Candide (Pg.1-20)

Summary:
Voltaire starts this satire by introducing the title character, Candide, from the country of Westphalia. He's the son of the baron's sister, and his mom didn't marry his father because she couldn't find anything about his family tree. Candide learns from Pangloss the oracle of the family, about "metaphysico–theologo–cosmolonigology", and about how everything in life is for the best. He argues about cause and effect, and how things are created with a purpose, thus the world is created so everything works out for the best. Candide has a crush on Miss Cunegund, and is exiled from the castle when he is caught kissing her. Nearly frozen and starved to death, he walks and comes across a house of two gentlemen whom offer their hospitality. Learning he's not loyal to the King of the Bulgarians, the two gentlemen make him act as if he's a soldier. One day however, he is kidnapped by four people, and brought to a cave. He is made to either run six and thirty times, or get his head blown off. Candide argues that he has free will, but chooses to run out of fear. After being tired to death from running, the King of the Bulgarians comes and gives him a pardon, just as soon as a war starts. During the courses of the war, there is blood, limbs, dead people, wounded people in each village, caused from both sides of the army, as Candide runs away into Holland. There, he is asked by a preacher if the Pope is the antichrist, to which Candide admits he doesn't know. The preacher's wife dumps something into him out of anger and disbelief, causing a stranger named Jacques to come and help him and offer his hospitality. Candide then restates that everything does happen for a reason. The following day, Candide meets a ill stranger walking the streets, and finds out it's Pangloss. He explains that the castle was attacked by Bulgar soldiers, and everyone, including Miss Cunegund, died of a horrible death. Pangloss then explains how he contrived syphilis from Pacquette, and how it all happened for the best, according to his philosophy. Jacques agrees to pay for Pangloss's recovery, and on a way to the doctor, states that God did not give humans bayonets and weapons, while Pangloss states it's all necessary. While on their ship sail to Lisbon, a disastrous storm occurs, causing nearly everyone on board, including Jacques, to die. This leaves Candide, Pangloss, and a sailor left alive. As they arrive, they notice Lisbon is in ruins, from a recent earthquake. The sailor finds money, and gets drunk and buys a prostitute. The next day, Candide and Pangloss help out the victims, causing Pangloss to state how it's all for the best. A man in black argues otherwise, saying how if it were so, there wouldn't be the fall and punishment of man. Afterwards, people were getting chosen to be burned alive to prevent another earthquake. Candide and Pangloss were chosen for speaking their mind, and are separated for eight days. On the 8th day, Pangloss is hanged, while Candide was flogged in public. Grieving over the loss of Pangloss, Jacques, and Miss Cunegund, he questions how it's all for the best. An old woman then offers support if he follows her. She takes him to an old house, and treats his wounds and feeds him. She takes him to a house, and shows him a young woman, that is revealed to be Miss Cunegund. The both speechless and grateful both are alive, start to retell their stories. Miss Cunegund explains that a Bulgarian captain killed of her rapist, and looked after her. He then sold her to a Jew in Holland, whom brought her to the countryside. She was taken to see Candide and Pangloss hanged in public, and hired the old woman to bring him into her house.

Quotation:
“Possibly, my good sir, you do not
believe in original sin; for, if everything is best, there could have been
no such thing as the fall or punishment of man.” (Voltaire 13)


Reaction:
This is the first time someone in the novel openly went against Pangloss. The stranger goes against him by saying that humans are by nature sinful, and that if everything were for the best, there would be no such things as sins. This comes back to Voltaire's satire on philosophers that believed life was predetermined, and everything has a reason behind it.