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Voltaire's Candide is a novel which contains conceptual ideas and at the

same time is also exaggerated. Voltaire offers sad themes disguised by

jokes and witticism, and the story itself presents a distinctive outlook

on life. The crucial contrast in the story deals with irrational ideas

as taught to Candide about being optimistic, versus reality as viewed by

the rest of the world.



The main theme which is presented throughout the novel is optimism.

Out of every unfortunate situation in the story, Candide, the main

character, has been advised by his philosopher-teacher that everything

in the world happens for the better, because "Private misfortunes

contribute to the general good, so that the more private misfortunes

there are, the more we find that all is well" (Voltaire, p. 31).

Pangloss, the philosopher, tries to defend his theories by determining

the positive from the negative situations and by showing that

misfortunes bring some privileges.......

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Approximate Word Count: 1604
Approximate Pages: 7 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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