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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Aschenbach's belief system and opinions are_________.

2. What makes Aschenbach pull back from his daydream?

3. While Aschenbach takes his walk at the beginning of Part One, the streets of the city are _______.

4. When Aschenbach pulls back from his daydream, it shows his reluctance to follow ______.

5. What does Aschenbach think the benefit of a vacation will be?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Aschenbach see Tadzio? What does he compare Tadzio to?

2. How much of Part One is either unspoken or indirect direction?

3. What are the physical attributes of the strange man Aschenbach encounters at the chapel?

4. What does Aschenbach believe is heroic? How does this aid his writing?

5. What happened to Aschenbach's wife? What is his family situation now?

6. Why do Tadzio's and his friend Jashu wrestle?

7. Does Aschenbach look at Tadzio analytically or with glorification?

8. How does Aschenbach experience the morning? What are the metaphors he uses?

9. How does Aschenbach feel when he observes Tadzio is ill and may not live long? Why might he feel this way?

10. What does the narrator speculate is the reason for Aschenbach's failure to approach Tadzio?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In "Death In Venice," Mann uses colors to give dimension to characters and to represent themes. Write an essay discussing Mann's use of reoccurring colors to represent the themes and flesh out characters. What do these colors represent? When does Mann chose to use color? How can the development of the story and the transformation of Aschenbach be traced through color?

Essay Topic 2

In "Death In Venice", there are three men that Aschenbach has meaningful or pivotal encounters with.

1) Analyze the significance of his encounter with the man at the chapel.

2) Analyze Aschenbach's encounter with the Old Fop on the boat to Venice.

3) Analyze Aschenbach's encounter with the street performer.

4) How do all these men perform a similar service to Aschenbach? What do they inspire or evoke in him? How are their general presentations similar to each other? As a whole, what do they represent?

Essay Topic 3

Aschenbach has a complex relationship with "youth" in "Death In Venice."

1) What is Aschenbach's relationship to youth early in the book?

2) How does Aschenbach run parallel to youth throughout the book?

3) How do Aschenbach and youth intersect in "Death In Venice?"

4) How does death play a role in Aschenbach's relationship to youth?

(see the answer keys)

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