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Berenger
Berenger’s best friend. Jean is the exact opposite of Berenger: he’s well dressed, polished, cultured, and intellectual. He takes special issue with Berenger’s alcoholism and so takes it upon himself to get Berenger to stop drinking, mostly by trying to impress upon Berenger that life is better when one is cultured and not hung over all the time. He also makes the point that Daisy won’t find Berenger attractive if Berenger is always drunk or recovering from being drunk. Though this may at first seem like a fine goal, the way that Jean goes about trying to reform Berenger indicates that Jean cares far more about fitting in and making others fit in than he cares about Berenger as an individual. He consistently calls Berenger out for insulting him and will never accept that he’s wrong or being rude himself—and, indeed, has made Berenger believe that everything wrong in their relationship is Berenger’s fault, rather than something that Jean helped create by being so exacting and controlling. Despite this, Berenger wants desperately to please Jean and so promises to quit drinking and culture himself. Jean is one of the first people to become aware of the rhinoceroses, which awe him to the point that he can’t talk about anything else. He’s even more offended, then, when Berenger is disinterested in talking about the rhinoceroses. Jean demonstrates his selfishness, his need to be right, and his love of logic (but only when it suits him) by beginning a debate about how many horns the rhinoceroses had, insulting Berenger, and then leaving. When Berenger later goes to apologize to Jean, he finds Jean in the throes of early rhinoceritis. At this point, Jean believes that rhinoceroses are good and that Berenger is being silly by taking issue with them. This is, as much as anything, indicative of Jean’s desire to fit in, which he does by transforming into a rhinoceros. His horrific transformation haunts Berenger for the rest of the play.
Jean Quotes in Rhinoceros
The Rhinoceros quotes below are all either spoken by Jean or refer to Jean. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Act 1, Scene 1 Quotes
Berenger: Listen, Jean. There are so few distractions in this town—I get so bored. I’m not made for the work I’m doing—every day at the office, eight hours a day—and only three weeks’ holiday a year. When Saturday night comes round I feel exhausted and so—you know how it is—just to relax…
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Jean: I just can’t get over it!
Berenger: Yes, I can see you can’t. Well, it was a rhinoceros—all right, so it was a rhinoceros. It’s miles away by now—miles away.
Jean: But you must see it’s fantastic! A rhinoceros loose in the town, and you don’t bat an eyelid. It shouldn’t be allowed. (Berenger yawns.) Put your hand in front of your mouth.
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Berenger: I don’t like the taste of alcohol much. […] And yet if I don’t drink, I’m done for; it’s as if I’m frightened, and so I drink not to be frightened any longer.
Jean: Frightened of what?
Berenger: […] I don’t know exactly. It’s a sort of anguish difficult to describe. I feel out of place in life, among people, and so I take to drink. That calms me down and relaxes me so I can forget.
Jean: You try to escape from yourself.
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Berenger: (To Jean.) I’m not Asiatic, either, And in any case, Asiatics are people the same as everyone else.
Waitress: Yes, Asiatics are people the same as we are.
Old Gentleman: (To the Proprietor.) That’s true!
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Act 2 Quotes
Jean: You always see the black side of everything. It obviously gave him great pleasure to turn into a rhinoceros. There’s nothing extraordinary in that.
Berenger: […] There’s nothing extraordinary in it, but I doubt if it gave him much pleasure.
Jean: And why not, pray?
Berenger: It’s hard to say exactly why; it’s just something you feel.
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Jean: I tell you it’s not as bad as all that. […] After all, rhinoceroses are living creatures the same as us; they’ve got as much right to life as we have.
Berenger: As long as they don’t destroy ours in the process. You must admit the difference in mentality.
Jean: […] Are you under the impression— […] that our way of life is superior?
Berenger: Well, at any rate, we have our own moral standards which I consider incompatible with the standards of these animals.
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Act 3 Quotes
Dudard: Perhaps he felt an urge for some fresh air, the country, the wide-open spaces—perhaps he felt a need to relax. I’m not saying that’s any excuse…
Berenger: I understand what you mean, at least I’m trying to. […]
Dudard: Why get upset over a few cases of rhinoceritis? Perhaps it’s just another disease.
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Daisy: I never knew you were such a realist—I thought you were more poetic. Where’s your imagination? There are many sides to reality. Choose the one that’s best for you. Escape into the world of the imagination.
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Jean Character Timeline in Rhinoceros
The timeline below shows where the character Jean appears in Rhinoceros. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, Scene 1
...unkempt; his clothes are wrinkled and he has no hat or tie. A moment later Jean arrives, neatly dressed in a brown suit with all the proper accouterments. Jean briskly notes...
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Berenger joins Jean at the table and agrees that he’s never on time. He asks Jean what he...
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...with the tie, combs his hair, and inspects his tongue, which he says is fuzzy. Jean declares that Berenger will have liver disease before too long. Berenger tries to give the...
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Jean says that he’s ashamed to be Berenger’s friend, but Berenger says that he’s bored and...
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Berenger burps and agrees as he plays with the tie. Jean asks where Berenger was drinking last night. Berenger says that he was celebrating their friend’s...
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At the same time, Jean remarks to Berenger and the Proprietor that the rhinoceros was amazing. He asks Berenger what...
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Berenger points out that the rhinoceros won’t get them where they are, but Jean insists that they protest to their town council. Berenger yawns, hurriedly covers his mouth, and...
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Jean tells Berenger that he lives in a haze of alcohol, which Berenger morosely agrees with....
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Jean asks again why Berenger is being so insulting and why he’s being contrary—it’s dangerous for...
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...sighs and agrees to not drink. He recognizes Daisy’s laugh and spills his drink on Jean’s pants. Jean scolds Berenger for being clumsy, but Berenger hides in the restroom and says...
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...feels out of place in the world and alcohol helps him calm down and relax. Jean accuses Berenger of trying to escape, and Berenger doesn’t refute it—he says that he’s tired...
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The Logician and the Old Gentleman return to the café. Jean stands and turns, accidentally bumping into the Old Gentleman and then falling into the Logician’s...
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...he has the strength to keep living; he feels oppressed by solitude and by people. Jean insists that this isn’t logical. Berenger declares that life is abnormal, which Jean refutes, but...
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Jean insists that Berenger is being silly: he’s clearly interested in Daisy and is clearly ashamed...
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While Jean and Berenger speak, the Logician and the Old Gentleman continue with their logic exercises. The...
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Berenger listens attentively as Jean tells him that he has talent, he just needs to involve himself in cultural and...
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...the Old Gentleman continues that one cat could have six paws and the other zero. Jean suggests that Berenger spend his money on seeing avant-garde plays, such as those by Ionesco....
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Berenger invites Jean to go to the theater with him later, but Jean insists that he can’t come—he’s...
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Jean shouts that he’s a moderate person, and suddenly everyone becomes aware of the noise of...
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The Grocer’s Wife and Jean declare that this is taking things too far. Meanwhile, Daisy notices Berenger, causing him to...
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...insists that the rhinoceros wasn’t running in a position conducive to seeing its horns, but Jean insists that his mind is clear and he could see and calculate. He asks if...
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The Housewife continues to cry over her cat as Jean accuses Berenger of having two horns and calls him an “Asiatic Mongoloid.” As the Proprietor...
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Jean turns back and again shouts that Asian people are yellow. Berenger insists that in any...
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...and the African rhinoceros has two. Berenger mutters to himself that he never should’ve contradicted Jean, but he also notes that Jean can’t stand being wrong. The other group, meanwhile, wonders...
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...cats, and the Grocer agrees. Berenger says to himself that he shouldn’t have fought with Jean. He orders a brandy and thinks that he’s too upset to go to the museum—he’ll...
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Act 1, Scene 2
...Dudard is responsible. Dudard invites Berenger to have a drink, but Berenger says he’s meeting Jean to apologize for their argument.
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Act 2
Jean lies in bed in his darkened bedroom, coughing. He doesn’t answer when someone knocks. Berenger...
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Berenger apologizes for being so obstinate, angry, and stupid. Jean says it’s not surprising that Berenger acted that way. He coughs and says he doesn’t...
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Jean faces Berenger and says he doesn’t feel well, but he doesn’t know what’s wrong. Berenger...
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Berenger suggests that Jean has a cold and asks if he has a fever. Jean stops mid-push-up to check...
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Berenger assures Jean that he knows that Jean always thinks straight, but Jean remains offended. He tells Berenger...
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Berenger apologizes for upsetting Jean as Jean, panting, looks through a first aid box. Noticing that Jean is panting and...
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Jean says he doesn’t need a doctor; he can look after himself and doctors just invent...
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Berenger notes that Jean is breathing hard. Jean paces around the room, picks up a magazine, and eats a...
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Hoarsely, Jean says that he’s running straight for his one aim in life. Berenger comforts him and...
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Berenger tells Jean that Mr. Bœuf turned into a rhinoceros. Jean fans himself with his open pajama shirt...
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Berenger muses that Mr. Bœuf couldn’t have changed on purpose, but from the bathroom, Jean says that Mr. Bœuf might’ve done it on purpose. Berenger notes that Mrs. Bœuf had...
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Jean returns from the bathroom. He throws his pajama shirt on the bed and with difficulty,...
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As he scratches his back on the corner of the dresser, Jean says it’s not so bad—rhinoceroses have the same right to life as humans do. Berenger...
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Berenger starts to say something, but Jean leaps onto the bed, cuts him off, and says that they must build their lives...
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Berenger moves to stand outside the bathroom door as Jean continues to say in a barely intelligible voice that Berenger is talking nonsense. Berenger incredulously...
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Berenger leaps aside and Jean apologizes, but then charges into the bathroom. Berenger starts to run away but decides that...
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Act 3
...that he’s afraid of becoming someone else and, with Dudard’s encouragement, sits down. They discuss Jean, and Berenger says that he’s shocked that everyone is turning into rhinoceroses, but Dudard cautions...
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Berenger says that he can’t not think about it. Jean was warm and he never would’ve thought that he’d do this to him. Dudard reminds...
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...that he’s not sure, but he’s been observing and has some ideas. He wonders if Jean wanted some fresh air and to relax, though this isn’t an excuse. Berenger continues to...
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...epidemics, ignores Dudard saying that they don’t know if it helps rhinoceritis, and reasons that Jean never drank.
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...this peacefully. Berenger bellows angrily, says in a terrified voice that he shouldn’t be like Jean, but then says he doesn’t have the education that Dudard does. Regardless, he feels “intuitively”...
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...people sometimes cause harm without meaning to, like he did by not being nicer to Jean and proving that they were friends. Daisy encourages him to forget the bad memories, but...
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...tells Berenger not to answer, but Berenger suggests that it might be Mr. Papillon, Botard, Jean, or Dudard saying they’ve had second thoughts, or the authorities asking for help. Daisy insists...
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