Alas, I'm assigning reading over the Christmas holidays. It's just a little so we can hit the ground running in January. While we'll be sticking with prose, we're moving from 20th-C Southern Gothic 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 not only as a way to ask why we suffer but also to introduce to you how to do some literary research, which you'll start in February. To that end please read over the Christmas holiday in your critical edition:
(1) Robert M. Adams, "Summary: The Intellectual Backgrounds," pages 79-84.
(2) Voltaire, "Well, Everything is Well," pages 84-9.
(3) Chapter 1 of Candide, pages 1-3
THURSDAY, january 5 (2)
Welcome back. Let's start with a free point-giveaway, shall we?
First semester wrap up. What the second semester looks like.
Satire. Voltaire. Theodicy. Philosophical Optimism. Candide. Not necessarily in that order.
Tonight you're to re-read chapter 1 (reading is re-reading) and to read chapters 2-3 of Voltaire's Candide. 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.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 6 (3)
Candide, chapters 1-3
I'd like for you to read chapters 4-5 over the weekend. On Monday 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.
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Candide is about our experience of suffering caused by moral and physical evil in the world, as well as our reactions to that suffering. Given the absolute that suffering exists in our world, Voltaire asks, why must it exist, how do we understand its causes, and how do we best respond to it? (The problem of evil and suffering has a long, long theological and philosophical history.)
You won’t know much about what Voltaire has to say about those causes or reactions since you’ve read just a smidge of the novel; but you yourself have, I imagine, already experienced evil, likely in more than one instance and of more than one variety—and you’ve surely been taught a lot about its causes and effects in theology class and beyond.
So let’s begin Candide with some personal reflection. Recall an experience of suffering, whether caused by moral or physical evil. Think it through, not just its plot but its causes. Then think about your reaction to the suffering, and how the experience reveals your understanding of why we must suffer, its causes, and the optimum response to it.
Since this is a personal essay, the ‘I’ pronoun has its place, as does a more intimate, relaxed style… if that’s your bag.
Due Monday as a hard copy and to turnitin.com by 3:30 pm. It should be a minimum of 500 words, though you certainly may write more if you have a mind to. Don't forget those showing exercises from last semester. Be particularly careful with grammar and usage mistakes that might antagonize me as I read your writing. There's lots to be said for taking pride in how you present yourself in your written work.
monDAY, JANUARY 9 (4)
Candide, chapters 4-5; 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.
tuesDAY, JANUARY 10 (5)
Candide, chapters 6-8
wednesdAY, JANUARY 11 (6)
Vocabulary Quiz, units 15-16
thursdAY, JANUARY 12 (1)
Questions for tonight's reading:
What does Voltaire have to say about religious hypocrite 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"?
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13 (2)
Set research essay AND Candide, chapters 9-14
Over the long weekend, read chapters 15-21. You're each tasked with coming up with 3 discussion questions to be handed in on Tuesday at the beginning of class.
What's Due?
Monday, January 9 - An experience of evil essay
Friday, February 3 - Choose research text
Monday, February 13 - Book check 1 - Identifying the focus of reading
Tuesday, February 21 - Book check 2 - Annotations and working hypothesis
Monday, February 27 - Pilot Essay
Monday, March 20 - Friday, April 7 - Research conferences
Monday, April 10 - Annotated bibliography
Monday, April 24 - Final research essay
what's next?
You'll need to purchase this edition of Shakespeare's Othello, The Oxford Shakespeare. Have it ready to go by Friday, January 20.
“Harold Ramis
Actor, Producer, and Writer:
”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.””
Word of the day
Candide STUDY LINKS
Learner.org's great website about Voltaire's text
The Role of Optimism in Candide
How to find meaning in suffering
POETRY FOUNDATION ARTICLES
this week from the school of life
POEM OF THE DAY
TUESDAY, JANUARY 17 (3)
Candide, chapters 9-21 AND Reading to Write
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 (4)
Candide, chapters 22-25 AND Plagiarism
For tomorrow: The novel intends to provide an answer to the eternal question: How should one lead one's life? What is the answer according to Candide? What is the answer in your mind?
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19 (5)
Candide, chapters 26-30 AND the many different kinds of books
FRIDAY, JANUARY 20 (6)
Introduction to JSTOR and Cambridge Companions Online