Status Updates From La montaña mágica

Quote:

Settembrini said with a smile. "Music is invaluable as the ultimate means for awakening our zeal, a power that draws the mind trained for its effects forward and upward. But literature must precede it. By itself, music cannot draw the world forward. By itself, music cannot draw the world forward. By itself, music is dangerous. And for you in particular, my good engineer, it is absolutely dangerous...."

In Politically Suspect in Chapter 4 Settembrini gives his intellectual explanation of what music is and how it can be dangerous instead of enjoying music as relaxation and enjoyment. The best description of the scene is when Hans Castorp watches the young people enjoying themselves at the concert even though they are deathfully ill.

In He Tries Out His Conversational French in Chapter 4 where Hans gives his condolences to the Mexican woman in pale black known as Tous-les-deux The description of the woman was so vivid and the speaking of French was described as you were seeing a ceremony.

Han Castorp for the first time sees a moribundus, someone near death. His reaction was priceless.

Can I just say? I'm crying on the inside (gross).
This book makes me so happy/sad. It's like listening to the Smiths or graduating from college.
This book answers so many questions I have about the meaning of life, and how that is intrinsically related to time. This element, the element of our experience. This book hurt me in its beginning and I gave up on it. Boy am I glad I picked it back up.
Only I know my pain.