Candide and Expectations

 My mom has always told me, “Where you find an open mind, you find an open door.”

Despite constantly hearing this advice, I read this story my sophomore year of high school (and receiving a terrible grade on my final paper may I add), I had a closed mind that I would find the same crushing despair I found then. Memories of Pangloss’ ridiculous optimism, Candide’s lack of any luck, and the exorbitant number of unrealistic close-call deaths left a sour taste in my mouth. I do appreciate my mom and her loving advice, but her optimism has always seemed to be, at least to me, more of the Pangloss-ian type.

Thus, when I began my reading journey it was definitely a rough commencement. I fought with myself and considered procrastinating until much later, but finally I had to conquer my fear of this novel.

Boy was I surprised. Oh how I easily forgot what 3 years of extra experience adds to one’s perspective.

I found this perspective when Candide and Cacambo reached the elusive country of El Dorado. This is a place that counteracts many of their previous impressions of their world. In this place, the children at the schoolyards play with gold, emeralds, and rubies as if they were mere toys. Candide attempted to pay for food with a couple of blocks of gold, which would be worth thousands in his world, but the people merely laughed at him. To them, he was throwing dirt on the table for payment. But yet, when they took some of this ‘dirt’ home with them, the pair could easily live off of what they had. Furthering their confusion they could not understand how neither a parliament nor prison existed, but a vast math and science gallery was nearly in its place. The narrative at this point makes it seem as if Candide’s head was about to explode.

What was this confusion from? Expectations. Candide and Cacambo had the expectation that these “precious jewels” would be respected and yearned after just like in their world. They had the expectation that everywhere in the world should have a place of punishment for those who do wrong, and not enough room for all of the intellectuals. On a side note, worst of all, Candide definitely had the expectation that Cunegonde would look just as beautiful as she did before he had to leave her. Luckily, when their expectations were shattered, they were able to learn and utilize this. They learned that not everything has innate value, like the gold. They learned that not everyone remains constant. I know I may be assigning lessons to the characters that are from the mind of Voltaire, but this is what the passage caused me to pause and think about.

To me, expectations are inevitable as human nature. I especially had the high expectations of being disappointed by this novel, but luckily these disintegrated once I began fully diving into the book. Honestly, surprises are my favorite part about reading books a second time; I love having the opportunity to see new things with new eyes. I do have to admit my mom was right: when I keep an open mind, I do have the opportunity to learn more than I ever expected.