To What Extent Does Patrick Suskind Develop Grenouille's Character Throughout the Novel Through the Description of Scents?
Throughout the novel Perfume by Patrick Suskind, there is an obvious use of literary devices used to describe the scents which Grenouille, the protagonist, smells, the way in which Grenouille smells aromas, as this is different to the ‘average’ persons scent capacity, and the relevance of the aroma, as he emphasizes those smells which have an impact in the book through a more vivid and specific explanation. This will be a comparison of two passages for the novel, one from the beginning of Grenouille’s life, and one from the end, in order to obtain a comparison in the description of scents through the novel. Suskind uses devices such as metaphors, italics, and juxtaposition, to name a few, to highlight the smell or aroma which Grenouille witnesses, and apply this to the theme of the novel. However, we can see through a close analysis of two excerpts from the book, one from near the beginning and one from the end, Suskind develops the character of Grenouille through the description of scents throughout the novel as the protagonist matures.
In the first extract, is a passage extracted from the introduction of the novel. In this extract the severity of the stench is portrayed in the region of the France where Grenouille was born, Paris and the ‘People stank of sweat and unwashed clothes’. In this portion of the novel, they go on to describe the birth of Grenouille. He was rejected by is mother, and left to die; however, whilst in a pile of rotting fish, he was discovered and saved. This passage sets the tone for the rest of the novel, and also describes the setting, which welcomed Grenouille into the world. The ‘stench’ described seems to display the dismal future which is implied to already be set for Grenouille even before his birth. This is applicable to the novel as a whole as this aids the reader in expecting a dull future from Grenouille and setting a dismal tone for the rest of the book. This passage shows the lack of opportunity available to Grenouille at his
In the first extract, is a passage extracted from the introduction of the novel. In this extract the severity of the stench is portrayed in the region of the France where Grenouille was born, Paris and the ‘People stank of sweat and unwashed clothes’. In this portion of the novel, they go on to describe the birth of Grenouille. He was rejected by is mother, and left to die; however, whilst in a pile of rotting fish, he was discovered and saved. This passage sets the tone for the rest of the novel, and also describes the setting, which welcomed Grenouille into the world. The ‘stench’ described seems to display the dismal future which is implied to already be set for Grenouille even before his birth. This is applicable to the novel as a whole as this aids the reader in expecting a dull future from Grenouille and setting a dismal tone for the rest of the book. This passage shows the lack of opportunity available to Grenouille at his
Bibliography: Suskind, Peter. Perfume. London: Penguin Books, 1985. Print.