The search for enlightenment in Candide and the dream of the red room 17th century Europe saw the end of the Renaissance and ushered in the neoclassical era. During this period, also called the Enlightenment and “The Age of Reason,” society advocated rationalism and urged control of emotions. The writers modeled their works on Greco-Roman satire and picaresque novels. Around the same time in China, the author of Dream of the Red Chamber explored a different kind of enlightenment, the roots of which lie in religion. The Buddha is called "The Enlightened One" and one of the major concerns of Buddhism is "Why do we suffer and feel pain?" Voltaire's Candide and Cao Xuegin's Dream of the Red Chamber introduce characters and motifs that have become illustrations of the quest for enlightenment. Candide, in the spirit of the European Enlightenment, is a satire on philosophy and religion. Voltaire uses this work to openly criticize irrational optimism and thought control. Interestingly, the word "candide" also forms a part of Candide's name, and Voltaire uses hyperbole to contribute to his concept of extremes. Thrown out of his house, Candido wanders and drags himself "towards the nearby town... dying of hunger and fatigue". Later, he "embraced the Baron and Pangloss a hundred times." Pangloss, Candide's tutor, teaches a strange subject called "metaphysical-theologian-cosmolo-nigology", and one of the cities Candide visits is called "Valdberghoff-trarbk-dikdorff". " It is these details that accentuate Voltaire's criticism of irrational behavior. He further emphasizes his point with the characters' rationalization of difficulties as "everything is for the best." regardless of how... the center of the card... the Red Chamber group is also linked to the happiness that material things can bring. Chen Shih-yin gives up his material possessions and begins a journey towards enlightenment. Although both authors seem to renounce or denounce the world, they also seem to espouse the philosophy of "grasp the moment", so as not to have regrets. Works Cited Voltaire. Candid or Optimism. Trans. Donald M. Loom. The HarperCollins World Reader: The Modern World. Ed. Mary Ann Caws and Christopher Prendergast. New York: HarperCollins , 1994. 1933-1997. Other versions were also consulted. Chi-Chen Wang. HarperCollins World Reader: The Modern World. Ed. Mary Ann Caws and Christopher Prendergast. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. 1469-1478. Other versions, including the original, were also consulted.