Violence and other cruelties are such a large part of the world that they can never be completely eradicated, no matter how difficult the effort to remove them. A common mechanism for coping with the tragedies of everyday life is to ignore or attempt to conjure a “silver lining” to the situation. In Voltaire's Candide, the protagonist's faith in philosophical optimism is shaken. With the struggles of the novel, Voltaire forcefully denounces blind philosophical optimism through the use of hyperbole, lithotes, and symbolism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay This blind philosophical optimism can best be described as believing that everything is fine and refusing to believe that the universe would not allow suffering if it were not for a better outcome. Voltaire heavily satirizes this concept through the use of exaggeration, or hyperbole, with Candide, the main character, and his favorite philosopher, Pangloss, as advocates that they live in the "best of all possible worlds" (15). With tragedies occurring, this statement is an intentional exaggeration used to mock optimism by attempting to bring cruel and satirical humor into such a description in order to draw attention to its folly. It is for this reason that Voltaire describes everything as the best it can be, as he describes Candide as “the kindest of characters” (15) and the baron's castle as “the most magnificent of castles” (22). This use of hyperbole illustrates the optimists' perspective, but it also serves the purpose of showing that optimism makes their views foolishly limited because it demonstrates these characters' ignorance of the world outside their homes. The exaggeration of small details effectively supports the logic of optimism because it brings attention to a strange perspective on life. Voltaire not only uses exaggeration, but also makes use of its antithesis: euphemism, or litote. With the distorted perspective of clear philosophical optimism, while small and unimportant details are exaggerated, important and impactful ones are shortened or simply passed off as “everyday occurrences”. For example, after recounting all the horrors that happened to the old woman in her past, Candide states: “'It is a great pity... that the wise Pangloss was hanged contrary to custom in an auto-da-fé; would tell us surprising things about the physical and moral evils that were rampant on land and sea..." (46). Candido, instead of expressing concern or sympathy for the old woman's tragic past, neglects it and does not dwell on the horrible nature of the facts, minimizing them, saying that it is even more of a shame that Pangloss is not there with them to express his thoughts on how they still live in the “best of all possible worlds”. Even when the tragic event happens directly to Candide, as when he is about to be eaten by the Oreillons, he similarly says: “'We will certainly be roasted or boiled. Ah, what would Dr. Pangloss say if he saw what pure nature is like? It's okay, I won't argue about it; but I must admit that it is a cruel fate to have lost Lady Cunegonde and then to be roasted on the spit by Oreillons'” (56). These euphemisms are vital in illustrating the idiocy of philosophical optimism because the true horror of these events is simply accepted without a fight. From exaggeration to understatement, Voltaire denounces the optimism with which Candide and Pangloss actively attempt to manage their lives and, to fully denounce it once and for all, uses symbolism. At the end of the novel, after trials and trials in an attempt to break Candide's faith in optimism once and for all, Candide finally abandons his implacable.