The Magic Mountain essays

The Magic Mountain essays The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann is a novel about a character that is able to become more educated in life due to his visit with his sick cousin. Hans Castorp the main character learns about life because of his decision to stay on the mountain in Davos. Hans becomes more educated through his experiences with different people that he meets during his stay there. Many experiences mentioned in the book help Hans to develop and grow as a person. There are many characters in the novel that contributed to Hanss growth each one teaching him something different. The first Character that Hans interacts with on the mountain that starts his growth in becoming more educated is his cousin, Joachim Ziemssen. Joachim has started Hanss growth of knowledge by inviting him to stay up on the mountain with him. In doing so he opens Hanss mind and soul to a world he was previously unfamiliar with. Joachim is of strong character, a soldier of the army. He lets Hans into the world of disease knowing it might be unsafe for him. Being a soldier, Joachim is strong and anxious to get better and return to his military duties. Being unsure of this new place Joachim has Hans feeling somewhat comfortable. The impressionable Hans has transported away from the life and obligations he has known, to the mountain environment and insular community of the sanitarium. While at the sanitarium ordinary life seems increasingly unreal to him; his perceptions are heightened as he becomes aware of his physical, spiritual and emotional vulnerability, as well as of his own sexuality. He is greatly attracted to one of the patients, a married women of Slavic background, Madame Clavdia Chauchat. Madame Chauchat reminds him of a schoolboy to whom he had been strangely drawn to as a child. She entices Hans with her beautiful features and spirit. To Hans, Clavdia represents the irrational forces of spirit, a willingness to live life for its o...