The main character of Profumo, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, embarks on a long journey through 18th-century France, starting and ending in Paris. The changes in the landscape during his travels reflect the internal personality changes he himself undergoes. Patrick Suskind portrays Grenuoille as a very similar animal due to its incredible sense of smell. Furthermore, during his childhood he is compared to a large one and is later imparted with animalistic 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 longs to be accepted by society. The internal conflict between animal and man is further developed through the changes in the landscape in the story. The character's journey, enclosed in a circle, as both the beginning and the end are in Paris, emphasizes Grenouille's internal wanderings between the most human and the most animalistic being, culminating in his 'suicide'. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Patrick Suskind describes Paris as a horrible-smelling place, crowded with people, which fills Grnouille with hatred for humanity, to highlight the idea that because others cannot accept him, he would always be "an animal" at internal when surrounded by society. “The streets smelled of manure, the courtyards of urine, the stairs smelled of moldy wood and mouse droppings, the kitchens of spoiled cabbage and mutton fat; the unventilated living rooms smelled of stale dust, the bedrooms of greasy sheets, damp duvets and the pungent, sweet aroma of chamber pots. (p. 3) In-depth imagery using only associations with smells 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 time in Paris could be divided into his early childhood under the care of Madame Gaillard and during his years as an apprentice to Grimal and in 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 scents, slightly transforming into an animal. «The other children, however, immediately understood what Grenouille was about. From day one, the newcomer was a sinister presence for them. They avoided the box in which he lay…” (p. 23). Suskind emphasizes the idea that Grenouille is not a normal human being as the other children feel that there is something about him that they cannot understand, which scares them. Also, the fact that he sleeps in a box resembles the way pets sleep. This animalistic personality is further intertwined in Grenouille's stay with Grimal: "After a year of existing more animalistic than human, he contracted anthrax, a disease feared by tanners and usually fatal." (p. 33) Living in the poorest areas of Paris and smelling various unpleasant odors, the character develops a hatred towards mankind. His feelings are slightly altered, or rather simply curbed, when he begins to work with Baldini. Grenouille can now enjoy some more privileges and is overwhelmed by his desire to learn more about perfumery. This change is reflected in the change in his surroundings: 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 city, which is used as a metaphor for humans. “What did he need Paris for? He knew himto the last stinking hiding place, he took it with him wherever he went, he had owned Paris for years now. (p. 112) Indeed, Paris represents all the people who live there and therefore what Grenouille cannot stand are the people, not the city itself. After Grenouille leaves Paris and sets out to learn new ways of distilling perfumes, he realizes that "for the first time in his life he didn't have to prepare to catch the smell of something new, unexpected, hostile - or to lose a pleasant smell – with every breath. For the first time he could almost breathe freely, he didn't have to be constantly on olfactory alert.” (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.” Furthermore, the word "hostile" implies that he feels threatened by other people and prefers to be alone. The character's dislike for humanity develops further and eventually reaches a point where he finds the place most distant from any human being: a mountain located in the Massif Central. There, Grenouille embraces animalistic behavior, demonstrated in hunting animals for food: “He also found nourishment in the form of small salamanders and ringed snakes; he cut off their heads and then devoured them whole." (p. 126) However, at the same time, his internal state is juxtaposed with his behavior. Grenouille seems like an animal but manages to find inner peace, which brings him ever closer to a human being. His loneliness resembles the ways in which people try to get closer to spiritual forces or God, such as saints or prophets. The change of environment from the countryside to the cave on the mountain and Grenouille's stay there reflect on his spiritual growth and his attainment of the awareness that he desires to be accepted by society. This shows how among humans Grenouille is quite animalistic and when he is alone he needs the recognition of others, so his more human side is highlighted. The next change in the setting of the story occurs when Grenouille leaves the mountain and goes to different cities: Marseille, Montpellier, and Grasse. His appearance: “He looked terrible. His hair reached to the hollow of his knees, his stubble reached to his navel. His nails were like claws, and the skin of his arms and legs, where the rags no longer covered his body, came off in shreds” (p.143), are used to dehumanize him, emphasizing his animalistic characteristics, despite his recent spiritual growth and new realizations. Subsequently, his perfumery skills allow him to create perfumes that affect people in particular ways, which leads him to be accepted into society and have a relatively normal life. However, Grenouille's goal of creating the ultimate perfume, the one that would make people adore him, brings him back to his animalistic personality. “At first he chased them from a safe distance with a large mesh net, because he was less interested in catching large game than in testing his hunting methods.” (p.193) Grenouille turns into a serial killer, killing maidens for their perfume. His actions once again highlight the inner conflict between animal and human in an ironic way, as his ultimate goal is to be loved by others, which would be achieved by going against anything human. Grenoullie eventually realizes that, despite his best efforts, he is unable to overcome his hatred and that the desire to be human is overridden by the animal "within" him. “What he had always wanted – for others to love him – became unbearable the moment it achieved it, because he.