Candide by Voltaire Essay Example for Free

Candide by Voltaire Essay 1) What is the relationship between Candides adventures and Panglosss teachings? In Candide, we see lives filled with struggles and tragedy. Although Candide witnessed and fell victim to worldly evils of cruelty and suffering, he maintained his optimistic views through much of the novel. Candide picked up this idea of optimism through Panglosss teachings. Although he did not see any good reasons to disbelieve Panglosss teachings while living in the Barons castle, once in the outside world, Candide experiences many tragic events that make him, and the reader, question the philosophy of optimism. Candides adventures, starting when he is kicked out of the Barons castle, clearly represented an imperfect world, full of atrocities that contradicted Panglosss teachings. The events that break apart Panglosss teachings begin almost immediately when Candide is thrown in the streets to live on his own. He runs into recruiting officers of the King of Bulgars. They have him toast to the health of their king, but then beat Candide severely and put irons on his legs. Luckily though, the king comes by and tells them to spare Candide since he is innocent. Soon after that, Candide witnesses an awful, bloody battle between two armies. This horrible spectacle shows us how hateful and violent people are in this world. Later, he finds a beggar who turns out to be Pangloss. Pangloss shares some of the horrible things he had been put through and that Candides one and only love had been raped and her entire family had been murdered when the Barons castle had been taken over. Once with Pangloss, he has many new adventures. While out at sea with Pangloss and Jacques, a violent storm occurred and destroyed their ship. Many innocent passengers are killed including Jacques, who died saving a sailor. The innocent passengers deaths disprove Pangloss theory since it appeared the bad that came out of the shipwreck led to nothing good for them; instead, only brought them to their deaths. When the sailor, Pangloss, and Candide get into Lisbon, an earthquake destroys most of the city. A  tidal wave also crushes ships in the port. In an effort to prevent another earthquake, wise men take ridiculous actions against the slightest wrongdoing. Candide and Pangloss end up getting arrested. Pangloss is hanged and Candide is beaten badly. The ridiculous actions taken place prove to be futile when another earthquake erupts the next day. All of the bad that came from the first earthquake provided no good. Pangloss had been hung for no reason and Jacques, a good man, had died from the storm out at sea. The reader is left wondering how these horrible events could result in a greater good. Candide finds that God might have spared one place on earth, El Dorado. He finds this seemingly perfect city, yet does not want to stay because is still in love with Cunegonde. The king gives him and Cacambo a few sheep and some gold. This portion of the story brings a little light, yet the whole world cannot be like El Dorado, and people who do live in perfect worlds cannot even appreciate it because they have nothing to compare the high points against. Since life is always perfect, they live in lethargic boredom and cannot truly appreciate how well off they truly are. We also see times of happiness and good fortune that restore Candides faith in optimism throughout the book. Such periods include when we find Pangloss survived, and the points in the book when Candide and Cunegonde get to be together, even for short amounts of time. Towards the end of the story, Candide begins to question Pangloss philosophy more and more. Although we find events that support optimism, we find more counterexamples. Although Pangloss and the Barons son are found alive, they tell Candide their escapes from death, and the tortures they had been put through afterwards. Soon after they free Pangloss and the Barons son from slavery, the men go and find Cunegonde, the woman Candide had been searching to live with and love for his entire life. When they do find her, she is extremely ugly and Candide no longer wants to marry her. Although he is no longer attracted to her, he is a man of his word and feels he must do his duty to take care of her and love her. Now, he is stuck with a woman he no longer lusts over. Candide has finally found what he had been sacrificing for all of his life to find, yet is not satisfied with what he has acquired  for his hard work. Throughout the entire story of Candide, we are bombarded with horrendous events that happened to an individual to disprove Panglosss teachings. Candides adventures encountered such atrocities as murder, rape, slavery, and prostitution. The bad events that occur in Candide, help show that the world is not perfect, and that not everything happens for the greater good in the end. Candides adventures, great in number, show us how bad others lives turned out as well as their friends and families lives were hurt as well, such as the old woman. In the end, Candide finally realizes that optimism is not a flawless philosophy, and that the idea of working hard and enjoying life is better than waiting around for the good you think will happen. Candides adventures helped to contradict optimism and ultimately changed Candides beliefs from optimism to a realization of reality. Candide begins to live a simple life, working hard to avoid boredom, vice, and poverty.

Raskolnikov’s Duplistic Nature in Crime and Punishment :: Crime Punishment Essays

Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment is the story of a poor man in czarist Russia who can only purge himself of his guilt through suffering. It deals with the mental and physical tribulation brought upon him by his crime. His troubles are compounded by the conflicting personalities which he possesses. The reader is inclined to characterize him by his cold, intellectual side. Yet, without the contrasting humane side of his nature, Raskolnikov never realizes the errors in his theory and actions. Raskolnikov is defined by the duplistic nature of his personality, with each facet being just as vital as the other. Raskolnikov's cold side leads him to develop his theory, and thus to commit murder. This side of him bases all decisions on reason and rationalization (although it is sometimes incorrect), rather than on feeling. It is purely stoical, without emotion. The other side of his character is kind and compassionate. Without this side being presented the reader views him as an evil murderer, and not a mislead victim, as Dostoevsky intends. In the novel Raskolnikov engages in sporadic acts of kindness. He gives money to the Marmeladov family, he attempts to aid Marmeladov when he dies, and he tries to get a drunken girl home and away from her pursuer. All of these deeds were done without premeditation. He simply feels that at the time it is the right thing to do. After a short period of time his outlook dramatically reverses. He starts to rationally analyze what he has done, and then feels that his actions were stupid. This transition marks the return of his cold side, and it occurs after every kind thing that Raskolnikov does.

Children and Happiness Essay

What makes children happy? ‘That’s easy,’ you might say, ‘a new toy, an ice cream or a trip to the amusement park.’ While these things bring an immediate smile to many children’s faces, they are probably not the things that will keep them happy day by day, or turn them into happy adults. The basic ingredients that make children happy during childhood seem to be the same ones that help them to become happy adults: a secure relationship with parents gives the base to confidently explore the world and develop a sense of mastery and recognition, all important components in the recipe for happiness. However, in the short term, the new toy might provide a smile too! Man has to pass through many stages of life, since he is born until he dies. He passes through infancy, childhood, boyhood, youth, middle age and old age. Childhood continues from the 6th to the 12th year of age. Boyhood continues from the 12th to the 19th year of age. Youth lasts from the 20th to 35th year of age. Middle age lasts from the 36th to the 55th year of age. Old age continues from 56th year until death. Of all the stages of life childhood is the most important. Because it is the formative period of life. It is also the first conscious stage of life. Important of childhood: Childhood is the formative period of life. Human character takes its shape in childhood. Man gets deep and lasting impressions in his childhood. Because at this stage men’s mind is soft, receptive and plastic. It is just like the potter’s clay. So human character should be properly shaped in childhood. What should be done in childhood: Childhood is one of the growing stage in man’s life. The human beings grow up to 24th year of age. So, the health of the child should be properly looked after. He should be given balance diet. He should be encouraged to from healthy habits like early rising. He should be taught to be neat and clean, to do exercise regularly, to eat, sleep, read and play at habits. He should be kept happy and cheerful. All these will help him to grow healthy in body and mind. Proper and appropriate food should be provided to the child’s mind. He should be given the most carefully chosen books to read. he should be given children’s magazines. He should be given interesting and instructive pictures. At this stage, records should be kept of the child’s inclination, aptitude, knack, mood, temperament, interest, abilities and his latent qualities. On the basis of these records, the future of the child should be planned. The child should be trained on the basis of this plan. Care of parents and teachers: In the modern system of society and education in India, nobody takes the responsibility of the child’s welfare. The parents think that it is a responsibility of the teachers, because the child stays in the school for six hours a day. The teachers think that it is the responsibility of the parents, because the children belong to their parents, and in future the children will come to any use only to their parents and families. But in the interest of society, nation, country and above all mankind all have responsibility for the welfare of the children. Conclusion: It is the foremost duty of the Government to see to the welfare of the children. But in India we find that a lot of children in schools are dying by food-poisoning in the Government Mid-day meal system. The school buildings are defectively constructed. So the buildings breakdown and many children die underneath. the milk-powder that comes to Panchayats and Block offices is said to be put to black-marketing. Government should look to all these affairs. Childhood is the most important period in a men’s life. So, the Government should take utmost care of it.

Social Inclusion And Feelings Of The Exclusion Condition

Our research aimed to investigate the relationship between social inclusion and feelings of belongingness, moderated by Neuroticism. Neuroticism moderating this relationship is not covered in past research, so we are approaching this. We hypothesised people in the exclusion condition would have lower feelings of inclusion, people with high neuroticism would have lower feelings of inclusion, and people with high Neuroticism would have much lower feelings of Inclusion in the exclusion condition. We tested these through a personality test, Cyberball task and assessment of feelings of Inclusion. Our participants were Undergraduate students at the University of Auckland. Overall, we found that our hypotheses were confirmed. There was a negative relationship between levels of Neuroticism and feelings of inclusion, as levels of Neuroticism increased feelings of inclusion decreased, especially in the exclusion condition. The implications of this study were further evidence for the Sociometer model of Self Esteem and the Belongingness hypothesis, and further research could explore the impact of Extraversion on Neuroticism. Ostracism is the act of ignoring and excluding people from social groups or environments (Williams Jarvis, 2006, Williams, Cheung, Choi, 2000). The effect of being ostracised is so strong that there is a system in place for early detection of this occurring (Williams, von Hippel, Forgas, 2005). This is because in general, ostracism makes people feel bad.Show MoreRelatedPersonality Differences Between People s Experiences Of Social Inclusiveness And Feelings Of Belonging Essay2385 Words   |  10 Pagespersonality moderates the relationship between people’s experiences of social inclusiveness and feelings of belonging. 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Early life describes the period from prenatal development to eight years of age, and is a time of remarkable brain growth and development, this period establishes the foundations for subsequent development and learning (Siddiqi, Irwin, Hertzman, 2007). As this period is consideredRead MoreAn Individual With A Mental Disorder1633 Words   |  7 Pagesthe place of an individual in the social structure. Mental disorder status is classified as acquired because this status can be obtained and lost and it requires to be confirmed. Social roles arising from a status of mentally ill individual are specific; they imprint characteristics of the social environment of an individual, which reflect the social beliefs, attitudes and prejudice. From a sociological point of view, the disease can be seen as a form of social rejection, in which the individualRead MoreSuperman And The Rescue : Simulating Physical Invulnerability Essay1743 Words   |  7 PagesThe main theory of â€Å"Superman to the rescue: Simulating physical invulnerability attenuates exclusion-related interpersonal biases† by Julie Y. Huang, Joshua M. Ackerman, John A. 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