gardens.

i read Voltaire's satire Candide in high school. i still have a copy of it in my room. its a frail little book; the content, however, is not. now, im not here to do a book review, nor am i trying to convince you to read it ( i assume you have read it already). i never really liked Candide to be honest, because the book was too silly to read, even as a satire (silly level: Candide>Onion News). but the sad thing is that the silliness portrayed in the book is not lighthearted at all. its an uncomfortable silliness (the ridiculous truths). throughout the book Candide encounters all sort of bizarre tragedies and experiences human sadness. however, he believed that all things turn out for the best by necessity. but i strayed from what i wanted to mention.

what i wanted to mention was what struck me the most about this book. at the end of the novel, Candide comes to the realization that "we must cultivate our garden" because not everything will turn out for the best by necessity.

all the human suffering is not necessary and can be prevented.