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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. According to Mr. Kloterjahn, how did Gabriele treat him and their son?

2. How is Mr. Kloterjahn's son described in Chapter 9?

3. What does Mr. Spinell call Mr. Kloterjahn?

4. What is Mr. Spinell doing in his room in Chapter 10?

5. What does Mr. Spinell wish to hear in Chapter 8?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Mr. Spinell find the scene of Gabriele and her friends in the garden so beautiful?

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

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

4. What has Mr. Kloterjahn supposedly done to Gabriele, according to Mr. Spinell's letter in Chapter 10?

5. What does Dr. Leander recommend as treatment for Gabriele’s worsening condition?

6. What does Mr. Kloterjahn finally admit was the causes of Gabriele’s illness?

7. Who, according to Mr. Spinell, is to be credited with bringing beauty back into Gabriele’s life?

8. What ruins the scene of Gabriele in the garden with her friends for Mr. Spinell?

9. According to Mr. Klotejahn in Chapter 11, what were Gabriele and her friends really doing in the garden by the fountain?

10. Why does Dr. Leander transfer Gabriele’s case to Dr. Muller?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

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

Examine Gabriele Kloterjahn’s character and how she embodies major themes in Tristan. How does Mann characterize Mrs. Kloterjahn? As an artist, what does she seem to represent? What does her illness represent? Does Mann seem to be making any kind of commentary with her character? Why or why not?

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