Candide Outline

I. Thesis: While optimism is not a bad thing, blind optimism in the face of adversity can be crippling.  Voltaire proves this, and therefore disproves Leibniz's theory using Pangloss's optimism, Martin's pessimism, and Candide's misfortune.

II. Voltaire uses Pangloss to create a satirical profile of Leibniz, while he expressed his own opinions through Martin.

a. Voltaire makes Pangloss look out of touch, while Martin contradicts him in a logical way.  That makes Voltaire's opinion look more valid.

b. Martin thinks that bad things happen, and that they do not necessarily contribute to the greater good.

c. Pangloss thinks that everything that happens is the best possible outcome, so not only does everything happen for a reason, but everything that happens is overwhelmingly good.

III. While Pangloss's philosophy keeps him and his followers happy, it offers no solution for any problems.

a. Even when the Anabaptist could have been saved, Pangloss wouldn't let Candide save him.

b. His explanation of free will contradicts itself, and he never fully explains his philosophy.

c. Even his follower, Candide, doubts his philosophy.

IV. The exaggerated bad luck that befalls Candide and others along his journey proves how ridiculous Pangloss's optimism is compared to Martin's pessimism/realism.

a. Candide gets kicked out of a castle for kissing a girl.  He wasn’t doing anything wrong.  In opposition to Pangloss's theory, a better outcome would have been them not getting caught kissing or Candid not being kicked out.

b. The maidservent who was imprisoned when she was young could have continued living her life peacefully, instead of being raped and having her buttock cut off.

c. Although Pangloss himself would not agree, he could have continued living comfortably instead of going trhough torture, almost being hung, and all of the other horrors that befell him.  He did not have to go through all of that for he good of man.

V. In Voltaire's work, Candide, Pangloss's optimism only offers false hope, while Martin's pessimism provides honesty and realism for Candide's dismal situation.