Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Nov 4, 2006 13:44:55 GMT -5
Just to mention this, but some people haven't finished reading the book yet so it's not really good to mention stuff that happens in future chapters after thosewe're discussing. I'm only halfway through the book because I've had so much schoolwork recently I just haven't had time to finish it yet. I don't mean for this to sound mean like I'm calling you rude for doing such a thing, but we are discussing certain chapters.
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bastet
First piece published in the school’s newspaper
Posts: 61
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Post by bastet on Nov 4, 2006 13:59:59 GMT -5
Oh, I am sorry, I didn't think of that, I am going to edit the original post right away!
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Nov 4, 2006 14:07:16 GMT -5
ETA- I can't find the thread where suggestions for the next bookclub book go. Could somebody please point me there! It's called nominations for the next bookclub book. It should be towards the bottom of this Book Discussions page.
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Post by Dominique on Nov 5, 2006 6:16:22 GMT -5
In chapter 6 where he survives the disease, he's moving up in the world due to his indestructable qualities, he reminds me a bit of a cockroach that survives an atomic bomb blast.
I thought it was interesting how suskind said he didn't care if the odour was good or bad, and the difference didn't really register on him. Sort of like how some people can't distinguish between good and evil? I thought that tied in with his basely evilness a bit...
I agree with you guys about his animal qualities, at one point suskind said it was more like the scent was hunting him, but obviously that just underlines his complete and utter obsession with the smell.
I thought that perfect smell/murder chapter was really quite weird. I mean essentially he was killing the smell by killing her, he was able to smell it for awhile undisturbed and stuff sure, but the smell died not long after she did. I thought it was weird the way it talked about how her genitals smelled too... Yeah actually that kind of reinforces the whole dog/animal thing further doesn't it, because it's dogs that do that. I guess though it didn't matter that the smell died, because he was so good at remembering and recreating smells in his head.
The chapter in the perfumer's parlour is the first one that isn't centred on G (I can't be bothered spelling his name all the time so I'm just gonna call him G from now on), in terms of narrative focus. It was interesting because the eccentric perfume guy seemed a bit like his love of perfume had destroyed him by turning him into a failure. It's interesting seeing what a passion for perfume does to another character in the book.
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Bina
First novel published
Posts: 2,472
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Post by Bina on Nov 5, 2006 7:31:46 GMT -5
Yup, that definitely reminded me of a dog sniffing a crotch. Hate when they do that. It´s real creepy. The fact that Grenouille doesn´t mind bad smells makes him even more an outsider. It´s kind of hard to imagine that someone who experiences smells that strongly doesn´t mind bad ones.
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Post by bookaddict on Nov 5, 2006 11:31:52 GMT -5
I find the fact that he was left disfigured furthers the stereotypical murderer. When you think of a murderer often times they are disfigured. His illness becomes a beneficial thing for him, and he is upgraded from animal to housepet.
I agree with the animal qualities. It also reminds me of a dog, but a dog also doesn't distinguish between bad and good smells. A dog smells everything seperate and can distinguish between the smells. So, I absolutely agree with the dog like similarities.
When he is trying to find the smell and he feels that he can not have peace and he is petrified to loose the smell, I feel Suskind sort of wanted the reader to feel bad for Grenouille. He wants to force the fact that he can't help wanting the smells. He wants the reader to understand where he is coming from. He doesn't intentionally want to hurt people, but he can't help it. Sort of like Lenny (Mice and Men) who kills the rabbits but doesn't mean too. When Grenouille kills the girl it was the first time he ever knew what happiness was. He had a hard time to sleep because he felt true bliss.
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Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
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Post by Isa on Nov 6, 2006 19:27:00 GMT -5
he reminds me a bit of a cockroach that survives an atomic bomb blast. That's true, I mean, he survived being thrown in the gutters as a new born, the kids at Mrs Gaillard's tried to kill him but couldn't, and then he makes it through that horrible disease, so he is a bit like a cockroach. Half cockroach, haf tick, ugh! I also agree with what you said about the murder scene, bookaddict - the way it's described, it's as though he can't help it, like it's the one natural thing to do. Ready to work on chapters 11-15 or are we moving too fast?
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Nov 6, 2006 20:23:38 GMT -5
not too fast...at least not yet. i read a head and am in the 30s as far as chapters go. so as long as i finish this book for school before we get that far i'm alright. i'm trying to finish it fast so i can get back to perfume for the bookclub.[/font]
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Bina
First novel published
Posts: 2,472
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Post by Bina on Nov 7, 2006 10:24:42 GMT -5
That´s okay. I´ll try to squeeze it in, have classes on sat and sunday this week. I´ll catch up.
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Nov 7, 2006 15:17:45 GMT -5
Chapters 11-15 When Suskind introduces Baldini, this is the first time that we aren't really aware of what G is doing because he isn't there. I think that Baldini seems to be angry at the world for having prospered when he knows he did little to contribute to it. It had been years since he had made a marvelous perfume and he is angry that Pelissier is "greedy" and doesn't know the true art of perfuming. But this is interesting. When G is first in this chapter, he dissects Amor and Psyche, Pelissier's amazing scent, and reproduces it without flaw. Baldini pretends to "not know" if he will keep G to work for him or not, but you can tell he wants to reconstruct his place in society. So he's willing to stoop to Pelissier's level? I mean, Pelissier didn't know how to make perfume using the art of perfuming. But it's perfectly alright for Baldini to take G's perfume recipes for himself? It's just obvious what he intends to do with G. I can honestly say that I felt sorry for G when I thought he was going to be used to his gifted nose by a bitter old man. Does Suskind want us to feel bad for G at this time? Or is that just me who's feeling a bit of sympathy towards him?
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Post by bookaddict on Nov 7, 2006 15:43:00 GMT -5
I think Suskind keeps wanting the readers to feel bad for him. He wants the reader not to see him as a murderer but someone who can't control his "gift".
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Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
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Post by Isa on Nov 7, 2006 20:20:44 GMT -5
At the same time, I can't imagine anyone really taking advantage of Grenouille - even when he worked at the tannery and was treated with incredible brutality, I still didn't feel like he was taken advantage of... I'm not sure how to explain it. I think it's because he never felt any pain or sorrow, so it's hard for me to pity him.
Baldini in an interesting character. Reading those chapters kind of reminded me of M. Knight Shayamalan's "Unbreakable", for those who've seen it, in the sense that we're introduced to two characters that are complete opposites. When Baldini goes about trying to figure out the composition of the perfume, it's a work of analysis: he's got a rigorous method to follow, and rules, and precise instruments that he needs to use. Nothing comes naturally to him whereas with Grenouille, it's the other way around. His actions are based purely on his instincts, he clearly doesn't follow any rules, and yet he's the one who comes up with the perfect perfume in the end. I think it'll be interesting to look at how their relationship develops over the next few chapters. Judging by the way Baldini decides not to go to church and forgets to say his prayers that night, it looks like Grenouille's going to have a greater influence on him than he will have one on Grenouille.
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Post by Dominique on Nov 8, 2006 6:24:12 GMT -5
I'm only up to chapt 12, will catch up over the next few days
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Post by bookaddict on Nov 8, 2006 9:51:23 GMT -5
I'm on 13...so I need to catch up too.
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Nov 8, 2006 15:03:55 GMT -5
wow, i just finished 36 and i thought i was behind haha i'll wait to move on until you guys are ready
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