Entry #16
13. At first Aschenbach is frightened about the cholera and immediately thinks of telling Tadzio’s mother about the illness that has struck Venice, but decides not to tell the Polish family so that he and Tadzio would have some adventures together in chaos and disorder.
14. Aschenbach’s dream about the people worshipping a “Stranger god” relates to the rest of the book by telling us the apollonian in him is being forced down the gutter and into the garbage, it is the transition to Dionysian life style for Gustav and Tadzio being his apollonian god of beauty and art becomes Dionysian its self in the way Aschenbach worships him uncontrollably, unceasingly.
15. Gustav lets the barber convince him to dye his hair and put make up on his face to look younger and more attractive as well as put on new clothing, he reminds me of the young man that wore a wig on the boat ride to Venice.
16. I believe Tadzio is aware of Gustav’s infatuation because at one point they held a gaze and the boy smiled “narcissistically” back at Gustav, and the boy’s mother even noticed the way he was stalking the boy everywhere they went and showing that obsession the boy had to know.
17. Apollonian versus Dionysian Tadzio (Dionysian) and Jashu (Apollonian) get into a scuffle that’s Gustav’s repressed Dionysian coming out victorious and messenger of death for Gustav.
18. Gustav Von Aschenbach was the sick one repressing his creative side also known as his Dionysian side, and when he tried so hard to repress it then at one time in the story he let his guard down and was impressed at the sight of Tadzio and from then on he kept having day dreams and visions. His death was caused by the beach ball theory he tried to keep the ball underwater when he pushed it down but it popped back up with force and that’s what killed him. As for the significant city of “Venice” It was where Gustav let down his guard, and it’s the midpoint between Asia and Europe and I think it represents the...