Aschenbach was certainly an artist. A very decent one. He had his life planned out, he was very precise and organized. Maybe even a little boring, monotonous. He was a hardworking man, he had this certain motus animi continuus. He was considered a genius. From the beginning, he wanted to become known, to become famous, but his life was empty. He longed for a change of pace, a little action, adventure and unpredictability of what might happen. He was afraid of "escaping", but he was also afraid of being trapped. Then he goes to Venice, where everything will change. In his hotel, he sees a young boy who fascinates him. The young boy is the perfect image of a happy, idle child who has everything he wants, everything Aschenbach never had; his childhood was rather dark since it was spent mainly at home and indoors, he did not meet many people and he certainly never had that letting go that the young boy so obviously possessed. Aschenbach studied the child and discovered his name was Tadzio. The sound of his name was almost musical. Aschenbach would sit on the beach and watch him play, the young child who, in his eyes, resembled the god Apollo. Slowly but surely, he becomes obsessed with Tadzio, with his youth, his beauty, his lightness and his idleness. While being obsessed with this young boy with whom Aschenbach has no connection or relationship, illness is brewing around him. The plague sweeps through Venice, unnoticed at first and denied by the Venetians. They all lie, deny and act to ensure the tourism sector continues to thrive during this time of silent unrest. People are dying around Aschenbach, while he is alive in the midst of death. If he had been wise, he would have left as soon as he began to consider that there was indeed a plague in Venice. Yet he couldn't leave. He was so attracted to Tadzio that he couldn't force himself to leave. After he finally makes the decision to leave the miserable place of contagion, his bags disappear, giving him the opportunity he unconsciously desired; stay longer for a cause. Even once his luggage is returned, he has no intention of trying to leave. Instead, he stays close to Tadzio, with whom he believes he has a connection.