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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. What does Mr. Spinell do after his initial reaction to the news of what's happened to Gabriele in Chapter 12?

2. What does the pianist play in Chapter 8?

3. Who does Gabriele say that her son resembles?

4. What instrument does Gabriele’s father play?

5. Who does Mr. Spinell ask to play the piano?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the piece of music that Mr. Spinell is so excited to find?

2. What story does Mr. Spinell want to tell in the letter he composes in Chapter 10?

3. Why does Mr. Kloterjahn call Mr. Spinell a coward?

4. How much of the music that Mr. Spinell found in Chapter 8 does Mrs. Kloterjahn play?

5. Why does Mr. Spinell say he is writing a letter in Chapter 10?

6. How does Mr. Kloterjahn react differently to women than Mr. Spinell?

7. How does Mr. Kloterjahn say that he will get even with Mr. Spinell after Mr. Spinell's letter?

8. According to Mr. Spinell, why is what he is saying to Mr. Kloterjahn in Chapter 10 not an insult?

9. How is the letter that Mr. Spinell writes in Chapter 10 described?

10. What does Mr. Spinell see on his walk at the end of the book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mr. Spinell, though paying to stay at Einfried for treatment, does not seem to be actually ill. What does this say about his character? How does his lack of illness relate to his identification as an artist? Why does he want to appear ill? If, as Mann seems to be stating, the artist is inherently a creature of sickness and Mr. Spinell is not sick, can he truly be said to be an artist?

Essay Topic 2

The novella takes its title from the legend of Tristan and Isolde, although the legend is never mentioned by name in the text. How does the legend relate to the novella? Does it work as a metaphor? Why or why not? Why might Mann have chosen a title that stems from this legend?

Essay Topic 3

Mr. Spinell’s letter is an important part of the novella, as it describes his idea of his relationship with Gabriele. Why does Mr. Spinell write the letter? Why does he mail it instead of delivering it to Mr. Kloterjahn himself? How does he describe his relationship with Gabriele Kloterjahn? Why does he view their relationship this way? How does Mr. Spinell view Mr. Kloterjahn and his relationship with his wife?

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