La Tonya Jordan’s Reviews > The Magic Mountain > Status Update

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A city, a state, a social community organized around the division of labor was not merely comparable to organic life, it repeated it.

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As long as one spoke of living entities, and discussion of elemental units was dishonest, because the concept of an entity carried with it, ad infinitum, the concept of the subordinate, organizing unit. There was no such thing as elemental life - that is, something that was both already life and yet elemental.

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He was delighted to see it, for he now realized that his relationship to the femur, and to organic nature in general, was threefold; lyric, medical, and technical.

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No matter what the weather, winter was always in view, if only at a distance - remnants and traces of snow lay glistening in crevices and fissures of the craggy Rhatikon chain that seemed to block the entrance to the valley, and a constant snowy salute came from mountain majesties far to the south.

She had 'management' refund her the ten francs and add the sum to Frau Iltis's bill.

I enjoyed reading this section. Looking up all the technical words, and knowing how to pronounce them, on the anatomy and knowing the meaning was fascinating for me.You can sense Hans Castorp excitement and understanding how the human body, cells, and functions operate together to form a life and keep you living. He linked it to a 'social community organized around the division of labor'. Difficult reading- worth it.

Chapter 5 Part Research

Hans Castorp has sat on his balcony reading books on anatomy, physiology, sexual reproduction, the evolution of man, functions of the body, and caused himself to fantasize himself being held by a voluptuous woman in his sleep. He purchased these books to own them instead of borrowing them from Brehens. This has become his new obsession.

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Joachim, too, after first gazing at his cousin in astonishment, hastened to assure the director that it would indeed be very kind of him.

Both Behrens and Joachim looked at him to see if he was not ashamed of himself for those impromptu babblings.

Among lower animals there is no differentiation whatever between central and peripheral - they smell and taste with their skin.

Humaniora - Hans Castrop and Joachim Ziemssen are invited into Director Behrens home to look at his art exhibit. Director Behrens likes to paint. He paints Alpine landscapes and diary sheds, floral arrangements, local mountain folk, and portraits. Behrens and Castrop talk about anatomy and medical science including the skin, and other parts of the body. Behren had Chauchat portrait. Hans carried it around with him.

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Nothing is more painful than when our organic, animal component prevents us from serving the cause of reason.

"Then you are more cautious about yourself than you are about other people. You did not go to Barcelona against your doctor's orders. Fearing death, you stayed here."

Encyclopedia - Herr Settembrini is part of the 'International League for the Organization of Progress.' He will be writing the literature volumes. Hans Castorp is not sure understands the purpose of this group.

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Working from Darwin's theory of evolution, the League for the Organization of Progress advances the philosophical viewpoint that humankind's innermost natural purpose is its own self-perfection.