Perfume by Patrick Suskind (pg.

76)

[1] “Bah!” Baldini shouted, exhaling all at once every bit of

air he had in him. Then he took a deep breath and a long
look at Grenouille the spider, and thought it over. Basically
it makes no difference, he thought, because it will all be over
[5] tomorrow anyway. I know for a fact that he can't do what
he claims he can, can't possibly do it. Why, that would make
him greater than the great Frangipani. But why shouldn't I
let him demonstrate before my eyes what I know to be true?
It is possible that somebay in Messina - people do grow very
[10] strange in old age and their minds fix on the craziest ideas -
I'll get the notion that I had failed to recognize an olfactory
genius, a creature upon whom the grace of God had been
poured out in superabundance, a wunderkind… it's totally
out of the question. Everything my reason tells me says it is
[15] out of the question - but miracles do happen, that I’m certain.
So what if, when I lie dying in Messina someday, the thought
comes to me there on my deathbed: On that evening, back in
Paris, I shut my eyes to a miracle…? That would not be
very pleasant, Baldini. Let the fool waste a few drops of attar
[20] of roses and musk tincture; you would have wasted them
yourself if Pélissier’s perfume had still interested you. And
what are a few drops - though expensive ones, very, very
Expensive! - compared to certain knowledge and a perfeul
old age?

[25] “Now pay attention!” he said with an affectedly stern

voice. “Pay attention! I … what is your name, anyway?”
“Grenouille,” said Grenouille. “Jean-Baptiste Grenouille.”
“Aha,” said Baldini. “All right then, now pay attention
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille! I have thought it over. You shall
[30] have the opportunity, now, this very moment, to prove your
assertion. Your grandiose failure will also be an opportunity
for you to learn the virtue of humility, which - although on
may pardon the total lack of its development at your tender
age - will be an absolute prerequisite for later advancement
[35] as a member of your guild and for your standing as a man, a man of honor, a
dutiful subject, and a good Christian.
Issue: first impressions of someone do not accurately depict their value and worth.
- Grenouilles physical appearance
- Natural talent - creating perfume

In the passage…
- Baldini doesn’t believe Grenouille has anything to offer him
- Refers to Grenouille as a spider in line 3
- disgusting/scary appearance
- No one wants them around, they can do harm with their special abilities
- Lit device: zoomorphism - give non animals, animal like qualities
- Spiders have a unique sense of smell. No use of eyes, like Gren
- Foreshadowing - Grenouille’s ability to see with his nose
- Suskind's descriptive word choice
- Line 15, baldini says “​miracles​ do happen”
- Uses miracle again in line 18
- recurrence of miracle suggest it has meaning
- Baldini and everyone whos met Gren. is certain he can't do what he says
- He does the impossible
- Line 19 and 20 uses the word waste when referring to Grenouille
- Line 31 uses the word grandiose as a way of foreshadowing Grenouilles
failure that never happens
- Thinks he’ll let Grenouille waste his supplies, lets Gren try make perfume
- Motif: power/dominance
- Baldini is asserting dominance over Grenouille
- Societal norm that people with experience are superior
- Perfume making
- Motif is shown by diction
- Informal diction
- Baldini thinks he’s better than Grenouille
- Their conversation in lines 25 to 36