There Is No Need For Irony In This One

Voltaire was very recognized for being a man who  protected and imposed human rights. For this reason, it was no surprise to see him criticize slavery in chapter XIX. Voltaire describes the miserable conditions in which Candide finds a salve as he is entering Suriname. Voltaire, of course, criticizes how cruelly these slaves were treated. 

The slave that Candide found missed a leg and therefore could not run away and did not have a hand for slipping up. These were clear examples of how Voltaire was disgusted by slavery. Voltaire also criticizes how pathetic the excuses were for slavery. Slave owners were religious so they were suppose to believe that all men are equal in Gods eyes. However, they didn't treat the blacks as is as though they were equal. 

What was even more ridiculous was that they taught their slaves their religion. Every day they talked to their slaves about how only god took and gave life,how they should respect each other and love each other and most ridiculously about how all men were equal. However this didn't stop the slave owners from taking away a slave’s hand or leg. Voltaire didn't need to make this one neither Ironic nor pathetic as it already was in reality.

Its funny that I read exactly this chapter today because in US History we were talking about slavery. I was reminded of the Movie Amistad; The movie is about how some african salves are being taken to Cuba to be sold. However the slaves manage to take over the ship. The salves sail all the way to America where there is this big dilemma on what they should do with the salves. There are many theories proposed by many people that claim them theirs. Some other people think the salves should be granted freedom.The movie compares to Candide in the sense that they both portray the slave situation as pathetic. In the movie it is pathetic that the decision that the court takes, which is supposed to be based on the US constitution which says “all men are equal”, is to enslave the africans.

Overall I believe that Blacks have suffered a lot and that its definitely pathetic the excuses that they made up to treat people this poorly.