CKQ+Sung-Woo

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.

From //Candide//, Voltaire often explains about the “best of all possible worlds”. At page 4 Voltaire states, “He(Pangloss) could prove to wonderful effect that there was no effect without cause, and that in this best of all possible worlds, His Lordship the Baron’s castle was the finest of castles and Her Ladyship the best of all possible baronesses.” “Rays of hope” can be found in this quote which is living in the “finest of castles”. As it is stated in the quote, it is the “best of all possible words” to live in the finest castle but it is not the “best of all possible words” when not using his property that he already owns in a wrong way. This statement relates to the social pride and Pangloss have social pride by living in the finest castle of the town and receiving respect from others. Social pride makes not the best of all possible worlds because he/she will have too much pride in himself or herself causing to lose friendship. He/she might think that it would be happy to live in the finest castle with full of joy and happiness but too much of pride will lose relationship with many people which is not the best worlds to live in.

At the beginning of page 7 Voltaire states, “First the cannon toppled about six thousand men on either side then the muskets removed from the best of possible worlds between nine and ten thousand scoundrels who were infesting its surface.” Between the Bulgars and the Abars, the conflict arose and many people were removed from the world. This explains the factor of war. If there is a war in a country, that country’s economic situation will get worse and many people will lose their lives which is not the best world to live in. It is stable because the war won’t end among the people unless people’s minds change. People will want more and more and others will want to secure so the conflict arises causing the war.

At page 9, the other said “You don’t deserve to eat” which shows the inhuman treatment of others. Everyone deserves to eat not even a single person doesn’t have a right to eat. Candide is receiving a inhuman treatment from the others. If anyone is living in the best world, he/she will receive equal or better treatment to others, but receiving a inhuman treatment isn’t the best of all possible worlds that you can live in. However, there are always a inhuman treatment. Slave received a inhuman treatment and some abuses are also known as a inhuman treatment or some might say that it is a discipline. Although, it is not the best world to live in with a inhuman treatment, there will always be a treatment that is not great because of social status or economic situation or just about everything.