Mario and the Magician
Thomas Mann
 During the first half of the story, the narrator describes a trip to Torre di Venere, Italy, which becomes unpleasant for him and his family. He feels the Italian people are too nationalistic. The second half of the story introduces the character Cipolla, a hypnotist who uses his mental powers in a "fascist" way to control his audience. Cipolla may well represent the mesmerizing power of authoritarian leaders in Europe at the time —he is autocratic, misuses power, and subjugates the masses in an attempt to counterbalance his inferiority complex by artificially boosting his self-confidence. Cipolla's assassination by Mario, a native of Torre di Venere, is not a tragedy but a liberation for the audience.