The novel Candide follows a satiric narrative structure. Voltaire's point is to give the main characters (Candide, Pangloss, and Cunegonde), an inciting scandal and then set them on a journey of adventure. Throughout the story, Candide and Pangloss' hopeful view of reality is tested by a series of disasters, and Candide's love for Cunégonde is constantly challenged. Voltaire uses different types of conflict such as character vs character, character vs. society and character vs. self, to not only influence the plot but to also develop Candide from a naive young boy to a knowledgeable and pragmatic individual by the end of the novel.

Candide has had a fair amount of adventures in such a limited story length, and most are comical, few are emotional, while others are frightening. The external and internal conflict he experienced and facing reality opened up his eyes to the real world. As the enlightenment thinkers and metaphysician Pangloss had told him in the Baron's castle, all does not happen for the best. Gardening, as Candide signifies in his closing line, takes no moment for philosophical speculation, and as a natural outcome, everyone is more content and productive.