Candide: Targets of Voltaire

Candide Student’s Name Institution’s Affiliation’s Introduction Candide is a French satire written by Voltaire who was a philosopher in the age of enlightenment. Voltaire was influenced by the atrocities of society and was moved to present the art as a source of criticizing the un-conducive environment for improving life in society. The book was written in the 17th century based on the social, political and environmental conditions (Voltaire, 2012). For example, the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, the war in Germany and the executions of people like John Byng and English Admiral. The writing of Voltaire was focused on criticism of Leibniz principle of sufficient reason which showed that nothing could be the way it is without purpose. This paper describes Voltaire's targets in the book and analyses the specific incidence of satire with illustrations from the book. Targets of Voltaire The first target of Voltaire’s writing of Candide is the social organization of society and man's interaction with society. At the beginning of the book, Voltaire presents the life of Candide in society. The book novel notes that Candide was living with the German baron as a nephew through the paper also notes that Candide was not a legitimate nephew. Candide was also assigned a teacher, Pangloss, to offer him tutorials. The social interaction pushed Candide to fall in love with baron's daughter, and at one time the two were found kissing. The German baron expelled Candide. Voltaire also targets the unfairness in society because he elaborates how life is unfavorable to the ordinary people in the communit...