Jean-Baptiste Grenouille as characterized by Patrick Süskind
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille as characterized by Patrick Süskind
Patrick Süskind 's Perfume is the gripping tale of a sociopathic young man, Jean- Baptiste Grenouille, who 's passion for scent ultimately leads him to slaughter twenty five young virgins. Süskind chooses to develop Grenouille 's character slowly and methodically, allowing Grenouille 's sociopathic tendencies to emerge and ripen along with the plot. The reader 's first impression of the character is manipulated by Süskind 's clever use of sensory and emotion-provoking details, allowing the reader to feel pity for the character. Süskind allows each one of Grenouille 's interactions with other characters to reveal Grenouille 's true nature a little more. By the end of the novel, the reader is fully aware of Grenouille 's abhorrent actions and his truly loathsome personality. However, Süskind 's clever characterization of Grenouille as an ambitious hollow man searching for emotions he is incapable of feeling allows Grenouille to triumph as the unquestioned protagonist in the mind of the reader. This ingenious technique causes the reader to unwillingly support or at least tolerate Grenouille’s actions in order to process and accept the disturbing content of the novel.
By beginning Perfume with a poignant description of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille’s unfortunate childhood, Patrick Süskind is able to manipulate the reader’s perception of Grenouille. Süskind begins with a description of the tragic circumstances of Grenouille’s birth, including his mother’s contempt for him. The tragedy is further emphasized when Süskind reveals Grenouille 's mother’s intentions of infanticide, and Grenouille’s gruesome impromptu birth surrounded by rotting fish remains. On page 5, the phrase "[she hoped to] marry one day and as an honourable wife of a widower with a trade or some such to bear real children" (Süskind, 2001) illustrates how Grenouille 's mother did not consider him a "real child," as he was illegitimate. This
Patrick Süskind 's Perfume is the gripping tale of a sociopathic young man, Jean- Baptiste Grenouille, who 's passion for scent ultimately leads him to slaughter twenty five young virgins. Süskind chooses to develop Grenouille 's character slowly and methodically, allowing Grenouille 's sociopathic tendencies to emerge and ripen along with the plot. The reader 's first impression of the character is manipulated by Süskind 's clever use of sensory and emotion-provoking details, allowing the reader to feel pity for the character. Süskind allows each one of Grenouille 's interactions with other characters to reveal Grenouille 's true nature a little more. By the end of the novel, the reader is fully aware of Grenouille 's abhorrent actions and his truly loathsome personality. However, Süskind 's clever characterization of Grenouille as an ambitious hollow man searching for emotions he is incapable of feeling allows Grenouille to triumph as the unquestioned protagonist in the mind of the reader. This ingenious technique causes the reader to unwillingly support or at least tolerate Grenouille’s actions in order to process and accept the disturbing content of the novel.
By beginning Perfume with a poignant description of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille’s unfortunate childhood, Patrick Süskind is able to manipulate the reader’s perception of Grenouille. Süskind begins with a description of the tragic circumstances of Grenouille’s birth, including his mother’s contempt for him. The tragedy is further emphasized when Süskind reveals Grenouille 's mother’s intentions of infanticide, and Grenouille’s gruesome impromptu birth surrounded by rotting fish remains. On page 5, the phrase "[she hoped to] marry one day and as an honourable wife of a widower with a trade or some such to bear real children" (Süskind, 2001) illustrates how Grenouille 's mother did not consider him a "real child," as he was illegitimate. This
Cited: Süskind, P. (2001). Perfume; The Story of A Murderer. New York: Vintage Books.