The Elegance Of The Hedgehog Character Analysis

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Paloma Josse is a twelve-year-old girl who lives a lavish life. However, she has developed a plan to end her own life by June 16th, the day she turns thirteen. After close observations to the world and people around her, she comes to the conclusion that people seem to never become who they always wanted to be. She assumes that this is inevitable in the life of every adult’s life. She convinces herself that in order to avoid this fate she must end her own life. In hopes of finding beauty, she commits herself to journaling about moments that she finds to be meaningful to leave behind when she is gone. In Muriel Barbery's The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Paloma experiences youthfulness in an astoundingly insane and isolated world where she feels torment and puzzled. She needs a substitute universe to help and assurance her. For quite a while, Paloma "pace[s] all finished [her] …show more content…

She befriends Renee and their common interest for Art makes Paloma, in addition to Renee, “[forget] even the very notion of trying to hide who [they] [are]” (Barbery 148). When Paloma stays as a guest in Renee's lodge, Renee reveals to Paloma that "[she] ha[s] found a good hiding place" but however, Paloma does not hide away in front of Renee. Instead, they are vulnerable to each other in light of the way that Art bonds them together. Art touches their inward soul. Paloma sees through the "“intuition of disaster in [Renee’s] heart", which gives her hope— the possibility to “change one’s fate” (Barbery 148). Not similar in age, condition and conditions, the dubious alliance—reinforced by artistic solidarity—bonds their souls. By comforting Renee, Paloma discovers meaning for life in a way that can serve others. Life is no longer like solitary confinement for her because Art impacts Paloma in a way that leads her on a quest to find the meaning of her

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