Thomas Buddenbrook

Thomas Buddenbrook is the head of the Buddenbrook clan after the death of his father the younger Johann Buddenbrook. As a young boy he has an interest in business and desires to follow in his father's footsteps in running the company. He cuts his education short to join his father in the business after the death of his grandfather. He makes a name for himself and clearly has social ambitions. During the same time that Grunlich is courting, so to speak, his sister, Tom is engaged in a secret relationship with a butcher's daughter in his hometown. His father asks town to go to Amsterdam on business and Tom, realizing that he can never have a marriage with this woman, breaks off their relationship before he goes to Amsterdam. Although this relationship is not mentioned much after his trip to Amsterdam, it is clear that this woman...