Is There 'Sufficient Reason' to Love?--Candide

“Sufficient reason” (29) are a couple of words which I have noticed during the few pages I have read that they are mentioned constantly. It is amazing how these two words reflect so much about our author’s time period and thinking. One of the Enlightenment Era’s most controversial theory was one developed in the Renaissance but carried forward in history. This theory of which I speak of was that of Reason as our true way to knowledge. For this, when Voltaire mentions “sufficient reason”, he directly states, to discard all possible doubts from the reader, that that event is enough to prove his point. For example, when Candide meets Pangloss after being kicked form the castle, Pangloss is in a lamentable state, physically, which make the curious Candide ask Pangloss what was enough to turn him into the state in which he was: “and then enquired into cause and effect, and into the ‘sufficient reason’ that had reduced Pangloss to such a pitiable state” (29).

Then, to my surprise, it was love sheer love what had turned Pangloss into such a state that even Candide, a pupil who will never forget him, didn’t recognize him (28). First, with the “Inamoraty Anonimous” in the novel The Crying of Lot 49 and then in this book with Pangloss I have seen how love isn’t portrayed always as the best feeling tat ends up salvaging the day. Why? Why do these two authors, Voltaire and Pynchon, treat such a “wonderful” feeling in such a way? Were they hurt, or are they just portraying a crude reality of the sufferings one must go through (stress, pain, fear, etc.) due to love? “…I tasted delights of Paradise, and they produce these hellish torments by which you see me devoured. She was infected…” (30). Notice, that Voltaire mentions how for some exquisite minutes of pleasure caused by love, Pangloss has to suffer a horrible disease for days until his death or his health come. Also, speaking of love, I recall when in the first chapter Candide due to his love for Cunégonde ends up being kicked out off the best of all castles. Once again love proves to be painful.