What is the literary function of Baldini in "Perfume" by Patrick Suskind?

My next point is that Suskind uses Baldini’s character in order to catalyse the story, especially where Grenouille is concerned. As we know Grenouille’s defining trait is his sense of smell and how it captivates him, but before meeting Baldini, Grenouille never had a way of preserving the scent. This is what Baldini teaches him which then, of course, forms the basis of the next part of Grenouille’s life. In chapter 9, before even meeting Grenouille, Suskind already writes “perfumed sealing waxes…fill a room with scent for more than a century.” This is what I mean by preserving scents and this is what Baldini teaches Grenouille. When Grenouille learns this skill he begins killing more and not only that but also preserving the scent of the person he kills and allowing him to make his own perfumes. All thanks to Baldini.

Further, Suskind uses Baldini in order to both mirror and foil Grenouille’s character. Through Baldini we get to delve into Grenouille more than we would have otherwise. The two characters mirror each other in that they both reflect the positive traits of the other; they find each other’s strengths and use them almost to the point of exploitation. This is shown in the fact that Baldini uses Grenouille for his heightened sense of smell and his ideas on perfume development whereas Grenouille, as I have already mentioned, takes Baldini’s ideas of perfume preservation and uses them, especially later on in the novel, in order to preserve the scent of the virginal women he kills. It is obvious though that Grenouille allows Baldini to exploit him because he is so fascinated by the idea of preserving scent. This is scene when he “sat back more in the shadows…not interested in his old tales…only this new process” showing that he would give Baldini his ideas as long as Baldini taught him what he wanted to know, the “new process” obviously being preservation.

This point could also be seen as them foiling each other. It is clear from the moment they meet and Grenouille is the more talented perfumer. He is obviously the more creative and risk-taking creator whereas Baldini is very much stuck the ways of the old and traditional, also linking back to how Baldini is used to mock society. Also we can definitely see how Grenouille is the more dedicated and committed perfumer when he “occupied himself at night with the art of distillation” whereas no such thing is said about Baldini.

I believe that Baldini is a key character in Perfume and the main catalyst as I mentioned earlier. He is the main reason that Grenouille goes on to do what he does later on the novel even if that is not made explicably clear. He reflects so many key themes in the storyline, even reflecting Grenouille himself at certain points. Baldini’s inclusion in the novel by Suskind definitely aids the reader in understand many aspects of the novel, not just in the characters of himself and Grenouille but for society and its values.