Value+of+human+life

In Patrick Suskind’s book __Perfume The Story of a Murderer__ people’s worth is determined by their beauty and smell. The desired are portrayed as beautiful and rich whereas the undesirable are presented as ugly and poor. Grenouille is able to move in this spectrum because he has the ability to attract people to him with their noses. 1) Attractive people mean more to individuals and society. They represent wealth and happiness and are desired by others.   “The most precious thing that Richis possessed, however, was his daughter.” (Pg 201) Richis daughter is the most important thing to him because of her beauty. He bases his attraction and desire for her off her beauty. This is apparent in the lack of memories and experiences that Richis shares and instead concentrates on her physical characteristics and the way she is desired by many people. Richis interest in his daughter stemming from the physical perspective proves that  “The change was too egregious, the apparent miracle too overwhelming: where but a week ago had cowered a drudge, a brutalized beast, now stood a truly civilized, properly proportioned human being.” (158) Just the change from beast to a well-dressed proper man has changed the way people look at Grenouille. As an attractive man Grenouille is dressed up as a civilized person, which means that he is wearing very nice clothing and smells very desirable. There is no emotional change in Grenouille that causes the people to like him all of a sudden. The physical change of his attire and smell cause people to take new interest in him. “He, in turn, did not look at her, did not see her delicate, freckled face, her red lips, her large sparkling green eyes, keeping his eyes closed tight as he strangled her, for he had only one concern —not to lose the least trace of her scent.” (Pg 43) Grenouille even though he is not attracted to this girl’s physical beauty he is attracted by the girl’s scent. Even though society does not always connect scent to a person’s value Suskind is totally ignoring the physical beauty and is showing a different side of attraction. 2) Unattractive people in Perfume are of lesser social status and are not held to as high of standards.   “Gypsies were known to weave carpets out of old clothes and to stuff their pillows with human hair and to make dolls out of the skin and teeth of the hanged.” (195) The prediction of the towns people that the gypsies are responsible for the murders is only brought up because socially the gypsies are of lower social status due to their misunderstood values and way of life.   “And since she confesses, openly admitting that she would definitely have let the thing perish, just as she had with those other four by the way, she is tried, found guilty of multiple infanticide, and a few weeks later decapitated at the place de Greve.” (Pg 6) Grenouille’s mother’s life was of no significance because she was not attractive physically and emotionally. She was very traumatized from her way of life because she did not see a problem with the death of her babies and was about to let Grenouille die. People did not see any worth in her life and decided that it would be of no consequence if she were killed for her actions. “He looked so impressively dreadful that everyone considered him beyond recovery and already half decayed” (pg 142) Grenouille’s physical appearance alone causes people to think that he is half dead and a lost cause. They do not however know the determination of Grenouille and most importantly who he is. They treat as an inferior and even an object because he is not desirable after coming out of hiding for 7 years. 3) Grenouille is special because he is able to change his desirability unlike the rest of the characters in the novel. By changing the way he smells Grenouille is able to fit into any social class. This fluidity to his status creates instability within himself and is a cause to Grenouille allowing himself to die.  “The man in the blue frock coat who had just climbed out of the carriage //could not possibly be a murderer.//” (Pg 235) Grenouille’s proper appearance makes it seem that he is not guilty of a crime that people of lesser status would commit. Even though that they all know for a fact that he has committed the murders they are deceived by his clothes and most importantly his beautiful smell. This shows the tremendous effect that beauty can have on people.   “Grenouille sensed and saw with his own eyes—each time he saw it anew, a powerful sense of pride washed over him—that he exerted an effect on people.” (152) People notice him now that he has a smell. The difference between no odor and odor is very drastic. Grenouille with smell can now make people aware of him in ways that he was not able to do before. “They felt themselves drawn to this angel of a man” (254) As Grenouille pours the scent on himself the people take notice of him and they become so obsessed with his smell they eat him alive. This emphasizes that people’s value is determined by their attractiveness.