Tonio Kröger (1903)

Read for the language more than any driving interest in the story. Like Kafka the vocabulary is relatively simple, though the concepts are not, so a nice way to practise my German. The story appears to be autobiographical, and according to the introduction by J.A. Kelly, Mann readily acknowledged this, even claiming the work a favourite of his.

The central theme is that of identity and the tension between Tonio Kroeger's artistic and bourgeoise sensibilities. I was pleased that neither the artistic side of Tonio's personality nor his equally strong rational side were stereotypes. At various points, Tonio rejected the easy quoting or mimicry of literary tradition, finding it insipid and unfulfilling (as a way for him to express himself artistically, at least). His buergerliche inclinations seemed to make themselves felt primarily as a way of approaching his art and life, than as a goal or ideal (ways vs means). But that wasn't altogether clear, and worth thinking about upon another reading.

The novella reads quickly enough, I'm interested to read My Name Is Asher Lev and then return to "Tonio Kroeger" to compare them, and get back to this question of what precisely about Tonio's personality was artistic, and what bourgeois. ( )

In this autobiographical work, Mann described the two exclusive kinds of human-being. Ordinary people and artists. Although he had slight contempt in him toward ordinary people, the antagonist, Tonio was eager to become part of them from the bottom of his heart. But it was impossible. He couldn't even think of that, because he was an artist, who was cursed, deaf by the flame from the bottom of hell.