Candide's Punishment, Do They Fit the Crime?

Candide seems to be trapped in a world where he deals with constant misfortunes. All the misfortunes are supposed punishment for the bad actions he has taken. But has Candide truly done anything bad? Something terrible that required the punishments he has faced?

            In the beginning of the story Candide is thrown out of the house because he is caught kissing Cunegonde. But it wasn’t his fault that he kissed her, so whose was it? Would it be Pangloss’s fault for exposing Cunegonde to those lustful actions? It would seem to be the easy way out to just blame Pangloss, especially since it was his actions that caused the children to kiss. However would anyone learn anything from it? Candide would still continue to be naive to basically everything. So it seems to fit that Candide would be thrown out of the castle into the real world. A world that he only knew thanks to the teachings of the great Pangloss. In having to face real world he will be able to grow up and test the things that he has learned from Pangloss and to discover whether everything he learned from Pangloss is true and come to find his own philosophy.

            Another punishment that I think seemed to fit was when he was beaten the army for according desertion. He unknowingly joined the army to fight along side the Bulgars. He stayed with them for a while until he felt he was bored and decided to leave. For leaving he was given a choice to either be shoot in the head or be whipped by every person the regiment. After being whipped several times to the point were he just preferred to die he asked to be shot in the head to be done with the pain. But was saved by the King who saw that Candide was just a naïve boy that didn’t know he was doing so he let him live. This was a good punishment, even if it does seem to be too harsh, because it would teach Candide to be careful of what he does with the people that he does it and not to automatically trust everyone. In these experience he is starting to wonder now whether everything is for the best, which is something he was taught by Pangloss.

Modern Day Socrates???

In class when asked who would be a modern day Socrates I couldn’t think of anyone that would fit the role. Even at home as I pondered on the question I couldn’t come up with a satisfying answer. My reason was that Socrates was a person that always asked questions in order to get people to truly think and look deep inside for an answer. Socrates would operate in this matter because he wanted everyone to think for themselves instead of him having to tell them want to think. He also wanted people to come to their own conclusions. In today’s society it seems to me that there are more people that care about being right and go around their day correcting people when they make a mistake. Imagine if someone tells you that you are doing something wrong or that you are wrong. Naturally you become defensive and begin to argue with the person which leads nowhere and benefits no one. How ever if a person came up and asked a question like why you do what you’re doing, you just try an answer the person’s question the best way you can. This is what Socrates would do in his time, but in this time period I think that there is not only one person that could be like Socrates.

I believe that everyone has different parts that put together would make a good representation of Socrates. For example students ask questions in order to understand things that they are confused about. Now only if the questions would slightly changed in format it could be a question that would make the person think about the answer they are about to give and if what they are saying holds any truth.

Teachers are another example of a good characteristic Socrates had. Teachers try to their best abilities to help students comprehend information that is new to them. Also they help students to become more independent and think for themselves so they look for answer on their. Socrates never really told anyone what to think or what to do instead he would lead them to an answer through questions. Some teachers are able to this but I think it takes a good amount of skill to ask a question that really requires a person to think about their answer and see if they agree with their answer.

In conclusion I think there is no modern day Socrates but that we all have characteristics of Socrates. In trying to build on these characteristics we can all be able to learn from each other and find answers to questions that we might have.

The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living?

Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living. I thought about why Socrates would say that, if it was to truly help someone or to mess with them. I guess it works since living an unexamined life means not thinking about life or just not thinking at all. It would be like being a zombie walking around with nothing to do and nothing to think about. The bad part is that if you were a zombie you would be exterminated, so try to not be a zombie.

Another reason I think it would be good to examine your life is that it helps you be more than what you are or be more than what you think you are. If you analyze your life you might find something that you don’t like and maybe you chose to change. The point is to better yourself and in doing this you help better others by sharing what you have learned. You have just become wiser with this and helped the world be wiser as well.

Also when one lives their life to be living it the way it should be one needs a purpose for it. Maybe you feel like you don’t have a purpose and were put on this earth for no reason. But if you think what you do and what you can do you may find what you are looking for.

It’s not like someone is going to go out there and find people that live unexamined lives and get rid of them. I feel though that if you know what you are and what you are doing and why then you have a good understanding about yourself and would be able to live a more comfortable life.

Eulogy

Shem Enriquez was a great young man, who loved working and having fun. He would sometimes work too hard not knowing or not wanting to take a break. His life was just starting but yet he will be missed. He lived his life as a brave man going into all fires and rescuing all that he could save. Many would fear to be a fire fighter but not Shem he was strong and without fear of death. The night he died he had responded to a call from a kitten orphanage. The fire had started in a small room and spread rapidly into the whole building but Shem quickly prepared with his team and set out to the fire. Once in the scene people were very pessimistic thinking he could not save the kittens. But Shem’s bravery gave him the will to go in and save as many kittens as he could. He was able to save a total of four hundred kittens. After finishing his shift and retiring home there was a tragic accident. Damn Lisa, the stripper that killed him. He was walking home as he did everyday. The stripper was angry and confused this brave young man with another person, which is why she killed him. Either the drinking or the drugs she used may have caused her to be confused. Someone had not paid her earlier and she had snapped that day. Hating her life and being so angry at everyone but mostly herself. That cold knife brought his death and was left with his blood. He still remains in our thoughts but his thoughts are gone, maybe to be brought back in another time.