Chapter 09
When Push Comes to Shove
WHAT BECAME OF CUNEGONDE, CANDIDE, THE GRAND INQUISITOR, AND THE JEW. This Issachar was the most choleric Hebrew that had ever been seen in Israel since the Captivity in Babylon. "What!" said he, "thou bitch of a Galilean, was not the Inquisitor enough for thee? Must this rascal also share with me?" In saying this he drew a long poniard which he always carried about him; and not imagining that his adversary had any arms he threw himself upon Candide: but our honest Westphalian had received a handsome sword from the old woman along with the suit of clothes. He…
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Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Had not Pangloss been hanged, he would give us good counsel in this emergency, for he was a profound philosopher. Failing him let us consult the old woman."
Context: After killing Issachar, Candide realizes he needs practical advice, not philosophy
Shows Candide learning that abstract philosophy is useless in life-or-death situations. He's starting to value practical wisdom over theoretical knowledge.
In Today's Words:
When the system explains suffering instead of reducing it, My philosophy professor would know what to say, but he's not here, so let's ask someone with real-world experience. Practical wisdom starts when philosophy stops performing. Ask who profits when suffering gets renamed as progress. Ask who profits when suffering gets renamed as progress.
"What! thou bitch of a Galilean, was not the Inquisitor enough for thee? Must this rascal also share with me?"
Context: Issachar's rage upon finding Candide with Cunegonde
Reveals the ugly possessiveness and jealousy that treats Cunegonde like property to be shared. His dehumanizing language shows his true character.
In Today's Words:
When a comforting theory meets a brutal fact, Reveals the ugly possessiveness and jealousy that treats Cunegonde like property to be shared. His dehumanizing language shows his true character. Candide's education is what happens when theory meets the road. Ask who profits when suffering gets renamed as progress.
"Holy Virgin! what will become of us? A man killed in my apartment! If the officers of justice come, we are lost!"
Context: Her immediate reaction after Candide kills Issachar
Shows how victims often fear the consequences of their rescue more than the original danger. She knows the system will blame her, not protect her.
In Today's Words:
If you have ever been punished for trusting the official story, Oh God, what are we going to do? There's a dead body in my place! If the cops come, we're screwed!. Notice whether you are absorbing comfort or testing it against evidence. Ask who profits when suffering gets renamed as progress.
"WHAT BECAME OF CUNEGONDE, CANDIDE, THE GRAND INQUISITOR, AND THE JEW."
Context: From When Push Comes to Shove
This line marks a turn where private feeling collides with the roles each character is trying to maintain.
In Today's Words:
When disaster arrives and someone still calls it necessary, This line marks a turn where private feeling collides with the roles each character is trying to maintain. Voltaire keeps asking who benefits from the explanation. Ask who profits when suffering gets renamed as progress. Ask who profits when suffering gets renamed as progress.
Thematic Threads
Identity
In This Chapter
Candide discovers he can kill when necessary, shattering his self-image as purely gentle
Development
Evolved from his naive optimism in early chapters to practical survival skills
In Your Life:
You might surprise yourself with what you're capable of when someone you love is threatened
Class
In This Chapter
The Grand Inquisitor's power makes him assume he can do anything without consequences
Development
Continues theme of powerful people exploiting the vulnerable, but now shows their vulnerability too
In Your Life:
Authority figures often assume they're untouchable until someone finally pushes back
Personal Growth
In This Chapter
Candide transforms from philosophical dreamer to pragmatic survivor in minutes
Development
Major acceleration from gradual disillusionment to rapid practical adaptation
In Your Life:
Growth sometimes happens in sudden leaps during crisis, not gradual steps
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
The old woman emerges as the group's true leader while others panic
Development
Shows how crisis reveals who actually has practical wisdom versus who just talks
In Your Life:
Emergencies often reveal who in your circle actually has your back with real help
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
Cunegonde is horrified by violence from gentle Candide, expecting him to stay 'pure'
Development
Continues exploration of how society expects people to maintain roles even when impractical
In Your Life:
Others may judge you for adapting to survive, expecting you to stay in your 'nice' box
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
What happens in the opening of "When Push Comes to Shove" when Candide's gentle nature gets its biggest test yet when Issachar...?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
Voltaire opens by showing Candide's gentle nature gets its biggest test yet when Issachar, Cunegonde's other 'owner,' arrives... before Candide's naive faith is tested further.
- 2
Why does the middle of "When Push Comes to Shove" turn on The chapter shows how quickly civilized people can adapt when their...?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
The chapter escalates when The chapter shows how quickly civilized people can adapt when their backs are against..., exposing the gap between Pangloss's theory and lived catastrophe.
- 3
Where do you see instant survival adaptation in modern workplaces, politics, or family life?
application • mediumOne way to read it
One reading: the same pattern appears when institutions explain harm instead of reducing it.
- 4
If you were Candide in the closing pressure of "When Push Comes to Shove", what would you do differently?
application • deepOne way to read it
A practical response is to act on evidence before rebuilding a theory that makes the harm sound necessary.
- 5
What does "When Push Comes to Shove" suggest about trusting philosophies that cannot survive bad evidence?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
It suggests that any worldview that cannot absorb real suffering is protecting someone else's comfort.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Transformation Triggers
Think about the moments when you've surprised yourself by becoming stronger, fiercer, or more decisive than usual. List three specific situations where you transformed under pressure, then identify what triggered each change. Finally, consider what this pattern tells you about your hidden strengths.
Consider:
- •Focus on times when you acted to protect something important, not just when you got angry
- •Notice whether your transformations happened gradually or instantly like Candide's
- •Consider how others reacted to seeing this different version of you
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you had to become someone different to handle a crisis. What did you discover about yourself that you didn't know before?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 10: Robbed and Resourceful
The three fugitives reach safety in Cadiz, but their troubles are far from over. A new opportunity for adventure, and fresh disasters, awaits them at the port city.
