he is able to accomplish anything, therefore it should not surprise readers that he is capable
of murder. This period of seclusion proves to be highly significant towards Grenouille’s
maturation and preparation for hunting scents, and could be considered as the stage of
growth and maturation from the Bildungsroman model. This structural technique is
evidence that Grenouille’s existence is highly logical, reasonable and planned, therefore the
murders did not occur by coincidence.
“And his sleep was just as fathomless as that of the innermost Grenouille”, this line
highlights Grenouille’s key characteristic; he revels in alienation and isolation. In the first
paragraph, Grenouille is separately discussed as the “other” and the “innermost” Grenouille.
The first is the ruler of the kingdom of Scents, the latter, a mortal aiming to accomplish his
mission; one is a spiritual symbol, the other, reality. This differentiation within Grenouille
suggests complexity in his personality and reflects his worthiness of the existentialist cause.
The biblical allusion was revived, “the Herculean deeds”, a metaphor that possesses a
Greek reference with a strong historical contexts, Suskind is trying hard to compare
Grenouille to the “greats” of not just modern times, but of ancient, Grecian times,
demonstrating Grenouille’s dynamism. “He crept on all fours out of his tunnel”, “He liched
the moisture from the wall”. These animalistic images enhances Grenouille’s brutality and
lack of human conscience that makes him very well-prepared for his unique mission and
purpose. Simultaneously, Suskind juxtaposes Grenouille’s lack of morality against his very
human needs, “he was nauseated with hunger and thirst”. This conflicting and confusing
message convinces the audience that Grenouille is animalistic, yet, he is till human enough
for readers to relate towards, sustaining interest in the subject. “The hawks are already
circling overhead.” A vivid image of a predator aiming for his prey, no different to
Grenouille’s imminent mission. Grenouille is a predator of scents, his prey are those who
harbour precious scents which he desires, the nature of the hawk parallels Grenouille’s
features. In the next paragraph, Grenouille is presented as a performer of an art form, “The
next performance in the theatre of Grenouille’s soul was beginning.” This metaphorical
beautification of the cruelties that Grenouille commit, collides with human morality. The
juxtaposition and contrast once again highlights Grenouille’s indifference towards human
civilisation.
Set in the mountains, Suskind creates a powerful contrast between Grenouille, a
mortal, and nature, “He leaned back against the stony debris, stretched out his legs and
waited.” This juxtaposition highlights the reality and harshness of the environment
surrounding Grenouille, perfecting his existentialist character. In such tough conditions,
Grenouille made himself completely vulnerable, “as a hermit crab that has left its shell to
wander naked through the sea” being blatantly unprotected, giving in to his senses and
instinct, becoming a part of nature. Grenouille savours solitude and alienation, while he has
failed to conform to human expectations, the mountains has provided for and nurtured him
as a mother would, resembling an expecting mother’s womb to her child. The mountains
gave Grenouille a home, food and protection, where he felt complete protection and
comfort. By providing a medium for Grenouille’s maturation and growth, it aided his
transition from a strayed man to a person with a mission.
The passage commences with Grenouille falling asleep, “exhausted”, then waking
up, “chilled and miserable.” Yet when the piece ends, “solitude fell across his heart like a
dusky reflection”. This drastic change in tone and atmosphere suggests Grenouille has
gained peace and tranquility through the passage, and has undergone a drastic psychological
transformation and regconizes his true calling. “He ripped a few scraps of moss from the
stones, choked them down, shitting as he ate”, in this line, Grenouille is depicted as a
vulgar, grotesque image which has entirely shed the influence of human culture. Yet in the
next paragraph, “ he managed to gain control of his breathing’’, this proposes Grenouille to
be logical and composed, he is not insane, but just extremely committed to the existentialist
cause. “The dark door within him opened, and he entered.” This is the metaphor that reveals
Grenouille’s discovery, the emphasis is in “within him”, the “door” has always been part of
Grenouille, it was only then did he realize its existence; Grenouille’s escalation in selfknowledge,
has guided him towards his unique mission. “The next performance in the
theatre of Grenouille’s soul was beginning.” This is a moment of epiphany, anagnorisis for
Grenouille as he realises his key purpose; to create the greatest scent that ever existed.
Suskind further manipulated stylistic features to better suit the purpose of the
passage. The 3rd person, omniscient narration carries through the passage in a most
inanimate tone, even when mentioning Grenouille’s indecent behaviour, “shitting as he ate”,
revealing Suskind’s aim in relating to the audience, yet preserving Grenouille’s existentialist
roots. The eerily calm manner in which Suskind narrates the animalistic images, juxtaposes
greatly such that the narrator sounds as if he approves of Grenouille’s actions. This would
make the act seem less insane, preventing from alienating the audience. Throughout the
passage, Grenouille was rarely mentioned by name, “he leaned”, “he ripped”, “he awoke”,
“he closed” these suggests Grenouille’s name is inconsequential, what matters is his journey
ahead, subtly foreshadowing the enormity of the burden he bears. The sementic field of
irritating senses trailed the third paragraph,” pricked his eyes”, “acrid, searing his lungs”,
“brittle; he bumped against the stones”, “sharp and caustic”. “Caustic” caught my attention,
it is highly unpleasant and suggests degeneration and erosion, foreshadowing Grenouille’s
tragic ending. The synecdoche in “a nose unaccustomed to the world” brings the attention
back to the focus of the novel, the sense of smell. The motif of “the tick” was adopted to
connect the passage to the rest of the novel, magnifying Grenouille’s parasitic reliance. The
next paragraph, “ for an hour, for two”, “time would not end”, Grenouille lost count of time,
symbolising his detachment from human society, bringing the effect of isolation to reality.
“it must all be done- quickly, quickly, quickly”, this triplet and repetition displays
Grenouille’s desperation, creating suspense and anticipation. “There he was safe at last”, the
line articulates the danger faced by Grenouille, suggesting cautiousness, alertness but
ultimately a sense of relief that he is “safe”. The passage begins with lengthy sentences, that
sets the scene for Grenouille’s impending realization, evoking suspenseful atmosphere. It
ends with much shorter and uneven sentences, this change of syntax echoes the “pounding”
of Grenouille’s heart, and evens out as he has found “solitude”, enhancing Grenouille’s
emotions. As Grenouille found peace, the sentence structure is altered, “ He closed his
eyes”, a tone of finality is injected to create a sense of certainty. The sea is a common motif
in the passage, “ wander naked through the sea”, “ the waves inside him subsided”. This
indicates Grenouille’s unpredictable nature, similar to the changing rhythms of the waves.
Biblical allusion plays a significant role in the passage, “the theatre of Grenouille’s soul” the
mentioning of the soul is in direct reference to the bible, revealing a highly biblical tone.
The passage begins with Grenouille in the “purple salon” progressing to an animalistic state,
juxtaposing dramatically. This interesting structure of tone highlights the climax as
Grenouille’s realisation and epiphany of his mission in acquiring scents.This is also highly
ironic as the passage possesses a biblical undertone yet Grenouille goes against all human
morality and solely abides by existentialist and solipsistic concepts, this conflict further
strengthens Grenouille’s controversial existence.
To conclude, Suskind appointed an extensive blend of literary devices, to construct
the reality of Grenouille’s transformation and greatly anticipated moment of epiphany. The
deep and dramatic together with the intricate application of stylistic features gripped the
audience, efficiently conveying the theme of the passage. Suskind can claim triumph in
convincing me of Grenouille’s transformation. I found the passage most emotive, it revealed
Grenouille’s vulnerability , for the first time in the novel, I genuinely felt that he was
human, and I felt for him. Ironically enough, Suskind is comparing him to animals, yet I had
a most conflicting emotion, creating a special bond between Grenouille and the audience.
Personally, I think the passage is a realisation, for Grenouille and me. Grenouille finally
uncovered the purpose in life, while I regconized Grenouille to be more than just another
perfumer; he is a man on a peculiar quest.
