Betty Wang Due : 12/20/13
AP European : Candide Essay – Choice 1 Goodman
Candide is a novella written by Voltaire in the 18th century. Many of Voltaire's ideas agreed with ideas from John Locke as well, who was also a philosopher who promoted natural rights and equality. Some ideas that were represented in Candide are finding one's own path, religious toleration, and hard work. Voltaire really wanted society to reform and realize that one cannot expect all good things to be served on a gold platter without working for it. One must put in hard work to progress and during this age of Enlightenment, Voltaire was one of the most important philosophers encouraging the progress of man. These ideas of Voltaire also connect to some of today's ideas. As the world is moving towards a society that welcomes and accepts all sorts of people, back in Voltaire's time, he was someone who contributed to what the world is today. He put forth his beliefs on people finding their own way, toleration, and hard work.
In Candide, the main character, Candide, a naive man during the 18th century, believed in the teachings of a philosopher named Pangloss who he admired. Pangloss was a philosopher who believed that in this best of all possible worlds, everything happens out of absolute necessity, and that everything happens for the best. Because Candide also believed in this, he did not work hard to succeed after being kicked out of a luxurious country residence of the Baron Thunder-Ten-Tro...