Patick Suskind's Perfume

The novel Perfume exemplifies many literary aspects of “DITTSS,” through each one of its 59 chapters. All of which completing the text and making it the remarkable novel it is today. Through the text the author is able to portray characters in such ways that are believable to the reader. Patrick Suskind uses specific diction to develop the major characters in the novel Perfume. Through word usage and word choice Suskind is able to develop these characters. Each and every character comes to life with each word read by the reader. The character Grenouille, portrayed as a foul monster with inhuman like features and abilities. With his weird infatuation to smells, Suskind really makes Grenouille that the bittersweet protagonist from beginning to end. From the first few pages of the work, one can see the true nature of the child when minor character, Jeanne Bussie, makes the notion that baby Grenouille is “possessed by the devil.” The author’s intent was to show the character true demeanor and feelings behind the character by using the words possessed and devil the reader can see that the feelings towards Grenouille are wrong and that he is in fact the devilish being Suskind makes him out to be. Moving on to a time when Grenouille lived with Madame Gaillard, he was then treated as an outcast. “…..noticed that he had certain abilities and qualities that were highly unusual, if not to say supernatural: and childish fear of darkness and night seemed to totally foreign to him.” In this quote Suskind gives the character Madame Gillard first opinion on Grenouille overall as a child. In her opinion, she uses words like “unusual” to show that his character was not normal he was different, from anything she had ever seen. Also words like “super...

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... the effect Grenouille’s perfume on Richis and he fulfills it by using special diction once again. . Engulfed by Grenouille’s precious scent, Richis entire demeanor changes at that very moment. Saying statements like “Forgive me son, my dear son, forgive me!” are prime examples of Suskind’s special diction. Suskind makes Richis character show whole entire different side. Before he shared disgust, but now he is captured by his smell. Saying “forgive me,” shows signs that Richis is captured by his spell. The spell that then causes him to make it seem like Richis himself is in the wrong. The word “son” is used to show that he now admires Grenouille in a way that he admired his daughter. By Grenouille putting on the emit odor of his daughter, he now takes on the role of her somewhat and fills the void that was present.

Works Cited

Perfume the novel by Patrick Suskind