Character Analysis: Old Woman

The kind old woman is first introduced to us when she takes Candide into her care after the auto-da-fe. The old woman was once young and rich. She had everything that she could have ever wanted in life, but one day that all changed. After all of the tragedies that happened to her (raped, sold, eaten), she still remains extremely happy to be alive and she also believes that life is very beautiful. The old woman knows that things are bad, but she still accepts this and stays hopeful. Her honest hope is far greater than the ignorant optimism of Candide and Pangloss. The old woman is a symbol of how someone can go through many obstacles, yet still remain strong and hopeful. An indirect characterization of this character would be that she is strong willed and hopeful. The old woman is also an example of a static character because she stays the same throughout most of the book despite everything that happens.