I read an online version of Candide so the pages cited will be different from the book.

The passage that seems to stand out the most to me was in Chapter Twelve, after the Old Woman described her life she said, “I have been a hundred times upon the point of killing myself, but still I was fond of life. This ridiculous weakness is, perhaps, one of the dangerous principles implanted in our nature. For what can be more absurd than to persist in carrying a burden of which we wish to be eased? to detest, and yet to strive to preserve our existence? In a word, to caress the serpent that devours us, and hug him close to our bosoms till he has gnawed into our hearts?” (30). This passage stood out to me because it supported Candide’s optimistic view in a realistic way that Pangloss’ teachings didn’t. Candide was banished from his home and ended up on a journey with no where to go. He ended up being almost beaten to death by Bulgarians, managed to escape, got shipwrecked, killed men and suffered through many more hardships. Through it all he believed in Pangloss’ teachings of “this is the best of all possible worlds” (1) and “everything is for the best” (13). Pangloss’ teachings seemed almost impossible to follow because through all the hardships he went through, it would be hard to believe that this world, filled with evil, would be the “best of all worlds.” However, through what the Old Woman said it would seem that Candide loves life almost as much as the Old Woman. Candide carries the burden of dead men and is constantly faced with torment, but due to his fondness of life he is able to have a strong belief in Pangloss’ teachings. In the beginning, Pangloss’ teachings seemed foolish to me because in the story, women were being raped and traded, Candide was being constantly robbed and hurt therefore, it didn’t seem like the “best possible world.” Through what the Old Woman said, it helped me realize that to Candide it was indeed the best of all worlds because he has a great fondness for life which helps him see that this world is the best of all worlds.