Comparing Providence In Candide, By Voltaire And Survival In Auschwitz

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The Role of Providence in Candide and Survival in Auschwitz Providence is a main theme in Candide, by Voltaire, and Survival in Auschwitz, by Primo Levi. The word providence literally means foresight, but is generally used to denote God’s preserving and governing all things by means of second causes. Voltaire pokes fun at the notion of providence and mocks the philosopher, Liebniz, for his belief that all things that happen are for the very best. Voltaire uses several characters to portray a different point of view, some are supporters of Liebniz’ philosophy, and others are not. Primo Levi, attacks the idea of providence in a different way, because he finds that some things that happen in the concentration …show more content…

He teaches his student Candide that everything happens for the best, no matter what. As the story continues natural disasters and unfortunate events occur and Pangloss is left homeless and ill with pox. Pangloss justifies his wretched state by claiming pox is a good thing because with out it there would be no chocolate because the New World introduced both of them to Europe. Voltaire is quick to point out that he does not believe that the fate of Pangloss is a result of providence. He also mocks the positive attitude of Pangloss by showing how convoluted and irrational his theory is. It is obvious that the pox has absolutely nothing to do with chocolate, so there is no support for his reasoning. Voltaire exposes the emptiness in of what Pangloss believes. The story continues with Pangloss, Candide, and others enduring horrible …show more content…

The fact that the Germans killed thousands of women, children and men, showed him that not everything happens for the best. He sees chance as the deciding factor in many of the prisoners’ fates and that by walking down the wrong side of the convoy, death could be the next step. Death does not occur for the best, and providence does not allow death to be good. Levi states, “It is in this way that one can understand the double sense of the term ‘extermination camp’, and it is now clear what we seek to express with the phrase: ‘to lie on the bottom’.”3 The fate of thousands of the people in the camp is not caused by providence because these deaths were atrocious. Innocent people died, for what no real purpose. Levi does not view death as an act that causes good things to happen, but instead he sees it as a horrible thing that cannot have good come from

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