The Destructiveness of Our Human Nature

Essay by skinnyminny123High School, 12th gradeA, November 2014

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The Destructiveness of Our Human Nature

Prompt 11: El Dorado is a paradise on earth. Describe what it is about El Dorado that makes it so perfect. Can you see any flaws? Why do Candide and Cacambo decide to leave? What does this say about human nature?

In Voltaire's satiric play, Candide, the land of El Dorado was the author's superficial vision of an ideal society; it was his paradise on earth. The relative equality is what made El Dorado seem near perfect and practically a utopia. It was a place free of greed, pretentiousness, and forced religion and above all, it was free of discomfort and suffering. The land of El Dorado seemed to highlight the unfortunate realities of the lands far beyond its supreme borders. Though appearing to be perfection and in a more utopian state, El Dorado represented a rather unrealistic place to live for most.

Voltaire meant for this world to be a depiction of his dream of a perfect society. However, the land was a place that seemed too good to be true making it unreal to Candide and Cacambo; it can be inferred that this may be the real reason that these two left the all perfect land. El Dorado was the vision of a perfect utopian society, however, it represents a sort of false paradise that is impossible to attain or even approach due to the destructiveness of our human nature.

Though we may think perfection is what we really want, however, mankind will never be fully satisfied or near content with absolute perfection. We strive for stress, we need challenges; these are the things that keep us going. World peace will never happen so long as our human nature stays intact. If we lived in such a utopia we would...