"In God We Trust"

In the book, through Candide´s or other character´s actions, Voltaire mocks many aspects of society. He makes fun of the German and Spanish nobility by ironizing the beauty of their castles: “for his house had a door and several windows and his hall was actually draped with tapestry,” (Pg. 19) and making fun of their names: “Don Fernando d’Ibaraa y Figueroa y Mascarenes y Lampourdos y Souza.” Normally Spanish nobles and governors used to present themselves with many of their last names, just to show their “importance.” (Pg. 58)  Voltaire also constantly mentions philosophy and the greatness behind Pangloss, and how a bulgar had little intelligence “and little understanding of philosophy” (pg. 41) With a figure such as Pangloss and how characters often refer to the study, can suggest that Voltaire is mocking philosophers.

As I continued reading I was shocked when I read the following: “I am the daughter of Pope Urban X and the Princess of Palestrina.”(Pg. 49) I was amazed at the fact that Voltaire was mocking religion. In the Catholic religion, abstinence is a choice that men and women make when they become priest or nuns. The Pope, being the most important figure of the religion on earth, with a daughter would be the most serious offense to God. I am a catholic and a believer in God so this may be why it shocked it but also because religion and God is what people have the most hope in. Even in the book there are examples of how even after everything goes wrong and unjust, people think it has to do with God´s will and his plan. In good or bad times most of the people relate to God. Some are true believers and others find in God a figure that gives them tranquility.

Five years ago my family and especially my mother lost a very important person to her. Even though she was crying she used to say, “It was for the better.” Today she told my sister and I to pray for her and also to ask God to take her brother as well. I knew my mother didn´t want him to die but instead rest. Rest from the cancer that was over taking his body.

So, after every bad thing that happens Candide thinks that is for the best, and until right now, so do all the characters of the book. This is exactly what happens when someone dies. As sad as someone can be, the most common comfort is that it happened for a reason and that God took him or her because something worst was going to happen. Five years ago, God took away a very important person because it was her time, but was it truly. People lay their faith in God without questioning his actions, and no matter the seriousness of the situation, God always has a reason for them.