The main character of Le Parfum, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, embarks on a long journey through 18th-century France, which begins and ends in Paris. The changes in landscape during his travels reflect the inner personality changes he himself undergoes. Patrick Suskind depicts Grenuoille as an animal due to his incredible sense of smell. Additionally, he is compared to a thicket during his childhood, then later given animal instincts and behaviors, such as hunting. However, Grenuoille, who has never had a normal relationship with another human being, comes to a point where he desires to be accepted by society. The inner conflict between animal and human develops further through changes in the landscape of the story. The character's journey, encircled by a circle since its beginning and end are located in Paris, emphasizes Grenouille's inner wanderings, between more human and more animal, which culminate with his "suicide". Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay Patrick Suskind describes Paris as a place with a horrible stench, crowded with people, which fills Grnouille with disgust for humanity, so to emphasize the idea that since others cannot accept him, he would always be "an animal" inside when surrounded by society. “The streets stank of manure, the courtyards of urine, the stairs stank of moldy wood and rat droppings, the kitchens of spoiled cabbage and sheep fat; the unventilated living rooms stank of stale dust, the bedrooms of greasy sheets, damp feather mattresses and the acrid, sweet aroma of chamber pots. (p. 3) The careful imagery using only scent associations makes the atmosphere of the city very dark and unpleasant, reflecting Grenouuille's personality. For the character however, the stench is even more unbearable due to his incredible sense of smell. Grenouille's stay in Paris could be divided between his early childhood under the care of Madame Gaillard and his years as an apprentice with Grimal and his work with the perfumer. Baldini. While staying with Madame Gaillard, Grenouille develops his sense of smell and discovers his abilities. He wanders around Paris catching different smells, slightly transforming into an animal. “The other children, on the other hand, immediately understood what Grenouille was. From day one, the new arrival was a sinister presence to them. They avoided the box in which he lay…” (p. 23). Suskind emphasizes the idea that Grenouille is not a normal human being since the other children feel that there is something about him that they cannot understand, which scares them. Plus, him sleeping in a box is similar to how pets sleep. This animal personality is also found in Grenouille's stay with Grimal: “After a year of an existence more animal than human, he contracts anthrax, a disease feared by tanners and generally fatal. » (p. 33) Living in the working-class neighborhoods of Paris and sniffing various unpleasant odors, the character develops a hatred towards humanity. His feelings are slightly altered, or rather simply put on hold, when he begins working with Baldini. Grenouille now benefits from additional privileges and lets himself be carried away by his desire to learn more about perfumery. This change is reflected in the change in his environment: he now lives in a much better part of Paris and is further away from all the unpleasant smells of the city. Despite this, he still hates his own city, which is used as a metaphor for human beings. " For whatdid he need Paris? He knew her down to every stinking corner, he took her with him wherever he went, he had owned Paris for years now. (p. 112) In fact, Paris represents all the people who live there and so what Grenouille can't stand are the people, not the city itself. After Grenouille leaves Paris and sets out on a journey to learn new ways of distilling perfumes, he realizes that "For the first time in his life, he did not have to prepare to smell the scent of something new, unexpected, hostile – or losing a pleasant smell – with every breath. For the first time, he could breathe almost freely, without having to constantly monitor his sense of smell. (p. 119) The change of setting, from Paris to the countryside, brings out Grenouille's true nature. He is no longer surrounded by humans, which allows him to “breathe freely”. Additionally, the word "hostile" implies that he feels threatened by others and prefers to be alone. The character's hatred for humanity develops further and eventually reaches a point where he finds the furthest place from any human being – a mountain located in the Massif Central. There, Grenouille adopts animalistic behavior, demonstrated by hunting animals for food: “He also found food in the form of small salamanders and ring snakes; he tore off their heads, then devoured them whole. (p. 126) However, at the same time, his inner state is juxtaposed with his behavior. Grenouille appears as an animal but manages to find inner peace, which brings him closer to a human being. His loneliness resembles the way people try to get closer to spiritual forces or God, like saints or prophets. The change of setting from the countryside to the cave on the mountain and Grenouille's stay there reflect his spiritual growth and the realization that he desires to be accepted by society. This shows how among humans, Grenouille is more like an animal and when he is alone, he needs recognition from others, thus, his more human side is highlighted. The next change in the story's setting occurs when Grenouille leaves the mountain and goes away. to different cities: Marseille, Montpellier and Grasse. His appearance: “He looked horrible. His hair went down to the hollow of his knees, his beard scraggly down to his navel. His nails were like claws, and the skin on his arms and legs, where the rags no longer covered his body, peeled off in tatters” (p. 143), are used to dehumanize him, emphasizing his characteristics. animal, despite its animal character. recent spiritual growth and new realizations. Later, his abilities in perfumery allow him to create scents that influence people in particular ways, allowing him to be accepted into society and lead a relatively normal life. However, Grenouille's goal of creating the ultimate perfume, one that would make one adore, brings him back to his animal personality. “At first he stalked them from a safe distance with a large mesh net, because he was less concerned with capturing big game than with testing his hunting methods.” (p.193) Grenouille turns into a serial murderer, killing young girls for their smell. His actions once again highlight the inner conflict between animal and human in an ironic way, since his ultimate goal is to be loved by others, which would be achieved by opposing everything human . Grenoullie eventually realizes that despite all his efforts, he is not able to overcome his hatred and that the desire to be human is dominated by the animal "inside" him. “What he had always wanted – that others.