Thomas lived in a world of his dreams more than his brother Heinrich did, or his mother, or his sisters. Even his discussion with his father about warehouses were further aspects if a fantasy world that often included himself as a Greek god, or as a figure in a story from a nursery rhyme, or the woman in the oil painting that his father had placed on the stairwell, the expression on her face ardent, anxious, expectant.
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: Already, a young Thomas Mann shows signs of someday becoming a writer. Unlike his other siblings, he prefers to spend his time daydreaming, conjuring up a “fantasy world” inspired by art and mythology (6). Thomas will later concentrate all this creative energy into his work, making him one of the most renowned authors of all time.

I don’t mean money or ways of earning a living. I mean the dark side of life...
-- Julia's landlord (chapter 4)