Candide Thesis and Outline

Which do you prefer: Pangloss's optimism or Martin's pessimism? Why?

Thesis:

Martin’s pessimism about life is more realistic than Pangloss's optimism and therefore is more appeasing because Martin's pessimism shows logic and enlightened thinking while Pangloss's optimism is more religious and lacks reason.

Outline:

I.              Martin represents the opinions of Voltaire while Pangloss represents the opinions of Leibniz.

A.   Martin argues that bad things happen in the world, and not so that they can serve some larger, greater purpose.

B.   Pangloss argues that everything in the world happens for a reason, that reason being to serve a great purpose.

1. His ideas make it seem as if no mistake can be made in the world.

C.   Voltaire uses the character of Martin to express his philosophy on life, and uses Pangloss to express Leibniz’s philosophy about life.

1.    In real life Leibniz had the same ideas that Pangloss has in the novel (this can be seen in the first three chapters).

2.    Voltaire then creates a character to express his opinion which goes against Leibniz’s opinion so Martin is created to contradict Pangloss (this can be seen in chapters nineteen through twenty-three).

II.            Martin’s pessimism is realistic and argues with logic.

A.   He is not really a pessimist but a realist. He only seems like a pessimist when compared to Pangloss.

B.   Martin thinks like that of an Enlightenment thinker: he uses reason.

1.    He says that good and bad things happen in the world. He claims that with most good events, come bad events and vice versa.

2.    “You see, said Candide to Martin, vice is sometimes punished; this villain the Dutch skipper has met with the fate he deserves. —Very true, said Martin; but why should the passengers perish too?” (chapter 19)

a.    From this quote, the reader can tell that Martin believe good and bad things come together.

b.    He is being realistic when saying that if a good thing happens so shall the bad.

3.    In chapter 25, Martin and Candide find Count Pococurante who has all the art anyone could ever want but he is still unhappy.

a.    Martin shows Candide that people can have all the good in the world and still be unhappy.

b.    He is trying to say that if everything that happened was the best possible solution why would this man be unhappy?

III.           Pangloss’s optimism is based on his religion.

                  A. Pangloss said that this was the best of all possible worlds because he wanted

                       to reaffirm his faith in God.

B. Pangloss said this world is the best of all possible worlds.

1. Candide had jewels stolen from him by a Dutch skipper but than that 

     skipper boat crashed.

             a. Martin is able to use reason to argue against him and say that 

                  why did the passengers have to die?

2. Pangloss's executioner was inexperienced so Pangloss escaped.

             a. Martin said that was not the best possible world because later 

                 after he escaped he was arrested and beaten.