Perfume and hatred in the novel Perfume Everyone has characteristics that define or individualize them. Without these characteristics, it becomes difficult to be considered unique. The novel Perfume, by Patrick Suskind, presents a character, Grenouille, who is distinctive, but in conflict with his individuality or identity. For Grenouille, life experiences are defined by what he observes through smells, and the actions he takes are based on the interpretation of smells. Since scent acts as Grenouille's lens, just as we use sight to interpret our world, it follows that scent also represents an individual or identity. Essentially, the function of perfume gave rise to the theme of identity in the novel, which in turn gave perfume a symbolic meaning. This interplay between theme and symbol not only advances the plot, but also illuminates Grenouille's understanding of his world. However, Grenouille's understanding of himself and the world at the end of the novel leads to his contempt for the human race and ultimately his suicide. Patrick Suskind incorporates the concept of perfume into Perfume not only to serve as Grenouille's way of interpreting the world, but also as a symbol that intensifies Grenouille's hatred for humanity. In the novel, perfume symbolizes identity, and Grenouille's lack of perfume drives him to pursue creating perfumes that evoke emotions. The idea of ​​a perfume symbolizing identity is particularly emphasized during the Grenouille au Plomb du Canal retreat. He realizes that he “who could smell others from miles away, was incapable of feeling his own genitals from less than a hand away! » This alarms him and he begins to feel "the fear of not knowing much about himself." For Grenouille, perfume is his vision and his passion, and for him to be completely devoid of any kind of perfume is to be dead. This existential crisis forces Grenouille to leave retirement and seek some sort of validation of his existence. However, on a more symbolic level, Grenouille's quest for validation represents what we, as humans, also seek in life. For Grenouille, being able to smell is his passion and allows him to feel “wonderfully wonderful” (Suskind 126). This more human characteristic of Grenouille validates Grenouille's quest to find his scent. Grenouille's solution to his lack of perfume is to imbibe scents that are not his own to elicit strong emotional reactions from those around him. Grenouille internally defines his identity based on the amount of love or attention he receives: the more people who recognize him, the stronger his identity foundation becomes. This idea manifests itself mainly during his stay in the company of Marquis Taillade, the scientist, with whom Grenouille begins to associate love and identity for the first time. After Grenouille concocts a perfume composed of “cat droppings, cheese and vinegar” (158), he walks the streets of Montpellier to test the effects of his new smell. He finds that rather than others reacting in shock or oblivion to his presence (as they have before), they react as anyone would to a normal human, apologizing when they collide and smile courteously. Grenouille then realizes that it doesn't matter who you are when you seek attention or love, because all of that can be erased by an alteration of scent. Grenouille uses this epiphany to his advantage and sets out to create a perfume "so indescribably good and vital that anyone who smells it would be enchanted and with all hisheart should love him” (160). Beyond this declaration of conquest (of the human heart) triggering the series of murders that Grenouille carries out, the desire to conquer the human heart is revealing of the way in which Grenouille defines identity: to be loved and accepted. This definition stems from Grenouille's lack of affection growing up. Since his birth, he has been constantly rejected or ignored; starting with his mother's attempted infanticide, which shows that even from the birth he was neglected. Additionally, Grenouille experienced years of abuse and neglect in the dehumanizing working conditions of Grimal the tanner. In the second half of the novel, Grenouille falls into the hands of the Marquis Taillade de Epinade, who treats him well, although this is only because the Marquis views Grenouille as a means to his scientific success, and not as a real human being . Thus, Grenouille has never experienced a single form of acceptance or true love in his life, and because of this, he associates the feeling of acceptance and recognition with a legitimate identity. However, the fruits of Grenouille's labor (the final scent) do not deliver the feeling of acceptance and identity. The final scent instead highlights what Grenouille hates about humanity. Grenouille immerses himself in the creation of a perfume that will make it loved by everyone, whoever wears it. However, in this immersion, Grenouille loses sight of what was important to his being, namely his hatred of humankind. Thus, the “contempt for them” (of the human race) (191) that Grenouille had at the beginning of the conquest is transformed into a real desire to be accepted through perfume. Grenouille leaves Montpellier and comes across a perfumer's workshop by chance. The workshop is run by Madame Arnulfi, who hires Grenouille to work for them but with very little pay. However, from this experience, Grenouille learns to extract the purest scents from living and still life. Grenouille is “enchanted by their insignificant perfection” and taken by “a truly innocent happiness” (191). The only reason Grenouille creates what ends up being the final perfume is to satisfy his unwavering ambition and curiosity. However, in this ambitious quest, Grenouille does not realize that he actually prefers to live in solitude rather than living surrounded by false affections. When Grenouille retires to Plomb du Canal, it is to be “really completely alone” (125). Grenouille himself “burst with thunderous jubilation” (125) in his solitude. This truth becomes more evident at the peak of its realization (the final scent) and observing its effects on those around it. As he is about to be executed for murder in front of a crowd of people, the perfume takes effect and he sees adoration grow for him. However, "the more he hated them, the more they adored him", as Grenouille realized that their reactions were not towards Grenouille but a facade. He still has no scent, therefore no identity, and yet he is still loved. The fact that scent could so easily influence humanity's perception, driving those it affected to madness, leaves Grenouille feeling mutually disgusted at the triumph. Because he is odorless, people will never "respond with a response to his one true emotion, hatred" (250). This leads to Grenouille's suicide at the Cemetery of the Innocents. Grenouille sacrifices his life after realizing that no one, not even the father of the girl Grenouille murdered, will ever truly hate him; and hatred is Grenouille's only emotional connection. Since no one will ever hate him, he feels rejected by the world. Through Grenouille's death, Suskind suggests that Grenouille is also very human. If everyone we