Nathaniel C's  Instablog

In Voltaire’s Candide, Dr. Pangloss is a tutor to an aristocratic family where he teaches his pupil Candide “all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.” Pangloss is the perennial optimist, who always has a positive outlook on life, no matter what tragedy may befall him or society. He can even see the benefit of New World syphilis (which he contracts), saying that it was really a good thing since had Columbus not discovered America, we would never have had the pleasure of chocolate! Throughout the novel, Dr. Pangloss suffers many hardships, which includes nearly being hanged by the Inquisition after the Lisbon earthquake. However, this never deters him from boundless optimism.