vision, but he progresses further than anyone else because he actively works against that vision. Candide is therefore the only character who has truly changed his outlook on life, and this transformation shows the contrast between his previous way of thinking and his current way of thinking. In a way, Candide's final statement could serve as a mouthpiece for Voltaire himself. With “it’s well said,” Voltaire concedes that the systems of the past, all of which he disapproved of and against which he rebelled, had something of value. Ultimately, however, the value or merit of each philosophy is not enough to provide a final solution. Humanity must be content to carry out its basic function without the analysis or explanations with which it previously comforted itself. When humanity abstains from analysis and returns to its basic function, it involves real reform. Yet it seems that Voltaire is able to shatter even this epiphany with his satire. A return to basics implies action, which in turn implies reform. Voltaire, however, shows that even a return to the basic function of "cultivating our garden" is imperfect because Candide is the only person who can truly realize the truth of this statement and its implications. Pangloss cannot help but echo Candide's reforming ideals, and when the latter first advocates working in the garden, Pangloss responds with more of his knowledge. "For when man was placed in the garden of Eden, he was placed there ut operaretur eum --- that he might work --- which proves that man was not born to rest” (p. 99). This statement actually comes down to philosophy, which Pangloss ultimately cannot abandon. Only Candide has the possibility of reforming himself, and his companions echo him in words but not in practice. As an extension of the rest of humanity, Voltaire shows that although reform may be an ideal proposed by a single person, the rest of humanity cannot put such reform into practice. Even if a single person can put forward the ideals of reform, it does not necessarily bring happiness to that person. Even if Candide is not really unhappy with his situation, it is not his ideal. His relationship with Cunégonde is an example of how Candide is now trapped in an existenceunhappy. His former love has suddenly turned ugly, but a conflict with his "honorable" brother convinces Candide to marry him out of spite. Voltaire presents a hopeful situation --- Candide possesses his love and reunites with everyone who has significantly affected his life --- but the author quickly thwarts any glimmer of happiness to which this hope might lead. Marked by the discord between reality and intention, Candide knows that happiness is ultimately inaccessible. Assuming that reform cannot truly be practiced and that happiness is impossible to obtain even if change were possible, the reader must decide what the action of the story ultimately communicates. It is clear that Voltaire is advocating something that is not the rejection of everything, and there is a direction in which he is trying to lead his readers: ? —What does it mean, Martin continued, that there is pleasure in not having pleasure? [...] "We do well to hope," said Martin" (83). Voltaire rejects the idea that a person should try to find happiness by challenging the ideas of others. There can really be no happiness or pleasure when a person criticizes everything, and it is not advisable to perpetually be a critic Martin acts as the voice of reason in this case and in other parts of the story as well, and he. responds appropriately by saying that a person cannot find "pleasure in not having pleasure. It is illogical to pretend to have something while not having it." humanity cannot renounce the world in its entirety. In order to show that a certain form of true happiness does indeed exist within the world and that we must not renounce it, Voltaire presents Candide's adventure to the world. Eldorado. Candide spends a month with Cacambo in Eldorado, but Candide thinks of nothing other than Cunégonde. His desire to see her was ruining what should have been his ultimate happiness. "Such is the desire to be always on the move, to be someone and to boast of what one has seen during one's travels, that the two happy men resolved to no longer be happy and to ask permission to His Majesty to leave” (p. 51). Voltaire demonstrates that humanity is restless and ultimately incapable of true happiness since Candide cannot stay in El Dorado. His love for Cunégonde and the promise of being rich in Europe distance him from perfect society. Since Candide was the only character who actually had the chance to experience happiness and reform his opinions, his departure from Eldorado shows that no one is left to challenge the world's opinions. Candide chose to live with the illogic of choosing wealth and love over happiness, and he was the story's only hope. Satire is a practical method of showing the illogicality of the world while proving that we must accept what it brings. Candide begins as an ignorant young man who finds himself thrust into a difficult situation that he neither chose nor was able to resolve. This situation is a common part of the human condition, and many people experience unexpected and unintended difficulties at some point. After Candide kissed Cunégonde, “all was consternation in the most beautiful and pleasant of all possible castles” (p. 3). Voltaire exposes the facade of the “beautiful and very pleasant” castle through his satire. The reader can see that Candide did not, after all, live in a perfect world, but the ideas he was indoctrinated made him believe that everything was going well. All the problems and “dismays” of the perfect world have always existed, and satire reveals this reality. Voltaire seeks to convince his readers that they cannot live behind the false facades of the world but that they must accept all the., 1990.