While reading Candide, one of the characters I found most intriguing was Pangloss. Voltaire made Pangloss out to be the optimistic philosopher which can relate to me since I try to say optimistic in most of my views as well. Although reading about the encounters Candide faces in every chapter is very interesting, I cannot help but think why Voltaire would kill off the character that gave not only Candide, but the readers hope. With almost every encounter that Candide faced, before the death of Pangloss, he remained optimistic as to why events unfold the way they do. Pangloss states to the sufferers of the earthquakes in Lisbon, “”For,” said he, “all that is is for the best. If there is a volcano at Lisbon it cannot be elsewhere. It is impossible that things should be other than they are; for everything is right.” Pangloss’ optimistic views, that everything happens for a reason and for the best did not play out in favor with the Portuguese authorities when they hung Pangloss for voicing his thoughts. I used to think that if you stay optimistic and positive that good things may come your way, however, I never thought an upbeat, positive person would face such fate as Pangloss did, which kind of saddened me. Along with the death of Pangloss, came the death of Candide’s hope that everything is for the best. Hopefully through all the journeys and hardships he encounters, he can gain back the hope that everything is for the best and not face the same fate Pangloss did.