The first Character that Hans interacts with on the mountain that starts his growth in becoming more educated is his cousin, Joachim Ziemssen. Joachim has started Hans's growth of knowledge by inviting him to stay up on the mountain with him. In doing so he opens Hans's mind and soul to a world he was previously unfamiliar with. Joachim is of strong character, a soldier of the army. He lets Hans into the world of disease knowing it might be unsafe for him. Being a soldier, Joachim is strong and anxious to get better and return to his military duties. Being unsure of this new place Joachim has Hans feeling somewhat comfortable.

A different character in the book that inspires and educates Hans is Mynheer Peeperkorn. Peeperkorn is a Dutchmen, who owns a plantation in Java and accompanies Clavdia when she returns to Davos. He is able to influence Hans with his pure vitality and feeling. He has a huge personality that dominates everyone and everything around him by his life force and hedonistic tendencies, even though he rarely manages to finish a sentence. With his non-verbal communication he is able to draw people like Hans and Clavdia towards him. He inspires Hans mostly by his ability to control people with his powerful personality and communication. In the end, Hans gives up and commits suicide instead of living with the sickness. Because, of the disease Peeperkorn felt that he was powerless and weak. He could not accept his sickness and in turn felt he should committed suicide. I believe Hans learned a lot from peeperkorn's decision to kill himself because, it meant that even a strong, power figure like Peeperkorn has a bigger weakness then one would believe. That weakness is simply loosing that power due to something stronger such as tuberculosis.

Naphta is another friend of Hans who teaches him about his way of life and beliefs. He is an Apostate Jew who constantly opposes Settembrini's optimistic views. Naphta is a pessimist, skeptic who believes in mystics, terror and absolute order. He generally opposes everything about the existing order as a sign of courage and independence, usually arguing that the existing order is not strict or absolute enough. However, Naphta believes in irrational forces and argues for order based on religious or mystical absolutes apart from principles based on human reasoning.

The Magic Mountain a novel of growth has many good character interactions within throughout. Hans the main character is able to

Some common words found in the essay are:
Hans Clavdia, Nevertheless Hans, Settembrini Italian, Apostate Jew, Joachim Hans, Magic Mountain, Ziemssen Joachim, Peeperkorn Dutchmen, Madame Chauchat, Davos Hans, hans's growth, dr behrens, friend hans, grow person, hans deal, stay mountain, skeletal structure, irrational forces, educates hans, hans clavdia,
Approximate Word count = 1242
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)