In Margaret Atwood's "The Blind Assassin" and in Patrick Suskind's "The Perfume", the main characters cease to agree with any of the above notions. It is in the psyche of one's mind to require some sort of motivation in order to progress

“Never judge a book by its cover.” When primarily analyzed, Laura Chase and Jean Baptiste Grenouille appear to share a similar mentality, as well as personality. Their passion driven nature as well as their wistful mind frame allows a correspondence to be seen between the two characters. As the plot of both “The Perfume” and “The Blind Assassin” unravels however, it becomes seemingly clear that Laura and Grenouille are almost as contrasting as black and white. It is perhaps Laura’s innocence and Grenouille’s wickedness that is at the root of this contrast. Throughout “The Blind Assassin”, Laura is presented as a naive character that almost lives in a world of her own. This is vividly displayed in terms of her love for Alex. Though she has virtually nothing to base her assumptions upon, she genuinely believes that Alex returns her feelings. In reality however, he was engaged in a love affair with her very own sister. “…“She’s a great kid, but I’m not a baby snatcher,” said Alex.” [Atwood 212]. Laura leaves everything up to fate. She is not persistent, nor is she completely determined. It can even be said that she waits for life to come to her. All of these factors are simply a result of her nature. Grenouille on the other hand is far from naive or innocent. His mind works in complex, and manipulative ways. He is a calculated individual, and nothing less than evil. Grenouille’s passion for smell is definitely no weaker than Laura’s love for Alex. Yet Grenouille does everything in his power to attain his goal of creating the perfect fragrance. “He had to throw himself back into his work. He had to broaden his knowledge and perfect the techniques of his craft in order to be equipped for the time of harvest.” [Suskind 172]. Grenouille even goes as far as murdering 25 young girls in order to extract their scent. Nothing stands in his way. Unlike Laura, Jean Baptiste Grenouille utilizes his vivid imagination to his advantage. It inspires his concrete plans. Only then, he takes action.

It is one’s attitude throughout life that determines whether they will live a fulfilled one or not. It is the accomplishments made, the obstacles overcome, and the goals reached that make life truly meaningful. Jean Baptiste Grenouille dedicates his entire existence towards one solitary goal. It is only as a result of his determined nature that this aspiration is finally conquered. He is as stubborn as a bull when it comes to being granted a job at the perfumery. This needless to say, serves as his key stepping stone to success. After years of dedication and strategic planning, Grenouille murders his twenty-fifth and final virgin. His scent is complete. After having achieved what he had devoted his whole life to, Grenouille sees no further reason to go on living. He is fulfilled internally. “He wanted to go to Paris, and die.” [Suskind 251]. It may have very well been Laura’s pure and naïve nature that was the cause of her downfall. It is also quite evident that her strong sense of faith in all those around her lets her down immensely. Not only does Laura believe in others however, she is also a strong believer of fate. It is this very factor that hinders her from being an aggressive individual. As the storyline unfolds, Laura’s bubble of comfort is abruptly burst when Iris finally reveals her affair with Laura’s lifelong love. It is at this moment that Laura’s entire world collapses to pieces. “Lord knows what she saw. A sinking ship, a city in flames, a knife in the back.” [Atwood 488]. This alone, kills Laura. It kills her soul, her heart and any other inch of life within her. She sees no reason to continue living at all, since her fantasy of Alex Thomas was what fueled life itself all along. Unlike in the case of Grenouille, Laura feels she is ready to die because she now knows that she will never live her dream, nor attain her deepest desire. Grenouille is ready to end his life because he already has.

Aspiration and passion are essential aspects in one’s life. Both Laura Chase and Jean Baptiste Grenouille are extreme examples of individuals run by primarily those two notions. In this sense, Laura and Grenouille appear to share a similar mentality. Their obsessive ways allow for a great deal of comparison. This conclusion however, is merely skin deep. When Laura’s innocence radiates as Grenouille’s orchestrated evilness haunts the reader, the true diverse nature of both characters becomes too clear. While Laura leaves her life in the hands of God, Grenouille takes control of his life in every aspect. Though both Jean Baptiste Grenouille and Laura Chase are passion driven, their techniques of achieving their goals differ to an extent that results in Grenouille’s ultimate fulfillment, but in Laura’s complete downfall. However evil and unpleasant Jean Baptiste Grenouille may be, he teaches the reader to live each day is if it were the last.