Candide Analysis Chapters 26-30
Chapter 26
Who are the six strangers with whom Candide and Martin dine? What about these strangers is Voltaire mocking? Again the strangers seem to be in competition over suffering. Why? Why is one king viewed as the most pathetic, and how does Candide help him? What is satirical about the entrance of the four Highnesses at the end of the chapter?
Chapter 27
Why do you think Pangloss and the Baron Thunder-ten-tronnchkh reappear in this part of the novel? ( Hint: Before they come back from the dead, at the beginning of the chapter, Candide asks Martin of the six kings who is most miserable. When Martin responds that many men are more miserable than the kings, Candide suggests that Pangloss would have a better answer.) When Candide pays for the freedom of both his friends, both Pangloss and the baron respond differently. What does the baron’s response suggest?
Chapter 28
Compare the suffering of Pangloss and the baron. How was it similar? How was it different? At what is Voltaire poking fun in describing their suffering? Why does Pangloss remain optimistic and begin his teaching to his student, Candide at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 29
What do the travelers discuss as they journey to Constantinople? Why? What message does the topic of their discussion suggest? How is the baron’s response to Candide’s offer to marry the ugly Cunegonde an example of Voltaire’s opinion of mankind? What do we learn about Candide by his offer to marry Cunegonde?
Chapter 30
Settled in Constantinople running a farm, our protagonist and main characters are not happy and in fact continue to compete over who has experienced the most misery. Reread the second paragraph on page 140. Martin and Pangloss provide answers to the old woman’s reflections. What are they, and which do you accept? Why?
Novel Ending Culminating Question
At the end of the novel, Martin, Pangloss and Candide realize that work, having a purpose in life and pursuing it, brings satisfaction. Who teaches them this, and why is the advice profound? As a result of listening to the advice, what two things do they now stop doing?
Name:Block:
Analysis with Another Twist
The format for answering the final analysis questions of the novel will be different. Instead of splitting up the questions, you and your group members will answer all the questions together. You will have two class periods, Tuesday and Wednesday to compose thorough answers to each question. Divide your group members into the following duties in order to effectively work as a group to complete this final analysis.
Group Leader – This member of your group will be in charge of monitoring each member’s progress, mediating any problems that occur, and assessing the effectiveness of each members’ efforts. At the end of each class, the group leader will provide a 1-5 rating of each member’s efforts. In addition, group members themselves will provide a rating of their efforts.
Group Researchers – These two members of your group will be in charge of locating the area in the novel where the answers are and suggesting effective quotes to include and cite within the answers.
Group Recorder – This group member will be responsible for composing the answers to the questions.
Group Proofreaders – One or two members of the group will be responsible for proofreading and editing your answers. Obviously the proofreader(s) works closely with the recorder to provide suggestions for corrections and revisions.
It goes without saying that everyone in the group participates in providing suggestions for answering and composing the questions.