Throughout the novel The Perfume- the story of a murderer, the author Patrick Süskind explores and displays his protagonist Jean-Baptiste Grenouille’s journey from an orphan to the greatest perfumer in France with an array of different ways, ranging from an animal to a God. Süskind uses a variety of literary techniques such as zoomorphism, allusions, and imagery to reveal Grenouille’s fickle disposition. Consequently, the effect of making divine, animalistic and childlike comparisons of the protagonist in Patrick Süskind’s Perfume is essential when fir understanding the reason why the author took the paths that he did to portray his controversial character such a manner.
Through the usage of repetition and imagery, Süskind reveals the effect …show more content…
Furthermore, the juxtaposition between “orgasmic” and his “anger” further reveals his childish behaviour as it displays the quick transition between Grenouille’s joy and anger as children are sensitive to little things. This implies to the reader that Grenouille is short tempered and emotional. Additionally, the author repeatedly cites natural disasters such as “hurricanes” and “eruptions” to indicate Grenouille’s childish behaviour as these disasters are uncontrollable and occur without notice; this is also similar to actions of children hence, constructing the idea that Grenouille is unpredictable. Moreover, the semantic field of verbs relating to violence such as “thrashed” and “drowned” illustrates Grenouille’s hostile and violent character. Additionally, the author personifies “odours” to indicate that Grenouille values odours as highly as a human which makes the reader believe that Grenouille has a lack of knowledge and therefore, is uneducated. Süskind further displays Grenouille as a child when he requests to make Baldini the perfume Amor I psyche, asking “can I mix it for you, maitre, can I mix it, can I?”(78) The repetition of the rhetorical question “Can I?” demonstrates Grenouilles childlike eagerness and enthusiasm. In addition, this quote reflects the idea …show more content…
Primarily, through describing Grenouille from a divine perspective using allusions, Suskind demonstrates Grenouille’s arrogance and self-absorption created by his “powers”. Relatedly, from an animalistic perspective where the reader is engulfed with zoomorphism and similes, Grenouille instils fear into other characters through his patient and thought out methods of getting what he wants. Finally, child-like comparisons with semantic fields and juxtaposition are used to present his violence and hatred towards horrible odours and the people who secrete them. Lastly, perhaps the ending of the novel where Grenouille is “divided into thirty pieces… devoured”(263) by “cannibals” is Patrick Süskind's way of showing that eventually murderers have to pay for their horrible actions no matter how powerful they think they
Through the usage of repetition and imagery, Süskind reveals the effect …show more content…
Furthermore, the juxtaposition between “orgasmic” and his “anger” further reveals his childish behaviour as it displays the quick transition between Grenouille’s joy and anger as children are sensitive to little things. This implies to the reader that Grenouille is short tempered and emotional. Additionally, the author repeatedly cites natural disasters such as “hurricanes” and “eruptions” to indicate Grenouille’s childish behaviour as these disasters are uncontrollable and occur without notice; this is also similar to actions of children hence, constructing the idea that Grenouille is unpredictable. Moreover, the semantic field of verbs relating to violence such as “thrashed” and “drowned” illustrates Grenouille’s hostile and violent character. Additionally, the author personifies “odours” to indicate that Grenouille values odours as highly as a human which makes the reader believe that Grenouille has a lack of knowledge and therefore, is uneducated. Süskind further displays Grenouille as a child when he requests to make Baldini the perfume Amor I psyche, asking “can I mix it for you, maitre, can I mix it, can I?”(78) The repetition of the rhetorical question “Can I?” demonstrates Grenouilles childlike eagerness and enthusiasm. In addition, this quote reflects the idea …show more content…
Primarily, through describing Grenouille from a divine perspective using allusions, Suskind demonstrates Grenouille’s arrogance and self-absorption created by his “powers”. Relatedly, from an animalistic perspective where the reader is engulfed with zoomorphism and similes, Grenouille instils fear into other characters through his patient and thought out methods of getting what he wants. Finally, child-like comparisons with semantic fields and juxtaposition are used to present his violence and hatred towards horrible odours and the people who secrete them. Lastly, perhaps the ending of the novel where Grenouille is “divided into thirty pieces… devoured”(263) by “cannibals” is Patrick Süskind's way of showing that eventually murderers have to pay for their horrible actions no matter how powerful they think they