Pengungkapan Diri dan Representasi Liyan dalam Novel Candide Ou L’optimisme Karya Voltaire

Abstrak

This study analyzes Candide's self-discovery in Voltaire's novel Candide, using Carl Thompson's travel literature theory. The research uses a qualitative descriptive method grounded in travel literature. The data consists of excerpts from the novel relating to Candide's travel experiences, shifts in thought, choices, and internal struggles. The analysis focuses on how Candide's journey becomes a process of self-discovery and self-formation through the experiences he encounters. The findings indicate that Candide's self-discovery is shaped by internal negotiation around the issues that arise during his travels. Initially, Candide holds an optimistic view, accepting Pangloss's teaching that the world is the best of all possible worlds. However, experiences involving war, disaster, poverty, violence, greed, and injustice lead him to question this belief and develop a more realistic understanding of life. The journey to Eldorado marks a pivotal shift in Candide's perspective, as he begins to compare different societal conditions and recognize the injustices in his homeland. Furthermore, Candide's decision to leave Eldorado to rescue Cunégonde, along with his choice to cultivate a garden, demonstrates the development of values ??such as empathy, responsibility, hard work, and acceptance of reality. Thus, the journey in *Candide* functions not merely as a series of adventures but also as a process of consciousness-building and self-discovery for the protagonist, while simultaneously serving as a vehicle for Voltaire to critique the social and political realities of the 18th century.

Kata kunci

• Candide
• Carl Thompson
• Voltaire
• self-revelation
• travel writing