Perfume: Story of a Murderer
Connection of Grenouille & his Greed to the Devil
Samuel Cho
IB Number: 0943 – #### IB Written Assignment
Perfume: Story of a Murder by Patrick Süskind
Word Count:
Written Assignment From beginning to end in the book of Perfume: Story of a Murder, the author Patrick Süskind implements a lot of the evidence suggeting that the antagonist of the story, Grenouille, resembles the Devil. From his birth to his death, Grenouille proves that he is like the Devil, summed up by both the views made by his masters and peers, and by his actions taken throughout the story. Also, greed plays a major role in both Grenouille and his victims throughout the story, which also helps link the accusation of Grenouille having the resemblance of the Devil, not physically, but mentally. To begin with the claim of Grenouille relating to the Devil, there are evidence strewn in the book of the devilish characteristics he has. One of the major evidence at hand is that Grenouille “…doesn’t smell at all” (Süskind 10). It was ideal back in the century that when one does not have a scent, that person is dead. With that being said, Grenouille can be linked to resembling death (along with death being linked to the Devil). The text also shares that Grenouille grew up “cold and unfeeling” (21-22). Similarly to the physiognomies of the Devil, the Devil himself is icy at heart and has no remorse in anything he does. Also during Grenouille’s period, disease was the main problem for humanity at the time. As an infant, Grenouille survived “… the measles, dysentery, chicken pox, cholera, a twenty-foot fall in a well, and a scalding with boiling water poured over his chest” (20). During the 18th Century, the evolution of medicine was at a very meager state. Every day, there would be death throughout the cities, because no one knew the cure for the diseases. Often the deaths would include young infants who would not have a chance of
Samuel Cho
IB Number: 0943 – #### IB Written Assignment
Perfume: Story of a Murder by Patrick Süskind
Word Count:
Written Assignment From beginning to end in the book of Perfume: Story of a Murder, the author Patrick Süskind implements a lot of the evidence suggeting that the antagonist of the story, Grenouille, resembles the Devil. From his birth to his death, Grenouille proves that he is like the Devil, summed up by both the views made by his masters and peers, and by his actions taken throughout the story. Also, greed plays a major role in both Grenouille and his victims throughout the story, which also helps link the accusation of Grenouille having the resemblance of the Devil, not physically, but mentally. To begin with the claim of Grenouille relating to the Devil, there are evidence strewn in the book of the devilish characteristics he has. One of the major evidence at hand is that Grenouille “…doesn’t smell at all” (Süskind 10). It was ideal back in the century that when one does not have a scent, that person is dead. With that being said, Grenouille can be linked to resembling death (along with death being linked to the Devil). The text also shares that Grenouille grew up “cold and unfeeling” (21-22). Similarly to the physiognomies of the Devil, the Devil himself is icy at heart and has no remorse in anything he does. Also during Grenouille’s period, disease was the main problem for humanity at the time. As an infant, Grenouille survived “… the measles, dysentery, chicken pox, cholera, a twenty-foot fall in a well, and a scalding with boiling water poured over his chest” (20). During the 18th Century, the evolution of medicine was at a very meager state. Every day, there would be death throughout the cities, because no one knew the cure for the diseases. Often the deaths would include young infants who would not have a chance of
Cited: Süskind, Patrick. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Tr. John E. Woods. New York: Vintage International, 2001. The Holy Bible, King James Version. New York: American Bible Society: 1999; Bartleby.com, 2000. www.bartleby.com/108/.