Candid as a Buildingsroman

I think Candid’s intellectual and philosophical view changes as he travels across the world, experiences new cultures, and meets other people.  Before he was expelled from the castle, he lived a life of luxury and ease and deprived of suffering. It was easy for him to believe Pangloss’s theory of “best of all possible worlds.”  Once he is banished he encounters manipulative soldiers that conscript him into the Bulgar army, presumably against his will.  The wars and his exercise of free will cause him pain and suffering.  He meets corrupt, selfish, cruel, arrogant, and hypocritical people harming one another for no reason other than for personal gain, amusement, or another.  He begins to question Pangloss’ philosophy and gravitates towards the philosophy of Jacques, then Cacambo, the Martin and finally of the dervish. Candid maintains some of his naivety (he’s still centered on Conegonde and tries to cling to Pangloss’ theory) but I think it is lessened because of his experiences.  He doesn’t seem to produce his own philosophy but he adopts, or at least listens to others and finds some of them reasonable, which is a step in maturity. His journey outside the castle inherently involves suffering and risk and Candid tries to understand the purpose of suffering. I think that because he fluctuates between different philosophies and seems to adopt another belief besides the original “perfect, predestined” Pangloss vision, he grows intellectually and philosophically.Ca