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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. Who does Hans suspect of having had a physical relationship with Clavdia?

2. Who does Settembrini say is justifying a totalitarian state?

3. Who do Settembrini and Naphta argue about first as Joachim and Hans visit Naphta's rooms?

4. Who hosts parties and outings to local sites?

5. Why do Settembrini and Naphta resent Peeperkorn?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Joachim and Hans encounter Dr. Behrens on a mountain path in October, and why does Hans react this way?

2. How do Joachim's letters to Hans change, and what eventually occurs?

3. In Chapter 6, what occurs with Hans' letters home, and what does he write about?

4. Why is Hans summoned the day after an excursion to a famous waterfall in the nearby Fluela Valley?

5. What role does the "military life" play in the conversation between Hans, Joachim, Settembrini and Naphta in Chapter 6?

6. Describe Peeperkorn's group outings and Settembrini's opinion of Hans' relationship with Peeperkorn.

7. What role does the concept of time play at the beginning of Chapter 7?

8. What does Settembrini tell Hans that he plans to do in Chapter 6, and why?

9. As winter arrives, what does Hans study, and why?

10. How does Hans insult Settembrini on Walpurgis Night?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the significance of death in this novel? What events are driven by illness and death? How are characters viewed based on their health?

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the main themes in this novel (mountains and magic, connection to "Death in Venice", illness and death, etc..) and detail its recurrences throughout the novel. What does it add to the novel? How does it affect the difference characters?

Essay Topic 3

Investigate "The Magic Mountain" as a bildungsroman. How does it adhere to and differ from the bildungsroman novel? What changes could be made to mark it more clearly as a bildungsroman? What changes could be made to prevent critics from classifying the novel as a bildungsroman?

(see the answer keys)

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