This essay should be a 350-500 word critical analysis of current events, media, or people that illustrate the themes and/or topics that we discussed in Tartuffe and Candide. Y

You have read satires by Enlightenment writers Moliere and Voltaire that brought attention to social issues during their lifetimes.  Tartuffe and Candide contain many themes and topics that were concerns to the authors and other enlightened thinkers of the time.  Examine some of these themes and topics that still exist in our culture using the Enlightenment lens of reason and write an essay using a social criticism approach of these topics in our times.

For example, what does the reality show The Bachelor say about idealized love versus the reality of love? “The experts also said the program could inspire viewers to set unrealistic standards for happiness, beauty, and relationships and could cause viewers to normalize the unhealthy idea that it is OK for relationships to have an inherent power imbalance” (Mitrokostas).

What does the trial of Harvey Weinstein say about sexual exploitation? “I feel like the forgotten man," Weinstein said in an interview published Sunday in the New York Post. "I made more movies directed by women and about women than any filmmaker, and I’m talking about 30 years ago. I’m not talking about now when it’s vogue. I did it first! I pioneered it! It all got eviscerated because of what happened," Weinstein said in the interview. "My work has been forgotten."

Can you discuss Alabama senate candidate Bradley Byrne’s attack against democrats as Godless? “This attack on President Trump is an attack on you and me,” he said. “Let’s make that clear. They don’t believe what you and I believe. It’s a fundamental breakdown in values. Policies are one thing. It’s the values that are at issue here. They don’t believe in God. That is at the root of the founding of the United States of America. They want to take God out of our life. They don’t want you and I to freely exercise our religion. We have to be willing to fight back against that. They don’t believe what the Constitution says what it says and nothing else. They keep adding things to it” (Poor).

This essay should be a 350-500 word critical analysis of current events, media, or people that illustrate the themes and/or topics that we discussed in Tartuffe and Candide.  You need to provide specific examples to support your argument that your chosen topic(s) should be a concern(s) for people now. Your examples should be cited in the text, and you need to document your evidence in a Works Cited page in MLA format that does not count in your word count.  You may use numerous topics or focus on one topic. SPARKNOTES, SCHMOOP, GRADESAVE, LITCHARTS, ETC. ARE NEVER ACCEPTABLE ACADEMIC SOURCES. This assignment is a major grade.

Mitrokostas, Sophia.  “Everything That’s Wrong with The Bachelor According to Therapists and Psychologists.”

              Insider.com. Insider, Inc.

Poor, Jeff. “Bradley Byrne Rips Dems for Values at Mobile County Stop – “They Don’t Believe in God.” Yellowhammer

             News. Yellowhammernews.com

“Weinstien: Sexual Charges Have Made Me Forgotten Man.” Ctvnews. Bellmedia.