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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27 (2)

“The great irony then is, the real, mature wisdom Candide comes to is wealth has not made him happy. [Nor has] success, finding love, getting the girl of his dreams. The only possibility he has of happiness is being in the real world, connecting himself to the earth represented by this small farm and doing real work, simple, real work on a daily basis.”
— The late Harold Ramis, Actor, Producer, and Writer

Today you'll have a chance to review one essay from one of your peers.

While we'll be sticking with prose, we're now moving from 19th-C Russian Realist fiction to 18th-C French Satire. Voltaire's Candide rails against the formal philosophy of Optimism that states everything happens for a reason. Candide's message, in the end, is that we must "cultivate our garden" rather than just accept that everything will just work itself out in the end. It's funny, unrealistic, outrageous, but profoundly serious at the same time; we'll be using it in conjunction with Crime and Punishment, comparing what each of the main character's realizes about why we must suffer. Over the weekend I'd like you to read: (1) Robert M. Adams, "Summary: The Intellectual Backgrounds," (2) Voltaire, "Well, Everything is Well," and (3) Chapters 1-3 of Candide, pages 3-9

Here are some questions I'd like you to focus on. They're not mine. Find the original here. (1) The French word "candide" implies innocence, naivete, and purity. What do you find that is characteristic in people of this kind? (2) How is the humor achieved in the description of the characters? How do they get their names?
What is philosophical optimism? (3) Comment on Pangloss' logic of cause and effect. Provide specific examples. (4) How is the sexual encounter between Pangloss and the maid described from the perspective of Cunegonde? (5) Make a list of things that are being satirized in this chapter. (6) As you read Candide, try to keep in mind the contrast between the philosophical ideals of what the characters say and the reality of what they do, or what is happening around them. This contrast is one of the sources of humor in Candide. (7) How is chapter 2 a satire of military recruiting? (8) Contrast Pangloss's philosophical optimism and the reality of what happens to him and Ms. Cunegonde.

I'd also like for you to watch this short biography about Voltaire from the School of Life.

monDAY, OCTOBER 30 (3)

Today: Satire. Voltaire. Theodicy. Philosophical Optimism. Candide. Not necessarily in that order.

I'd like for you to read chapters 4-5 for tomorrow. I'll check your notebooks for commentary on your reading. Use the following questions. Fill at least one half of one standard notebook page. Comment on the concept of "satisfaction of revenge" as a military tactic. Is this something that is practiced by militaries today? Contrast Pangloss's philosophical optimism and the reality of what happens to him and Ms. Cunegonde. Comment on the "cause and effect" in relation to love as it applies to Candide and Pangloss. What do you think is the point in tracing the origin of Pangloss's disease? What conclusion do you reach looking at the sequence of individuals who pass the disease from one to another? What do you think of Pangloss's logic in how he justifies the disease? What are the justifications for natural disasters? Divine retribution? How does Pangloss justify the earthquake? What is the encounter between the officer of the Inquisition and Pangloss all about? What is their debate about? Issues of fanaticism and intolerance are raised.

tuesDAY, OCTOBER 31 (4)

Candide, Chapters 4-5. We'll also look at some common strategies of satyrists through the years.

Tonight I'd like you to read chapters 6-8. Who are the heretics and what are their crimes? What does it mean to be a heretic? How do you think society should deal with heretics in general? Do you think heretics might have a beneficial role in society? What might it be? Candide begins to question Pangloss's philosophy. What does he find wrong with optimist philosophy? What is Voltaire's quarrel with religion in chapter 6? What religious belief is being satirized in the second paragraph of chapter 7? At the end of chapter 7 we note that Candide gazed at Cunegonde "with hungry eyes." Does this seem to indicate that his attitude toward her has changed? What do you find strange in the way Cunegonde describes her treatment by the Bulgars? In chapter 8 Cunegonde narrates her experiences of love, rape, and sexual passion with men. What is unusual in Cunegonde's description of the auto-da-fe? What is her attitude toward it? How different do you think Candide and Cunegonde are in perceiving the reality of the world? Provide some examples.

wednesDAY, november 1 (5)

Candide, Vocabulary Quiz, Chapters 1-6

Candide, Chapters 6-8 discussion

Beginning tomorrow I'll be on the retreat, so you'll be released with an assignment. By Monday I'd like you to have done the following:

(1) If you have not already, make sure you watch the School of Life's introduction to Voltaire’s impactful life. They argue at the end of the video that his is “a unique and, nowadays, an extremely precious legacy.” What is that legacy? How, according to them, should we remember Voltaire?

(2) Read Candide, Chapters 9-12. Provide responses in your notes to the questions you're most intrigued by: What does Voltaire have to say about religious hypocrites in chapter 10? How does Candide's attitude toward philosophical optimism begin to change? In chapter 11 do you find any similarities in the way that the old woman and Cunegonde describe their experiences? This chapter focuses on the idea that cruelty by toward women is universal and not unusual. List some examples of how Voltaire represents this cruelty in a satirical way. Religious satire is expanded to include Islam. Implication: no religion can restrain man's wickedness. Do you agree or disagree: Can religion restrain man's wickedness? What do you think is the point of the story of the eunuch? What does he regret? Though all her misery, the old woman does not consider suicide as an option. She is not alone in her fate. Does this indicate that the lot of some folks is to live in misery their entire life? Does man have control of his destiny? Is this a more refined form of optimism, with a lowercase "o"?

(3) Read the article "How to find meaning in suffering" posted under the Candide Study Links section.

(4) Print and complete this worksheet for a quiz grade.

monDAY, november 6 (2)

Continuing our introduction to satire and "How to Find Meaning in Suffering"

tuesDAY, novemBER 7 (3)

Candide Discussion, Chapters 2-12 and Worksheet on satirical techniques in the novel

wednesDAY, november 8 (4)

Candide, Vocabulary Quiz, Chapters 7-18

Set Satire Assignment

By tomorrow I'd like you to read "Superstitions" in the Trimble text. Then move to the Degen text and complete the following (Write out your answers to be handed in):

(1) Complete page 163, numbers 1-5.

(2) Read page 139-40. Complete page 169, numbers 1-5, only writing out one combined sentence. You choose where in the sentence--between the subject and verb, at the beginning of the sentence, or at the end of the sentence--you'd like the participial phrase to go. This should be a very easy review.

(3) Read just the top of 141 ("Absolute Phrases"). Complete pages 174-5, numbers 6-10.

thursday, november 9 (5)

Sentence Variety Day 1 - Participial Phrases and Absolute Phrases - Trimble's Superstitions

Tonight I'd like you to

(1) Read the rules for semicolons in the Degen text on page 157. Then complete numbers 6-8 and 11-13 on page 178 (to be handed in tomorrow).

(2) Read "Appositive Phrases" on page 144 in the Degen text. Then complete numbers 8-10 on page 176 (Directions are on the previous page).

friday, november 10 (6)

Sentence Variety Day 2

Over the weekend I'd like you to read through chapter 18 of Candide. The following students will come to class with one discussion question each:

Bac, Schmidt, Cortes, Mercer, Groves, (JR) Lopez, Rimbau, Dans, Perez, Monty, Amtmann, (J) Lopez, McWilliams, Cyprian, Martinez

monDAY, november 13 (1)

Candide Discussion, Chapters 13-18

By tomorrow I'd like you to read chapters 19-22 of Candide. As you read think about the following: What is the relevance of the story of the slave? How did he end up a slave? Candide denounces optimism. What's his definition of optimism now? What is the cause of this change? In this chapter we also encounter satire of the legal system. How does the legal system in Surinam work? How is Martin different from Pangloss and Cacambo? Why was Martin persecuted? This is yet another example of the intolerance and religious hatred that Voltaire fought against. What are Martin's religious beliefs? How do they compare to the established religion of the time? What is Manichaeism? Martin believes that God has abandoned the world to some evil spirit. How does he come to this conclusion? How is Martin's philosophy different from Pangloss's? With whom do you think Voltaire would agree? What does Martin think of the French. List some specific examples. Candide asks Martin if he believes that men have always been liars, etc., that is, is this man's true nature. How does Martin reply? What is your opinion? Candide suggests that perhaps man has free will and is capable of selecting his nature.What similarities can you find between Martin and Cacambo? What are their differences?

tuesDAY, novemBER 14 (2)

Candide Discussion, Chapters 19-22

By Friday I'd like you to finish Candide. Has Pangloss changed any? What is his attitude toward his philosophy now? What advice does the dervish give the group regarding life, why man was created, why is there evil in the world, what should man do, etc.? What do you think of this advice? What must man do, according to the old man, to keep from evil, boredom, vice, and poverty? What is the source of happiness, according to the old man? What does "cultivating his garden" imply when searching for happiness? Comment on Martin's suggestion: "Let's work without speculation. It's the only way of rendering life bearable." This novella intends to provides an answer to the eternal question: How should one lead one's life? What is the answer, do you think?

wednesDAY, november 15 (3)

Candide, Vocabulary Quiz, Chapters 19-30

After the quiz you'll have time to work on your satires.

For tomorrow I'd like you to bring three printouts of a full draft of your satire assignment for peer revision.

thursday, november 16 (4)

Satire Peer Revision Day

friday, november 17 (5)

Candide Discussion, Chapters 23-30

I hope you all find time to be with family and friends over the break. There is no work for you to do in English. When we return we'll finish the semester with a unit on lyric poetry. There will be two major grades left this semester.

What's Due?

Monday, October 30 - Crime and Punishment Essay

Wednesday, November 1 - Vocabulary Quiz, Candide, Chapters 1-6

Wednesday, November 8 - Vocabulary Quiz, Candide, Chapters 7-18

Wednesday, November 15 - Vocabulary Quiz, Candide, Chapters 19-30

Friday, November 17 - Satire Assignment

current texts to bring daily

Word of the day

this week from the school of life

Many of humanity's greatest problems stem not from a shortfall of technical or financial intelligence, but what we term emotional intelligence. It is through the acquisition of Emotional Intelligence that we stand to become better lovers, workers, friends and citizens. We are rarely systematically taught Emotional Intelligence and pay a heavy price for this gap in learning.

poem of the day

when you've run out of work