Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book. 1. If you were creating a signature perfume that captures your essence, what scents would you include and why? 2. Imagine that you are developing the next fragrance in Sheela’s “Remember Me” collection based on another forgotten woman from history. Who would you choose and why? 3. If Radha were to write a letter to her 13-year-old self at the end of the novel, what wisdom would she share? Need more inspiration for your next meeting? <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/resources/#book-club-resources" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Browse all of our Book Club Resources</a>.

Creative Engagement

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book. 1. In what ways does The Perfumist of Paris serve as a conclusion to the Jaipur trilogy (which includes <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/the-henna-artist/summary/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Henna Artist</a> and <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/the-secret-keeper-of-jaipur/summary/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Secret Keeper of Jaipur</a>)? If you’ve read Jhumpa Lahiri’s <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/the-namesake/summary/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Namesake</a>, how does its exploration of professional women balancing career and family compare to similar themes in The Perfumist of Paris? 2. What aspects of 1970s Paris and its perfume industry left the strongest impression on you? 3. The novel uses scent as both a plot device and a <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/metaphor/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">metaphor</a>. Did this approach enhance your connection to Radha’s journey?

General Impressions

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism. 1. Analyze how specific <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/the-perfumist-of-paris/symbols-and-motifs/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">scents</a> in the novel reveal <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/literary-devices/#character" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">character</a> and advance the <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/plot/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">plot</a>. 2. The painting Olympia and Victorine Meurent’s story parallel Radha’s journey, contributing to the <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/the-perfumist-of-paris/themes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">theme</a> regarding memory and identity. What insights does this historical reference provide about women’s experiences across different eras? 3. Examine instances in which food functions as a <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/the-perfumist-of-paris/symbols-and-motifs/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">symbol</a> of cultural identity in the novel. 4. What aspects of Radha’s <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/the-perfumist-of-paris/major-character-analysis/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">character development</a> from <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/the-henna-artist/summary/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Henna Artist</a> to The Perfumist of Paris did you find most compelling? 5. The novel shifts between Paris and India, creating contrasts in <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/setting/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">setting</a> and <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/literary-devices/#plot" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">culture</a>. What purpose do these geographical shifts serve in the <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/narrative/#narrative-definition" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">narrative</a>? 6. Consider the novel’s portrayal of relationships among the female <a href="https://www.supersummary.com/the-perfumist-of-paris/major-character-analysis/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">characters</a>. What statement is Joshi making about the importance of women supporting women?

Literary Analysis

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences. 1. Radha struggles to balance her professional ambitions with family responsibilities. When have you encountered similar tensions between competing aspects of your identity? 2. What specific scents trigger powerful memories for you? 3. Throughout the story, Radha keeps her past with Niki secret from her family. What has influenced your decisions to share or withhold significant personal information in your life? 4. Female solidarity helps Radha overcome professional and personal obstacles. Describe a time when support from others helped you navigate a difficult situation. 5. If you’ve lived in multiple cultures or locations, what resonated with you about Radha’s struggle to integrate her Indian roots with her Parisian life? 6. Radha ultimately finds peace by accepting her whole self rather than compartmentalizing. When have you experienced a similar integration of seemingly conflicting parts of yourself?

Personal Reflection and Connection

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes. 1. What differences and similarities do you see between the gender expectations in today’s society and those in 1970s Paris and India (as the novel portrays them)? 2. The novel portrays the appropriation of Indian techniques for a Western perfumery without acknowledgment. What similar examples of cultural appropriation versus exchange have you observed in society? 3. In what ways does Radha’s story reflect both the gains of 1970s feminism and the obstacles to women’s advancement that persist today?

Societal and Cultural Context

Humanities

Books About Art

Gender

Books that Feature the Theme of Femininity

Relationships

Brothers & Sisters

Family

Values & Ideas

Fate

Literary Area of Study

French Literature

Emotions & Behavior

Guilt

Indian Literature

Memory

Truth & Lies

Alka Joshi

Adult

Novel

Fiction

Guide

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