Candide
Chapters 1-8
1. Where does Candide reside? Why does he live there?
2. Describe Candide and his character. Choose specific words from the novel to do so. What
was the reason he was given his name? How does this fit with the meaning of the word?
3. Why wouldn’t Candide’s mother marry his father? What is ironic about this? How does this
help to explain the satire about and society for this time period?
4. What is Baron-von-Thunder-ten-tronckh like? Who would be a man like this today? Is he
well considered by the people who work for him? Find a quote to back up your statements.
5. Describe the Baroness. What does 25 stone translate to in pounds?
6. Who is Cunégonde? Describe her.
7. Who is Dr. Pangloss? What is he in charge of in the house? How does Candide relate to
him? What is an argument he uses to prove his point? Is it effective? Why/why not? What
is Voltaire trying to show about this character?
8. What does Candide feel is the height of good fortune? After that? After that? Finally?
9. What is Voltaire alluding to in his description of Dr. Pangloss’s behavior with the serving
girl? How does this “experiment” indirectly affect Candide?
10. Why does Candide get evicted from the castle?
11. How has satire already been used in the novel? Define satire, and then give an example
from the story. Explain what is being satirized and how this example shows this.
12. Explain the meaning of the following passage from Chapter 1:
“His tutor, Pangloss was the recognized authoirity in the household on all matters of
learning, and young Candide listened to his teaching with unhesitating faith which marked
his age and character” (19-20).
13. Voltaire describes the Baron’s castle as an “earthly paradise.” What might Candide’s
eviction symbolize? Why would Cunégonde’s involvement in this further the comparison?
14. The next individuals offer money and aid to Candide. Why does he not question their
motives in this? Is Candide a believable character? What about him makes him susceptible
to mistreatment?
15. What is the gentlemen’s reason for their aid? What is this an example of? What is being
satirized or illustrated here?
16. Look up who and where the Bulgars are from. What historical events were occurring at this
time?
17. What were thirty strokes of the cat? How many did he receive the following day? For what
was he given this? Why was he thought a hero by his comrades?
18. Why was Candide court martialed? How does he exercise his belief in Liberty and Free Will?
What is this a true example of?
19. How does his experience turn out? What is ironic about his “saving” given to him by the
King?
20. How does Candide conduct himself during the battle? What does Voltaire mean by
describing it as “the beauty and brilliance of the display?”
21. How does Candide finally get away from the Bulgars? Describe the scene of the Abar town.
Describe the scene in the Bulgar area. How are the two different/similar? What is Voltaire
expressing to us about war?
22. Where is he off to now? Why does he decide to go there? How is he treated when he
arrives there? What is ironic about this?
23. Who helps him? What is an Anabaptist? You may have to look it up to discover the answer.
What is Voltaire saying about religion in this section?
24. How does Candide manage to remain faithful to Pangloss’s teachings after all of the abuse
and evil he has witnessed? Why would he want to still believe in this concept that there is
no cause without an effect? Why does he make a good character for a satire like this?
25. “’Does this mean,’ said one wretch to the other, ‘that you don’t recognize your dear
Pangloss anymore?’” (28). Where is this said and why? How does Pangloss end up in the
state he is in and what information does he tell Candide about the Baron and his family?
26. How does Pangloss reply when Candide “enquired into cause and effect, and into the
‘sufficient reason’ that had reduced Pangloss to such a pitiable state” (29). Is his reply
surprising?
27. How is Pangloss’s logic flawed when he explains the way syphilis was brought over from the
Americas by Columbus? What is he using this story to prove about cause and effect being
necessary in the best of all possible worlds? What is Voltaire satirizing with this episode?
28. James the Anabaptist comes to Pangloss and Candide’s rescue with financing Pangloss’s
treatment for syphilis. What could James symbolize?
29. James, Pangloss, and Candide travel to Lisbon by ship. Pangloss tries to convert James to his
optimistic philosophy, but James does not agree with him. What is James’s response? Is it
logical or as flawed as Pangloss’s? Explain your answer thoroughly.
30. What is Pangloss’s response? How does this further the theme that the doctrine of
optimism is folly?
31. They arrive at Lisbon at the time of a most horrendous earthquake. This is an actual
historical event which occurred. What happens to the ship? What happens to our
characters? What could be seen as ironic in this?
32. What could be seen as evil in the treatment of James? How does Pangloss keep Candide
from jumping overboard?
33. What is left of the ship? Who are the only survivors? How is Voltaire using this situation as
a way to illustrate one of the themes for the novel?
34. What does the sailor rush straight into the midst of debris to risk his life for? What is he a
symbol of?
35. What historical event does Pangloss remind Candide of when he thinks the Day of Judgment
has come to Lisbon?
36. What gets Pangloss into trouble with the Inquisition? Again what is Voltaire trying to say
about religion?
37. What is decided to cure earthquakes? How is this symbolic of the satire in the novel? Is this
event realistic? What could be ironic about such an occurrence?
38. Who will be taken and what will their charges be? How are Pangloss and Candide treated?
What occurs just after the ceremony? Again, what is ironic?
39. Who comes to aid Candide now? Why does Voltaire not give her a proper name? What
could Voltaire be illustrating by doing this?
40. Who is Candide reunited with now? How has this happened? What story does he learn?
41. Why would Voltaire want Candide to tell his story to her first? What purpose could this
serve? What might he be saying about the characters?
42. Relate Cunègonde’s story. How has she managed to survive in such a world? What does
she think of Pangloss’s teachings? Is she honest when she claims to have remained chaste
after her rape by the soldier? Why would this be important for her to tell Candide? What
was her reaction to the Auto-da-fé before she recognized her friends? What does this say
about her character?
43. Explain how this scene from Chapter 5 has particular meaning in the satire of the novel.
What is Voltaire attacking and how does this further meaning for the book?
“Scarcely had they reached the town and were still mourning their benefactor’s death,
when they felt the earth tremble beneath them” (33).
44. Even now that Pangloss is gone his presence is kept alive by Candide. How has Pangloss
influenced Candide and why is Pangloss’s philosophy still so important to Candide? Even
Cunegonde is questioning the teaching, but Candide still clings to it. What is it about the
relationship with Pangloss that so impacts Candide?