Individuality vs. Conformity Theme Analysis

In Rhinoceros, Berenger is not particularly smart or ambitious, and he harbors obvious weaknesses such as alcoholism and chronic lateness. It’s telling, then, that Berenger is the only person in his small French town who is able to escape the rhinoceritis illness, especially when his well-connected and esteemed peers and colleagues ultimately succumb and turn into rhinoceroses. With this, Rhinoceros suggests that while people’s distinguishing characteristics may at first look like major flaws, embracing one’s individuality—for better or worse—is often what allows people to hold onto their humanity and resist the draw of conforming to harmful ideologies.

At first, Berenger’s individuality is presented as an undesirable quality. He’s unkempt, unshaven, and according to Jean, reeks of alcohol—whereas everyone around him is put-together and polite. Because of this, Jean takes much of the first act to berate Berenger for his failures, trying to clean him up and convince him to join the rest of the upper-class world that Jean inhabits. Importantly, Berenger initially vows to follow through and put Jean’s suggestions into practice. Per Jean’s encouragement, he buys theater tickets and agrees to stop drinking (albeit only briefly; he picks up again minutes later after he and Jean argue). This suggests that even for someone as individualistic as Berenger, there’s a lot of pressure to conform and fit in—and that it’s a natural inclination to want to fit in. However, the play does suggest, even at this early point, that there’s something to be said for Berenger’s individualism, as he’s the only one who, until it becomes a battle of wills with Jean, doesn’t much care about the first rhinoceros’s appearance. Berenger’s unwillingness to acknowledge the first rhinoceros suggests that his individualism allows him to ignore and reject conformity, as becoming a rhinoceros (or, at this early stage, getting worked up over the rhinoceros) is, first and foremost, a way in which individuals reject all aspects of individuality and become indistinguishable from their peers.

As the play progresses, Berenger watches everyone from his coworkers to Jean transform into rhinoceroses. Given that the rhinoceritis illness sweeping the town is representative of conformity (and, especially once the rhinoceroses start destroying property in earnest, mob mentality), Berenger’s unwillingness to play along or think kindly about the rhinoceroses makes it clear that even in the face of intense pressure to conform and go along with the crowd, Berenger’s individuality makes it much easier for him to stand his ground. Berenger pleads with both Jean and Dudard to understand that rejecting rhinoceritis is a moral position—people, in his understanding, should have the moral fiber to resist the crowd and hold onto their humanity. When all of Berenger’s peers succumb anyway, the play makes it clear that the things that Jean suggests make a person better, such as enjoying one’s job or attending the theater or other cultural events, actually have no bearing on what kind of a person someone is. Rather, it’s one’s capacity to retain who they truly are in the face of encroaching ideological influences that defines a person’s character.

Through this, the play gives Berenger’s way of life and way of thinking more heft and sympathy. While he may be struggling in a variety of ways since he can barely make it out of bed, get through the day without drinking, or even show up to work on time, he still somehow manages to hang onto his humanity. With this, the play makes the case that individuality in general is something to be celebrated, no matter what form it takes. The play critiques ideological movements like fascism through the fictional illness rhinoceritis, which require people to conform. Individualism, by contrast, gives people the tools to recognize morally questionable movements when they arise—and in doing so, cautions readers and audiences to think carefully about the costs of following the crowd.