Candide Essay outline

Thesis: Pangloss has an optimistic philosophy that seems naive and ill thought out throughout most of the novel while Martin's philosophy seems more realist and practical in accordance with the events that plague the characters in the novel. The realistic views of Martin best represent the events of Candide and his story, and this realism is also a preferable philosophy the optimistic outlook of Pangloss.

I. Martin's realistic view of life in Candide is a much better reference to reflect upon the events of the story and what befalls Candide and his companions.
A. Oftentimes in the story Candide is tricked by characters who take advantage of his naivety and his initial faith in that people are inherently good.
B. Candide learns the hard way that not everyone is to be trusted and that some people are not who they say they are.
C. This shows that Martin's realistic view of society and people is superior to that of Pangloss' because if Candide had believed in Martin's philosophy he would have been aware of these tricks.

II. Pangloss' view of how the world is the best of all possible worlds and that everything that happens is for the best may seem like the more appealing argument but it is unrealistic and over-optimistic.
A. During the story Pangloss often disregards horrible events and uses his philosophy as an excuse to explain away horrible events as the best possible outcome.
B. Pangloss himself doubts his philosophy at the end of the book because of all the hardships that befell him.
C. The only reason he stands by his belief is because of pride and that a philosopher can never abandon his philosophy.

III. Candide is exposed to both these men and their ideas throughout the story and his ideas change often as he desperately tries to defend the ideas that he grew up on.
A. Candide grows up learning from Pangloss about his philosophy and that everything that happens is for the best and that men are good. When he starts out on his adventures he is incredibly naïve because of this.
B. As Candide’s story develops and he meets Martin he learns that there is another way to look at things. At first he fights the idea that Pangloss was wrong but as so many unfortunate events befall him his viewpoint begins to shift.
C. By the end of the story Candide is leaning towards Martin’s views as reality has pummeled him.