Perfume, the story of a muderer - 林鈺鈴

The fleeting realm of scent- reflection and analysis on “Perfume, the story of a murderer”

Mesmerized, trapped, and eventually captured…

These are the very destined paths for those who have once stepped into the curious, yet tempting land created by Patrick Suskind: the fleeting realm of scent.

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, the notorious murderer who committed numerous crimes was sophisticatedly illustrated by the author as a man lacking of all senses which normal people seem to possess, but incredibly endowed with the unparalleled sense of smelling. “I have the best nose in Paris” declared he with confidence as if other people did not believe him.

Born on 7, 17 1700, he was a cancer in terms of contemporary constellation, and was ought to be “sentimental” with great need of love. However, he was totally against from what we think he supposed to be. Was it a scheme set by the author or a pure coincidence? No matter what it was, it had already spiced the story to excellence and from which I found great pleasure (for it became more ironic and interesting.). Then, what drove him to commit murder? Since he was a man without any feeling (that is to say, there wouldn’t have been people who he hated to death.), what else could possibly lead him to the horrible deed? Well, in my personal interpretation, sometimes one’s extreme fear toward something might afterwards transform into motivation of things one wish to achieve. Realizing that he had no odor of his own, Grenouille doubted whether he truly ever existed or not. The fear of self-unknown gave birth to his ambition (grave and cruel): to create his own perfume so as to prove his being in this world.

At last, he had accomplished his task but it also brought him to death penalty, for he took almost thirty young women’s souls. On the day of execution, Grenouille sprinkled a little perfume on himself and soon he was all covered with his “achievement”. Well, indeed, something queer did happen again (you will never stop overcoming surprises when reading this masterpiece.): people no longer hated him any more, but instead, they loved him, wanted to touch him, and thought him an angel sent from god. The flattery, the intense change from people disgusted Grenouille. Grenouille felt no satisfaction or a tiny bliss on what the perfume had given him. What worse, he wanted to abandon it, to end it, or more precisely, to abandon himself, to end himself.

Patrick Suskind had undoubtedly made a surprise to every reader, but he also had made some fun of people (or criticism to be exact?): human are being so easily fooled or cheated by the only masked fact they saw.

The story began and ended with the birth and death of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, and it seemed to have no sequence following. Just like his odorlessness, once he disappeared and he meant to disappear. I won’t say that Grenouille’s life stands for tragedy, but I will say he was a lucky guy. Although it was only after his death did he received “true love” (which he desired the most from others but he could not tell, I suppose.). After all, he had succeeded in all what he aspired and died with no regret, but his own will.