Theory of a Perfect World In 'Candide'

Candide has underwent a lot of trials and tribulations in this story. In this story Pangloss a philosopher planted an idea in Candide head of how the world was. Pangloss thought it was a utopia and the best of all possible worlds because God created it, and he is perfect. This philosophical theory was believed by Candide in the beginning, but it would be tested throughout the story. I honestly think that Candide changed a little, although not a lot I think he was defiantly started to doubt his Pangloss theory.

When Candide was kicked out of the castle and forced to partner with the Bulgar army he was really exposed to the wicked things of this earth. During his time with the army he got to see firsthand people born into power pulling strings with no remorse of people’s lives. He saw destruction, people getting raped, and people getting murdered for no reason besides greed. This tested his beliefs and Pangloss theory of the world being perfect.

When Candide meet Martin I really think that was the turning point for me to believe that Candide has in fact changed. Martin is on the other side of the spectrum when it comes to Pangloss theory and Candide’s belief in the theory that God is perfect, therefore he made a perfect world. Martin trusts that the world is intrinsically shrewd, that any similarity to great is temporary, and that even what seems glad is without a doubt not. Candide told Martin “There is still some good.” The word some means to a certain extent. Which goes to show that he is starting to see evil in the world. Although he believes there is good, he is starting to realize that the world is not perfect like his teacher told him.

“The enormous riches which this rascal had stolen were sunk beside him in the sea, and nothing was saved but a single sheep. —You see, said Candide to Martin, crime is punished sometimes; this scoundrel of a Dutch merchant has met the fate he deserved. —Yes, said Martin; but did the passengers aboard his ship have to perish too? God punished the scoundrel, the devil drowned the others.” (ch.20) this quote comes a little later in the book and Candide beliefs of the theory is test a numerous amount of times before this moment. But what Martin says really pushed Candide to test this theory the most. Martin understand that the man who stole should be taken care of, but why the others? It’s like being a witness to a robbery and then the cops kill everybody that was inside. Candide really didn’t have anything to say back because Martin found a flaw in the theory.

Tulga’s presentation was over a guy that created his own perfect world. In the beginning of the film he had the answer to everything like how to have a nice body, clear skin, and not puffy eyes. The film goes on to show other people living in this utopia and comparing business cards to see whose looks better. Immediately the film takes a turn, and the actor goes crazy and starts killing people because he wasn’t better than them. At the end the actor calls his lawyer and tells him all of the people he’s killed. The character find out in the end that all the stuff he was doing wasn’t true, he made up all those killings in his perfect reality. Tulga compared it to Candide’s situations, how he ignored all the signs that there is no such thing as a utopia. That this theory of a perfect world is only believed in, but not actually a reality.