Reading 1001 discussion

8. The narrator remarks, "Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it" [p. 82]. Do you think this is true? Why would an odor have such power? In what ways does Grenouille use this power to his advantage?

I think odours are very powerful you can smell something and it takes you back to a time and place or you can smell something and know there is danger (smoke, gas)

Grenouille uses his power to make perfumes that can disguise him, protect him, arouse sympathy and allow him to get away with murder.

Food has powerful smells and can take us back to Mom's kitchen and holiday celebrations. Book covered the perfumes quite well. The last two perfumes that Grenouille made/used I thought were quite fascinating.

I answered this in an earlier question (kind of). There's all kinds of research looking at the links between emotions and smell. Our olfactory receptors in the brain have direct pathways to our limbic system (responsible for emotional reactions). As Book Worm and Diane mention, smells can take you back to a time or place and the research supports why this occurs.

Grenouille uses this to his advantage to manipulate the emotions of others around him and is ultimately driven by finding a scent to make others love him.