... "but let us cultivate our garden,"" illustrates that he has moved from promoting the philosophy of optimism to promoting the philosophy of meliorism, the same philosophy promoted by Voltaire. Candide's final words also relate the concept of the American way of life: the idea found in the constitution that all American citizens have the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and ... to become better and that humans can aid its betterment." As a promoter of meliorism, which is seemingly pessimistic and the opposite of optimism, Voltaire found optimism to be ridiculous; he used Candide as a...

• Word Count: 887
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate