Student Name: Annalise Steinmann
Title of Work : ​Candide ​or ​Optimism
Extract Link: ​dmfkemfke
Character   Theme   Plot   Global Issue
Choose a character or pair of
characters and what purpose
they serve in the work. Then,
describe how the author
achieves this purpose.
5-7 sentence Pangloss is Candide’s tutor and
explanation of the main philosopher ​G. W. von
ideas in the Leibniz, Voltiaire’s real life
work. nemesis. Despite all the
troubles and conflicts Pangloss
and Candide undergo
throughout the novel, Pangloss
persists in his philosophy. His
preached philosophy is
optimism, commonly paired with
the phrase, “all is for the best.”
Pangloss believes everything
happens for a reason.
Choose a theme in work and
explain its significance to the
work as a whole. Then, describe
how the author conveys this
theme.
One theme detailed in Voltaire’s
Candide​ is that optimism is
literally trash. Voltaire wrote this
soon after a superstorm that
occurred in Lisbon, where an
earthquake, tsunami, and
firestorm hit the city all at once. It
was to this that certain optimistic
people replied that this storm
was for the best, as it created
new jobs and the opportunity to
reconstruct the city. He wrote
this novel in response,
exemplifying that 30,000 people
died and optimism be trashy.
Choose an aspect of the plot
(point of view, conflict,
resolution, etc) and explain how
the author crafts the work as a
whole.
Resolution - Voltaire resolves
the novel with Candide receiving
everything he’d hoped to gain,
the center of his main conflicts,
as he is in the company of his
beloved Cunegonde and his
favorite philosopher despite the
steepest of odds, yet is plagued
with boredom fostered by his
inability to decipher the meaning
of life. This is when Candide
meets the simple farmer who
devotes his life to his agricultural
endeavors, and when Candide
iconically stated, rather than
participating in an intellectual
conversation, that it was time to
tend to the garden instead.
Identify and describe a global issue that
the author addresses in the work. Then,
list how the author develops the global
issue.
One global issue that Voltaire addresses
in the novel is the hypocrisy of religion.
Other global issues that Voltaire
addresses in the novel include the roles
of women in society and their lack of
rights, and the differences in rights
between the rich and the poor. Also,
briefly Voltaire addresses the
impossibility of a utopia. Voltaire also
criticizes philosophy, and more
specifically, optimism, the alternate title
of the book.
Author ● The name Pangloss is ● Pangloss’ character is ● The villager farmer that ● Religion developed through the
technique or actually a play on an example of the was uninvolved in Inquisitor and the Jew and their
strategies (bullet words, meaning infectivity of the politics and rather spent roles when it came to their
points) someone who talks too optimistic philosophy, as his time tending to his ownership of Cunegonde and
much. he is stupid and garden and his family their very different burials
You may wish to ● The absurdities therefore the philosophy ● The dervish who ● What the old woman and
consider: motifs, surrounding his is also. refused to discuss the Cunegonde went through for
symbols, character; including his ● The absurd occurrences matter with Candide, women
character foils, multiple resurrections that happens throughout Pangloss, and Martin, ● My passage develops the wealth
narrative and the countless the novel: like who called humans one
technique, plot absurd scenarios his resurrections, and scum essentially by ● Develops the impossibility of
structure. character endured and certain events and comparing them to rats utopia through the El Dorado
faced with his optimistic places like El Dorado. ● That one really rich guy chapter
intent. who had all the material ● Criticizes the optimism and
● possessions one could philosophy through Pangloss’
hope for but wasn’t character as well as Martin and
satisfied with any of Cacambo, and the overall
them or his life in resolution of the book (resort to
general physical labor