One Door Closes and a New One Opens

As I have been reading Candide I realized that a lot of misfortunes have happened to him. He has been expelled from his city, torture, seen his loved ones day, and killed four men for loving the wrong women. These events leave you speechless and are the ones that make you want to continue reading. It’s not only the irony and satire that captivates the readers attention, but the unexpected events.

One would have thought that by now Candide would have paid his consequences for his actions. Instead he always finds his way out of his troubles. A clear example of this is when he kills his brother-in-law and it is thanks to this act that the Oreillons grant him his freedom. He would had probably been killed and eaten by them if he wouldn’t have killed the Baron. Is it fair for him to kill innocent people and still benefit from it?

“…my master, he is so far from being a Jesuit that he has just killed one and carried off his spoils: that is how you came to be mistaken.” (Pg.71)

How come nothing bad ever happens to him? Isn’t it time for karma to do its job? Candide’s “luck” is a clear example of how good things also happens to bad people and how something bad always brings something good. In many occasions I have heard people say that as one door closes, a new one opens. Meaning that things happen for a reason and possible for the best. In a way I agree with Pangloss philosophy, but I believe that there’s always a way to change things and that one shouldn’t give up because “it happened for the best.”

Life is always full of ups and downs. Obstacles and challenges are meant for you to learn from your mistakes and for you to grow as a person, while the ups can be seen as rewards that are giving for being able to accomplish all obstacles in life. Apparently, Candide has successfully passed all tests in life because somehow he is still alive and always meets a new person that is willing to help him. Still neither Candide nor Cacambo are grateful with life and believe that God is showing no mercy on them.

“Perhaps God will have pity on us in the end.” (Pg.73)

How can they say that God has no pity on them when He has forgiven them for all their bad actions and is still giving them tons of second chances? For how much longer is he going to have so much luck?