Suskind creates a narrator with a kaleidoscopic view. The narrator morphs from a gossiper, to reader’s friend, to historian, journalist, and ultimately an accomplice to the murders. With many different personas why does the reader still trust him? There are many sides to the storyteller of Perfume, and the reader may realize too late that there seems to be a fine line between friends to accomplice to murderer. Generally, readers trust narrators. Narrators tell the reader what they know via their
Patrick Süskind’s novel, Perfume, presents two major themes: the corruptive nature of power and the inherent flaws of humanity. These two themes are explored throughout the novel in the lives of the characters. Süskind shows the effects of power on Giuseppe Baldini, the marquis de La Taillade-Espinasse, and Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. The author explores the flawed nature of humanity by pointing out the greed and deception experienced by Monsieur Grimal, Giuseppe Baldini, the marquis Taillade-Espinasse