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"One fine spring day, he took it into his head to go for a long walk, simply by putting one foot in front of the other, in the belief that it was a privilege of the human as of the animal species to use its legs as it pleases... He was asked at his court martial which he preferred: to be flogged by the entire regiment thirty six times, or receive twelve twelve lead bullets in his skull simultaneously" (Voltaire 6-7). This passage exhibits how brutal and cruel practices of war can be. Candide is inflicted with much inhumane treatment during his training; as a matter of fact, he is threatened to choose between two brutal deaths just for walking. Being denied the right to walk ultimately symbolizes war's lack of human treatment.

"Climbing over heaps of the dead and dying, he came first to a neighboring village; it was in ashes: it was an Abar village which the Bulgars had razed to the ground, in accordance to international law...Brains were scattered all over the ground, amidst severed arms and legs (Voltaire 8). This passage shows the cruel and severe consequences that may be brought about as a result of war. Voltaire's graphic imagery and vivid description of the gory situation critically displays how meaningless and destructive war can be to many people.

"...a good anabaptist named Jacques saw the cruel and ignominious logic thus being meted out to one of his brother, a fellow being with two legs, no feathers and a soul; so he took him back to his house, cleaned him up, gave him some bread and some beer, presented him with two florins, and would even have apprenticed him to work in his Persian fabric workshops..." (Voltaire 9). This passage shows that even in midst of war and destruction, sympathy and kindness can exist. Voltaire subtly suggests that this kindness is not very ample, however, because Jacques is virtually the only character Voltaire doesn't satirize and positively displays so far in the plot.