Literature of the Enlightenment (from all parts of Western Europe, but in our case, France), has some typical characteristics that distinguish it from other periods.
Writers of the Enlightenment typically view knowledge as something that is gained through sense and reason. This way of perceiving the world was unique at that time because it was far more secular than in previous periods. This way of thinking was derived from John Locke's philosophy, which had enormous influence on literature and politics: humans are born without innate ideas and instead learn about the world through sensory experience.
Many writers of this period also promote Deism, the belief in a single god who does not interfere in the workings of the world, a sort of "Cellestial clockmaker". Deists believe that natural laws are discoverable. They reject miracles (or parody them and satirze those who believe in them), instead advocating natural religious truths. Deism and its ideas was, in part, a response to a period of horrible sectarian violence in Europe (the Thirty Years War and the English Civil War). Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson are notable Deists.
In terms of political philosophy, many writers of this period promote democracy and the idea that the common man is more moral, rational, and good than his aristocratic counterparts. This turn in political thinking was, to a large extent, a response to non-participatory rule (ruthless, brutal oligarchies and monarchies) in Europe, and precipitated periods of reform, e.g., the French Revolution of 1789. The US Constitution is modeled after Enlightenment political philosophy.
In Englightenment thinking, the individual was seen as a part of a society. The individual is bound by the social contract - an inescapable membership in society - and exchanges certain personal freedoms for social order, e.g., protection from agressors, infrastructure.
Views of nature, like views of knowledge, during this period were much more secular than in previous periods. Nature was typically seen as systems following a set of laws or rules. Scientific inquiry during this period was at an all time high, spurred on by the Scientific Revolution and it's ideas: the Copernicus' views on the solar system, Descartes' ideas about reasoning, Newton's ideas about mathematics, etc.
We have two representative works from the reading list: Moliere's Tartuffe and Voltaire's Candide, or Optimism. Look for these characteristics as you read both works.