The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Renée Michel is a concierge in her fifties who secretly nurtures an avid passion for literature and philosophy. Renée is at odds with society; she believes other people do not experience life in authentic ways, so she avoids the people she dismisses as bourgeois and superficial. Renée dismisses others because she believes others dismiss her at first sight. She internalizes her upbringing in poverty as a way of being that is not conducive with community. Renée is happier when she is alone with her cat, books, and films for company. She is an autodidact whose lack of formal education doesn’t prevent her from reading voraciously, though she does sometimes second-guess her ability to understand what she’s reading. She has a profound understanding of the connection between intellectualism and physical pleasure. She loves being alive even if she is alive in a world mired by superficiality and inauthenticity. Renée’s character development is a study of how humans can change at any age because life is multi-layered and interesting. Her shift begins when she meets Kakuro Ozu, who sees her for who she truly is in ways that deeply move Renée. Within this new friendship, Renée starts sharing more of herself, lets her guard down, and discovers that people can be as meaningful in her life as books. Renée’s tragic death is a necessary plot device in the novel. Her death inspires other characters to live with humanistic ideas of hope, beauty, and purpose. Renée’s death is symbolic of this humanism because she sacrifices herself for another person, emphasizing the importance of compassion and beauty.