RE: Discussion questions – Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer: Why does Grenouille never consider himself
- Why does Grenouille never consider himself or others in terms of their humanity? Aside from his supernatural powers of smell, are human beings ever this detached and cruelly inhuman?
- What is the closest thing Grenouille has to a friend in this novel?
- Why does Father Terrier take Grenouille quickly to Madame Gaillard?
- When the Marquis takes Grenouille in, why is it not really for Grenouille’s betterment? What is his agenda?
1. A present-day interpretation of Grenouille’s character would diagnose him with a kind of extreme psychosis, perhaps present from birth and exacerbated by neglect and cruel treatment, characterized by a lack of all human feeling for others. Grenouille is unusual and separate from humanity perhaps some kind of troubled genius.
