CKQ+Jasmine

1. Why is this not the best of all possible worlds? But, at the same time, //Candide// is not an entirely hopeless novel. What 'rays of hope' do you see? As you post your responses to the key question also mention 'rays of hope' that you see in the novel.

Here are some specific categories to look for:
 * religion
 * kings
 * governments
 * war
 * avarice (greed)
 * social pride
 * dishonesty
 * slavery
 * inhuman treatment of others
 * disease
 * cataclysms

1) Page 51 “ When we work in the sugar-mills and get a finger caught in the machinery, they cut off the hand; but if we try to run away, they cut off a leg: I have found myself in both situations.” This example shows slavery. It is evident that Candide met this negro slave, and he got to know about the cruel slavery, which shows that this is not best of all possible worlds. Also, the slave tells Candide and Cacambo that his own mother sold him to cruel master, Vanderdendur.

2) Page 54 “The skipper sees his opportunity, sets his sail and weighs anchor with a following wind; Candide, helpless and quite dumbfounded, immediately loses sight of him.” This is when Candide was tricked by Vanderdendur, who just sailed off without taking Candide, and only taking his sheep. This shows Vanderdendur’s greed, and how it is not the best of all possible worlds.

3) Page 55 “This scholar, who was moreover a very decent fellow, had been robbed by his wife, beaten by his son, and deserted by his daughter, who had eloped with a Portuguese.” This example also proves that this is not best of all possible worlds. This partly shows avarice and dishonesty, even between a family.

4) Page 57 “....and that the captain of the ship being sunk was a Dutch pirate: the very same who had robbed Candide.” This example shows hope of Candide. During their way to Bordeaux, Martin and Candide watch a battle between two ships. One ship sinks and its crew perishes. Then, Candide finds his sheep in the water and realizes that the defeated ship belonged to Venderdendur. At this point, Candide says that there is some good in the world because Venderdendur has just received a punishment for stealing Candide’s sheep.

5) Page 68 “Even had you committed every imaginable crime, you are still the most honest man alive.” This is when Candide was visiting Cunegonde, and the abbe arrived with a squad of officers, with order for Martin and Candide to be arrested as “suspicious strangers”. Candide bribes an officer with diamonds, and the officer lets them go. After getting more diamonds, the officer’s brother puts Candide and Martin on a ship for England. At this point, it shows that this is not best of all possible worlds, because the officer let Candide go for diamonds, which shows his greed.