Before answering this unit’s questions, you should view the film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer directed by Tom Twyker and complete the novel of the same name written by Patrick Suskind.

Keep in mind, as you view the film and read the novel, a few of the questions posted below.

RUBRIC

Online discussions will be graded according to the following rubric.

Full-bodied entries—of at least ten sentences of writing from you (in addition to quotations from the text)—are more likely to receive full credit. Lesser credit will be assigned to work that is missing, brief, or clearly disengaged or sloppily produced such that miscues interfere with readability.

Your responses to other students’ work are also assessed. Students often resist commenting on each others’ work in substantial ways; instead choosing to post simply “good job” or “looks okay to me.” This kind of peer response doesn’t help your own—or your peers’—development as a writer and thinker.

Acceptable peer responses will, among other things:

• Explicitly identify what was learned from someone else’s work.
• Ask a follow-up question.
• Offer an alternative interpretation.
• Offer concrete strategies for improvement.

Points

Criteria

18-20

Discussion posts are completed on-time; they not only thoughtfully respond to and incorporate course readings when appropriate, but they evidence creative thinking and make a significant contribution to peers’ understanding of the course topics. Moreover, follow-up posts/peer responses clarify and extend the class conversation, demonstrating critical thinking.

16-17

Discussion posts are essentially complete and incorporate, when appropriate, excerpts from the course readings. Initial post is made by due date, and follow-up posts/peer responses engage others in continued discussion.

11-15

Discussion posts are incomplete, inaccurate, and/or late. Peer response is present but perfunctory, offering little “back” to enhance peers’ understanding.

1-10

Posts and peer responses are not made to all topic threads.

0

No posts are made, or posts are entered after the unit’s discussion has ended.

QUESTIONS (FILM/NOVEL)

Choose one question to answer:

1. In the lecture in this unit, it can be noted that this novel/film utilizes familiar archetypes from other stories to help pull us towards supporting Grenouille’s quest. What archetypes did you see–and how did they operate? For example, Baldini could be seen as the wise, aged guide helping Grenouille on his heroic way. Where there other figures who played familiar roles or did they reverse their positions in new ways?
2. From Chapters 24-30 Grenouille removes himself from human society by living in a cave in the mountains. Why? What discoveries did he make about himself and humanity. Many people regard this novel as one of the strongest German novels of the early 21st century–do these observations about humanity help that reputation or hurt it?
3. The final moments of the novel showcase the fulfillment of Grenouille’s perfect “human effluvium.” How did the extreme reaction of the crowd at the execution affect your observations about the novel? Did we all secretly want the effluvium to succeed, or were we finally turned against Grenouille by his final murders?