Candide by Voltaire

The immature characters in Candide, by Voltaire, reinforce the theme that codependence leads to demise. Candide is a childish character who goes through a difficult adventure where he is extremely dependent on other character's ideas and actions;therefore, leading to several consequences. After discovering his caring friend, who was trying to save another passenger, fell overboard into the coast of Lisbon Candide says, "[I] must save him, [my] benefactor is being swallowed up by the merciless waves, [I] am going to jump in. 'No,' said his philosopher Pangloss. 'The coast of Lisbon has been made a purpose for the Anabaptist to be drowned there'" (Voltaire 25). Candide wishes to go in to save his benefactor who provided him with many necessities, but his dear philosopher Pangloss stops him because of his idea that everything happens for a reason and for the best. So, Candide being dependent on his philosopher's idea, receives the terrible consequence of losing his helpful benefactor. Furthermore , in the next couple of chapters we meet Cunegonde, another childish character who is very dependent of her servant, the old woman. After learning that Candide had killed the Grand Inquisitor Cunegonde says, "[We] must listen to the old woman, she knows best" (52). Cunegonde tells Candide that they must listen to what the old woman told them because she knows what to do. This shows the amount of codependence Cunegonde has for the old woman, but leads her to lose Candide and become forced to love the governor. The acts of codependence from Candide and Cunegonde shows the consequences one receives.

The plot events in Candide, by Voltaire contribute to the theme that codependence leads to demise. After having to leave Cunegonde and the old woman Candide has the need to depend on someone else, whose name is Cacambo. Cacambo has a plan to get Candide some money for his travels, he says, "I'll take you to their kingdom; they will be delighted with a captain that understands Bulgarian drill; you will certainly make a prodigious fortune"(54). Cacambo has a plan to try to get past the Paraguayans with some money