Scandals and failed marriages drain the family's social capital.
Establishes the grain firm; represents Enlightenment values. Second Generation: Johann "Jean" Junior Role: The dutiful successor. Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family
Thomas turns to Schopenhauer’s philosophy, finding comfort in the idea of death. Scandals and failed marriages drain the family's social
The story is a fictionalized version of Mann's own family history. The role of Schopenhauer's philosophy in Thomas’s death? A comparison to other "family saga" novels? Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family
The "black sheep"; a hypochondriac who prefers the theater to work.