Pangloss

Pangloss, who returns in chapter four of Voltaire's Candide, is constantly reasurring his surrounding audience that "private misfortunes contribute to the general good, so that hte more private misfortuens there are, the more we find that all is well" (31). Even when he seems to be dying of AIDS or small pox, which ever disease is interpreted from his long speech, he still has his theory that everything happens because everything is for the best. After a great storm wrecks a city, he still states that things could not be otherwise, "For all this...is a manifestation of the rightness of things, since if there is a volcano at Lisbon it could not be anywhere else. For it is impossible for things not to be where they are, because everything is for the best" (35).

Here I believe the author is targeting those optimistic people - the viewers of the cup half full - who always say things like "everything happens for a reason" or "it is for the best". However, Pangloss seems pretty much over the top optimistic, I think he is the 'absurd' part of the satire. He seems to have his head high in the clouds, and is not really paying attention to what is going on. When Candide is lying in the streets in agony, he is stating that "This earthquake is nothing new...the town of Lima in America experienced the same shocks last year. The same causes produced the same effects. There is certainly a vein of sulphur running under the earth from Liman to Lisbon" (34). And poor Candide upon hearing this wise piece of information replies kindly and respectively "Nothing is more likely...but oil and wine, for pity's sake!" (34).

Voltaire's Candide

"By all means, gentlemen," (24). These four words gets Candide into way more than the drink he was agreeing to toast to the "most amiable" (24) King's health.

What kind of person is this? Did his mother ever teach him not to talk to strangers? I mean, come on, it is one of the most important lessons of life that gets drilled into your head by the time you say your first word 'mama'!

Seriously, I was at a friend's house, and the baby finally spoke, said 'mama', and everyone screams in unison, 'Don't you ever talk to strangers!' The baby then nodded his head furiously, and we went on to admire and cuddle his cute face.

Next, why didn't he scream or yell 'help' when they "clapped him into irons and hauled him off to the barracks" (23). The second most important lesson in life is to not go anywhere with people you don't know, aka strangers. I mean, this is an important fact in life! It is so incredibly important, that you can't even go with strangers who offer you candy, much less help people find their puppy dog. Forrest Gump has this lesson down perfectly. His first day of school, he exersiced his wisdom by refusing to board the bus, because, of course, the bus lady was a stranger. After he introduced himself, and she introduced herself, it was okay though, because they weren't strangers anymore, and he proceeded to board the bus.

This Candide guy really is quite ridiculous. Like honestly, did he really believe that they (the normal and sane people) thought Free Will was for real? Of course it is just one of those crazy things you read in fiction books!-- like Unicorns and Draggons and Decision Making. He is so funny! Making comments about Free Will, and "say[ing] he wanted neither; he had to make his choice" (24). Maybe the heat was getting to him or something, because we all know that nobody ever 'chooses' anything. Epictetus would be shocked out of his toga - or whatever fad was 'new' back in his day.

The only people in this chapter who have any sense, were the very generous and kind, who granted his request of being beheaded. Of course he wasn't actually beheaded, the King of Burglars had enough mercy on the dim-witted Candide to pardon his terrible and unforgiveable crime. I mean, seriously, this King guy must be some amazing hero, to have enough patience for a criminal like Candide. Would you?

Introductions:

In the first chapter of Voltaire's Candide, several figures are presented to us.

First, we make the acquaintence of a young boy named Candide. He is named Candide, because apparently, his character could be read by his face. "He combined sound judgement with unaffected simplicity" (19). We are led to believe that he is the most important in this novel, because he was introduced first. Because this book is a Satire, I wonder how, and who, the author is making fun of.

Secondly, we are made aware of the Baron and the Baroness. Back then, to be fat was a sign of wealth. So, the fat Baroness was obviously a "great imporance, [and] entertained with a dignity which won her still more respect" (19). The poor Baron isn't presented with this kind of introduction, the author just talks about his dogs, and windows, and halls.

The daughter of the Baron and Baroness was named Cunégonde and is apperently quite pretty.

Pangloss, the tutor of Cunégonde's brother, was much admired by Candide.

Candide was brought up in a beautiful country house, however a certain mistake of his gets him kicked out. After kissing Cunégonde, he is thrown out of the splendid country house, and driven away.

This was a short, and quick to the point chapter, filled with a couple characters and a poor boy being thrown out of his child hood home.

What will happen in the next chapter? Will Cunégonde and Candide fall deeply in love, and then Candide will come back to win his fair lady's heart?

Since this is a Satire, I think it will most likely end badly. It probably is making fun of the fairy taile Alladin. Candide is probably Alladin, Pangloss might be the Genie, and Cunégonde would be the princess.

Don't Get 'Siked?

Epictetus has many theories about life, and what you should do or not do in certain situations. However, when Epictetus states that "For each action, consider what leads up to it and what follows it, and approach it in the light of that. Otherwise you will come to it enthusiastically at first, since you have not borne in mind any of what will happen next, but later when difficulties turn up you will give up disgracefully" (sec. 29). Anne Shirley, from the book "Anne Of Green Gables" would have had a couple things to tell Epictetus. According to her, half of the fun of things is the looking-forward-to-it part. In all of the books of Anne Shirley, she is always getting let down, but she does seem to enjoy looking forward to things, and expecting alot of greatness from events. Although she is dissapointed sometimes, other times she does have great things happen to her. So, in this situation I would have to 'agree' with Anne, that life is alot better when you look forward to things, even if you are let down sometimes. So, get 'siked.

To: Robert Frost From: Epictetus

Dear Robert Frost,

I have just recently read your poem and find it quite an interesting approach to life. "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood" you stated, meaning you had a choice of either option (a) in your life or option (b).

I personnally believe you are talking about a choice you need to make for your future. Something that will impact you so greatly, that if you make the 'wrong decision' you will always wonder what would have been the turn out if you had chosen the other 'road'.

However, I want to make the point to tell you that even if you did make the 'wrong decision,' it would be up to you whether or not it upsets you. Because, "what upsets people is not things themselves but their judgments about the things" (sec. 5 Epictetus).

Also, you never really had a decision to make at all. You were always going to choose the road you chose, so there is no reason to fret about the "road not taken". I have a few adjustments to your poem, according to my philosophies. I believe this will make everything much clearer to you...

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

and knowing I was supposed to go down one,

I walked with confidence towards the one that made the most sense.

Knowing that whatever I chose,

I was always supposed to choose, and it isn't anything to fret about.

I shall be telling this tranquilly,

sometime ages and ages hence.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --

I took the one I was always going to choose,

and now here I am where I was always going to be.

Yes, it may not sound quite as romantic as yours, but it is much more logical.

Yours sincerely,

Epictetus

Hypocrites and Broken Cups

I think that section 26 of the Handbook of Epictetus is pretty much telling us not to be hypocrites. Or, to just remember how we would handle a situation, if the situation had not actually happened to us. Epictetus gives us an example of what he means when he states "when someone else's little slave boy breaks his cup we are ready to say, 'It's one of those things that just happen.' Certainly, then, when your own cup is broken you should be just the way you were when the other person's was broken" (sec. 26).

I think that this often happens in day-to-day occurences. For example, if a friend of mine has gotten a bad grade on a test, I would console them by saying something like "Don't worry, you'll do better next time." However, when I myself get a bad grade, I would be more likely to grumble and wish I had studied harder, instead of looking ahead in a positive manner. So, I think the point that Epictetus is trying to make is that when something disagreeable happens to us, we should try to view it in the same light we would if it had happened to someone else.

Manners

Some interesting advice I received from Epictetus was that "you must behave as you do at a banquet" (sec. 15). At a banquet, when the dish comes around, you are supposed to politely extend your hand, and take what has been offered. You shouldn't turn your head, and refuse to take what is beeing served, because then you would go hungry, and have nothing to eat. However, you shouldn't rush forward, and quickly grab everything on the platter, because you would be too full to take whatever else comes along. In life, you could apply this by saying always take a little bit of what comes your way. If you were to not accept what has been offered to you, then you may regret it in the future. Yet if you take everything, then you won't have time, or you may overlook, something better.