Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

Jean

Nothing like having your antagonist try to serve as your mentor, but that’s exactly what happens in Rhinoceros. Well, not exactly. Jean doesn’t fall into the classic mentor role—like, say Merlin or Dumbledore, but he’s not a wizard, so you can’t really blame him. And even if it’s in kind of a bossy way, he does try his best to guide Berenger. Yep, he’s full of all kinds of advice for Berenger:

JEAN: Look, instead of drinking and feeling sick, isn’t it better to be fresh and eager, even at work? And you can spend your free time constructively […]By visiting museums, reading literary periodicals, going to lectures. That’ll solve your troubles, it will develop your mind. (1.1.673-679)

Jean might not be the guy to get advice from for a night on the town, but in the end, you wouldn’t want his advice about anything except where to polish your hide. He gets swept up in the hysteria and joins the rhinos, while Berenger clings to his humanity.