Full Breakdown
The Complex Legacy of Susan Sontag's Meeting with Thomas Mann
3/15/2026, 9:13:47 AM
The Meeting: A Moment of Awe and Disappointment
In 1947, a fourteen-year-old Susan Sontag, accompanied by her friend Merrill Rodin, sought an audience with the renowned German novelist Thomas Mann at his home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. Sontag, a fervent admirer of Mann's work, particularly his novel "The Magic Mountain," was eager to engage with the literary figure she idolized. They located Mann's address in the phone book and were surprised when he agreed to meet them. However, the encounter proved to be awkward and disappointing, characterized by Sontag's "tongue-tied simplicities" and Mann's "sententious formulas." Reflecting on this experience years later, Sontag described it as one filled with "shame," a sentiment not echoed by Rodin, who recalled feeling more awe than embarrassment.
Diverging Memories: Sontag and Rodin's Perspectives
The recollections of Sontag and Rodin regarding the meeting reveal a divergence in their emotional responses. While Sontag later portrayed the encounter as illicit and shameful in her writing, Rodin, now ninety-five, expressed a sense of pride in being featured in Sontag's narrative. He noted that Sontag described him as "calm, charming, not stupid at all," which he considered high praise. Rodin's daughter, Jenny, also reflected on the pride she felt when reading Sontag's account, highlighting the affectionate terms used to describe her father, such as "dreamboat."
Sontag's Reflection and Literary Exploration
Sontag's engagement with the meeting did not end with her initial disappointment. She revisited the experience in her journal and later crafted a fictionalized account titled "At Thomas Mann’s." These writings, preserved in the Sontag archive at the University of California, Los Angeles, illustrate her ongoing struggle to reconcile the significance of this seemingly trivial encounter. Discrepancies in the accounts of how long they waited outside Mann's house—ranging from fourteen minutes to two hours—further complicate the narrative, as Rodin candidly admitted uncertainty about the details.
Criticism of Sontag's Narrative Choices
Rodin expressed some confusion regarding Sontag's omissions in her retelling, particularly the absence of their mutual friend Gene Marum, who was also present during the visit. This exclusion raises questions about Sontag's narrative choices and her approach to blending fact with fiction. While Rodin found Sontag's piece delightful, he acknowledged the liberties she took in her storytelling.
Conclusion: The Lasting Impact of a Brief Encounter
The meeting between Susan Sontag and Thomas Mann, though brief and marked by disappointment, has left a lasting impact on both their legacies. Sontag's reflections on the encounter reveal her complex relationship with her literary idols and the ways in which personal experiences shape artistic expression. As Rodin's memories and Sontag's writings continue to be examined, they offer valuable insights into the interplay between admiration, reality, and the art of storytelling.
