Baldini (ch. 9-14)

Functions of Baldini:

• Baldini is one of the components that is required to create Grenouille's ultimate perfume as he can gain knowledge about perfume making from Baldini.
• Baldini is important because it leads Grenouille to Grasse.
  
• Unlike Grenouille, Baldini believes in God. (the word 'God' is mentioned whenever Baldini is mentioned in the story.) During the age of enlightenment, people believe that reasons and science are more important than religion and tradition. The power of religion is shrinking because people urge for scientific evidence in everything. Therefore, Baldini's strong belief in God and religion suggests that he is unable to breakaway from the old mindset to keep up with the new conceptions of the society.
• His character contrasts with Grenouille in terms of a creator. Grenouille is an inventor in the sense that he strives for knowledge to create something new. Unlike Grenouille who comes up with hundreds of new perfumes, Baldini chooses to 'copy' Pelissier's creations and regenerates what others have done. Thus, he is not an inventor like Grenouille.
• Baldini is a perfumer who only produces 'traditional scents'. The modifier 'traditional' holds a connotation of old and reinforces the idea that he is not a creator.
  
• Baldini states that 'he [doesn't] want to be an inventor'. He is slowly left behind by the society not only because of his inability to move forward, but also his reluctance to change.
• The repetition of the word 'never' in Chapter 11 emphasise his unwillingness to change. On top of that, it holds a negative connotation.
  

Zoe