A Second Chance

It’s half way of the book and Voltaire stopped criticizing everything. We saw that in every stop that Candide made, there was something pathetic to talk and laugh about. In Westphalia it was the absurd leaders, the auto-da-fé and countless other comments that talk in behalf of Voltaire. We have clear what the French writer didn’t want, but what did he want? El Dorado.

Since the moment that the rulers didn’t accept the precious stones that Candide and Cacambo offered, I understood what El Dorado was going to be. This place is a utopia. Every garden was perfect and there were servants willing to make the two travelers, Candide and Cacambo, comfortable. Religion is something personal that each person decides to manifest, while science is very important and a lot of time is dedicated to it. “Court cases in fact, were unknown.”(Pg.82) and therefore there were no prisons. “All men are free” (Pg.83) in El Dorado.

However, when Candide said, “It is quite true, my good fellow, that the house were I was born won’t bear comparison with the mansion of this country; but still I shall never be happy without Lady Cunégonde, and I dare say you have some mistress or other in Europe.” (Pg.82). Having said this, we understand how Candide was able to grow from his past and live in a perfect land. When he ditched his homeland, he forgot everyone and the people and elements that had followed him during his journey, without letting him grow. Also, he forgot the motto that he had lived for, “all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.” And met Martin that gave him a new perspective of life.
Nevertheless, Candide clearly says that he won’t be perfect without his love, even though she is one of those elements that pull Candide down. This idea of a utopia without love reminded me on the perfect city that Aldous Huxley describes in his book Brave New World. In both El Dorado and the civilization of Brave New World, for a perfect world love cannot exist because it brings too much problems and sadness. This idea not only shows that humans are passionate beings, but also there can be a perfect world but that doesn’t mean that we arrived a state of complete happiness or a place that demonstrates our best performance. However, if there is a perfect place with no love and creativity is limited, then what is the point of living?

I was also surprised that Voltaire used El Dorado as his place for a utopia. Looking at the moment when the author wrote the book, I believe Voltaire saw despair in Europe, and couldn’t imagine a perfect world there. That is why he chose the new land for his creativity. Also, by choosing this setting, he was probably trying to tell the world: you made your mess here, try not to ruin the new land too.