Facade Me a Smile

           Pose! Click! Post! Instagram and Facebook have become two of the largest and most successful social media websites today. They allow people to post stories and updates about their lives and how great things are in the concept of their worlds. However, a majority of the time it is all a façade put on for the world to see because all people are aware of is that behind the filters and the inspirational captions, situations are not always what they seem. Though Instagram and Facebook are relatively new to the world, the issue of hiding one’s reality behind a front is not. Voltaire addresses the fact that people put on a facade of happiness through Candide’s interaction with the young happy couple to demonstrate that true happiness is an unobtainable virtue on earth since no one on earth is truly happy.  

            In Candide’s particular case, he sought for happiness by pursuing his love for Cunegonde. He was born royalty thus, he had all he could ever desire until he fell to his lustful desires. After being exiled from the castle, he begins his journey to find that, “Everything is linked by necessity and arranged for the best” (Voltaire, 7) according to Pangloss’ philosophy of life. He goes through the gauntlet, a shipwreck, earthquake, being beaten and more, and yet he still blindly believes that everything will be the best at the end of all the turmoil. However, during the latter stages of the text, he objects to Pangloss’ teachings after losing all his sheep. He says, “’ O Pangloss!’…’ this does it, at last I shall have to renounce your optimism’” (Voltaire, 51). He finally accepts that Pangloss is wrong and that optimism is not a good view to always hold. Like Pangloss taught and Candide believed, similarly, people also believe all the posts they see to be a true reality, but they come to find out that their assumptions are false. 

            Even though, Candide renounces Pangloss’ philosophy he continues to search for happiness in his life as he continues his long journey back to Cunegonde. Along the way, he and Martin, a companion he meets on his journey, come across a young couple. Candide describes the man to be a handsome young monk whose appearance is pristine and “The girl was very pretty and was singing; she looked lovingly at her Theatine, and from time to time pinched his plump cheeks” (Voltaire, 72). Now anyone looking along with Candide would likewise snap a picture of what would appear to be a happy young couple who are in love. Candide proceeds by turning to Martin and saying that is the happiness he is searching for with Cunegonde. However, Martin retorts that he can almost guarantee that they are not a happy couple, but that it is a facade. So, Candide later approaches the young girl who states, “Today I have to appear in a good humor to please a monk,” (Voltaire, 74) much in the same way when life is not going well, we lack vulnerability to show the true reality. She could not act upset even though she had been robbed of her possessions the day before. People should not be like the young girl because Christ has called them to cry out when they are in need and to help the hurting, but if the hurting does not reveal themselves, they cannot be aided. 

            Nevertheless, Voltaire does present the readers with the concept of Eldorado, a city that is filled with people whose concerns are not focused on money but the good of the whole city. Candide remarks that “Probably this is the country where all is well; for there absolutely must be one of that sort” (Voltaire, 45). He strikes gold when he makes his statement. He realizes that happiness is not in possessions or people but in something bigger than himself and the riches he possesses. Metaphorically speaking, the city is representative of Heaven where money means nothing, and all people are in harmony and full of happiness. As Candide goes about the city, Voltaire repeats the word “singular” all referring to the beauty of things. Christians know that only through God is happiness found in Him because of the death of His Son. Voltaire is nodding to his readers that true happiness lies in the most secret place in the Universe, Heaven, and very few people comparatively will achieve it. Later in the text after leaving Eldorado, Candide laments, “Ah! It would have been better to remain in the paradise of Eldorado than to return to [the] accursed Europe” (Voltaire, 71). So often people come to know God and the peace and temporal happiness that He gives to people who serve him, but they turn away, back in search of happiness on earth and become discontent and desperate again. Consequently, people become unhappy after leaving God’s presence, and they resort back to their facades. 

            Edit. Re-edit. Post again. They have achieved nothing in their endeavors. No joy, happiness or freedom by wearing a constant facade. Voltaire clearly illustrates that true happiness does not exist on earth and man will forever be in search of something that they cannot find on earth. They must look to Heaven where eternal happiness will be. They can experience glimpses of it on earth by serving God and worshiping him by not elevating people or things around them as ways of obtaining happiness in their lives.