The novel, written in the time period of the enlightenment, reflects many aspect of the key ideas about philosophy. The Enlightenment movement encourages people to emphasize reasoning and rational thinking instead of theories and philosophies. This was a key aspect in the book because the ideas of optimism and pessimism are satirized in the book by the author to bring forth the idea of rationalism and …show more content…
Candide lived a blissful life with the idea of optimism taught by his philosophical tutor, Pangloss. Thunder-ten-tronckh is described to be the “most beautiful and delightful of all possible mansion” (21). The Garden of Eden resembled the castle in that both were described as the absolute paradise where one may live in wealth and harmony. Adam and Eve enjoyed this paradise until they consume the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge where they were banished from Eden forever. Similarly, Cunegonde discovered “Dr. Pangloss behind some bushes giving a lesson in experimental physics” (21). After witnessing this event, she wasn’t afraid of the consequences to make love to Candide. Wanting Cunegonde, similar to Adam wanting the fruit bore by The Knowledge Tree, Candide was fooled by the desire inhibited within himself. This biblical allusion to The Garden of Eden portrays Pangloss’s action to that of the serpent. The “experimental physic” lead Cunnegon to make love to Candide and discriminated him from the palace which parallels to when Adam and Eve were banished from the gardener Eden. This act that Candide has committed exiled him his paradise where he lived a contented life of wealth and power. Similarly, the Garden of Eden portrays Adam and Eve in a perfect world while failing to stay there …show more content…
In the final scene, Candide along with the remaining characters own and cultivate a garden in Turkey. Candide undermines his philosophical thinking by saying that, “We must go and work on our garden” (143). Wanting to cultivate the garden suggested Candide’s abandonment of abstract philosophy. This garden symbolizes Candide realization that he will never be like he wishes. He was once wealthy, but that didn’t make him happy. He discovered that beauty doesn’t last forever because even Cunegonde is “decidedly ugly” (144). By working in the garden he is able to support each character and have enough to eat. Candide compensates that he had nothing left and none of his optimistic hope came true so he abandoned that idea and work hard for his future. The garden also resembles “The garden of Eden” as said by Pangloss (143). The reference to The Garden of Eden similar to the garden at Thunder-ten-tronckh, was to symbolize the content life of Adam and Eve before God banishes them. The perfect life of Adam and Eve happened at the beginning of the story while in contrast, Candide’s garden appears at the end of the novel. Candide truly found a blissful life only after he had experienced the misfortune of the world. People suffer outside of the garden from societal causes but the fate of the