essay questions about maus

80 Maus Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best maus topic ideas & essay examples, ⭐ interesting topics to write about maus, ✅ simple & easy maus essay titles, ❓ maus essay questions.

• Guilt in “Maus: A Survivor’s Tale” by Art Spiegelman Maus, through the comic, explains the Holocaust through his father’s experience, and we see that it was not an easy place to come out because of the horrors and mistreatment in the concentration camps.
• Emotional and Ethical Appeal in Art Spiegelman’s “Maus” He writes Maus, a nonfictional book, to describe the horror that the Jews were subjected to during the Holocaust through the narration of his father.
• Rhetorical Awareness in the First Chapters of “Maus” by Spiegelman Once again, adding this scene demonstrates Spiegelman’s awareness that most of his audience would not have a direct and personal connection to the Holocaust.
• A Survivor’s Tale: “Maus” by Spiegelman This desire to recall the good old days proves that the victims of the war prefer to remember the pleasant times.
• Maus: A Survivor’s Tale My Father Bleeds History Art Spiegelman magnificently links the past and the present graphically to narrate his father’s surviving the Holocaust and his relations with the father.
• Art Spiegelman’s Graphic Novel “Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale”: Author’s Understanding of the Holocaust Spiegelman uses mice to represent Jews because of the oppression they experienced while in Hitler’s concentration camps. The mistreatment the Jews experienced is similar to what mice experience in the presence of cats.
• “Maus” and “Maus II” Stories by Art Spiegelman The short stories Maus and Maus II by Art Spiegelman are the examples of the innovative, not traditional approach to the topic of the Holocaust.
• Armenian Genocide and Spiegelman’s “Maus” Novel Tracing the similarities between the Holocaust and the Armenian Genocide is important to the discussion of Maus as a literary piece.
• “Maus: A Survivor’s Tale” a Novel by Art Spiegelman Intertwined throughout the story is the turbulent and pragmatic relationship between Art and his elderly father. This was the root of the overwrought relationship that existed between Vladek and his son because he held his […]
• Holocaust in “Maus” Graphic Novel by Art Spiegelman It is quite peculiar that Spiegelman uses only the black-and-white color perhaps, this is another means to emphasize the gloomy atmosphere of the Nazi invasion and the reign of the anti-Semite ideas.
• “The Dew Breaker” and “Maus” Stories Comparison Despite the seeming difference in the details of each of the seven stores, there is the invisible and almost intangible connection between the seven parts of the book.
• Nazi Regime in «Maus» by Art Spiegelman The author describes the life of his father Vladek Spiegelman before the Nazi occupation of Poland, during the Second World War, and the later influence of the Holocaust experiences on his personality.
• Jewish Experience in «Maus» by Art Spiegelman Published in 1991 and written by Art Spiegelman, the MAUS is a book that provides the account of the author’s effort of knowing his Jewish parents’ experience, following the Holocaust as well as their survival […]
• The Long Term Effects of Trauma and the Strange Behaviors of Vladek in “Maus” by Art Spiegelman
• Merging Past and Present in Art Spiegelman’s Complete “Maus” Tales
• Art Spiegelman’s “Maus” and the Afterimages of History
• Traumatic Experiences Change Lifestyles: “Maus” by Art Spiegelman
• “Maus” and the Commandant of Lubizec
• The Holocaust Survivor Testimonies in “Maus” by Art Spiegelman
• “Maus” and the Psychological Effects of the Holocaust
• The Life and Survival Story of Vladek Spiegelman in “Maus I” and “Maus II” by Art Spiegelman
• “Maus” and the Worlds of Reality and Fiction
• Art Spiegelman’s “Maus”: Graphic Art and the Holocaust
• Art Spiegelman’s “Maus”: Prisoner on the Hell
• Art Spiegelman’s Graphic Novel “Maus”: Holocaust and Its Impact on the Survivors and Their Children
• “Maus” and Traplines: Father-Son Relationships Testimonies
• “Maus” and the National Holocaust Museum: Comparing
• Comparison of the Graphic Novels “Maus,” “Persepolis,” “Fun Home,” and “Barefoot Gen”
• “Maus” and the Narrative of the Graphic Novel
• Understanding the Holocaust Through Art Spiegelman’s “Maus”
• Literary and Cinematic Works: “Maus” by Art Spiegelman
• “Maus”: Memory and What It Means
• Art Spiegelman’s “Maus”: Working Through the Trauma of the Holocaust
• Comparing the Similarities and Differences Between the Holocaust Survival Stories in “Maus” and “Night”
• “Maus” and Eden Robinson’s “Monkey Beach” Post Memory
• “Maus” Analysis: Losing Through Surviving
• The Concept of Guilt in the Novel “Maus”
• The Visual Writing Style Features in the Novel “Maus”
• Art Spiegelman’s “Maus”: Depictions of the Holocaust in Popular Art
• Nazi Propaganda and “Maus” by Art Spiegelman
• Art Spiegelman’s “Maus” and the Literary Canon
• The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Spiegelman’s “Maus”: Comparison
• Ethnic Notions, Bamboozled and “Maus”
• Character Analysis for “Maus” by Art Spiegelman
• Art Spiegelman’s “Maus” and Traditionally Comic Books
• The Metaphor and Symbolism in “Maus”
• Anthropomorphic Animals in Art Spiegelman’s Graphic Novel “Maus”
• The Conflict Between Father and Son in “Maus”
• “Maus” Through the Prism of Postmodernism
• Art Spiegelman: Biography, Artist and “Maus”
• “Maus”: Categories, Reproductions, and Interpretations
• Personal, Social, and Cultural Contexts Established by the Frame Story in “Maus”
• Post-modern Techniques in “Maus” by Art Spiegelman
• What Does Anja Spiegelman Feel About the Smuggling Idea in “Maus”?
• Does Artie Feel Guilty in “Maus”?
• What Did You Learn About Humanity From Reading “Maus” and Why?
• What Are the Long-Term Effects of Trauma and the Strange Behaviors of Vladek in “Maus”?
• Why Is “Maus” Black and White?
• Why Did Art Spiegelman Use Animals Instead of Humans in “Maus”?
• Why Is Anja Sent to a Sanitarium in “Maus”?
• What Is the Meaning of the Beard and Skullcap That Vladek’s Father Is Shown Earing in “Maus”?
• Why Would Anja Be Helping a Communist in “Maus”?
• How Is Perseverance Shown in “Maus”?
• Why Does the Tin Shop Foreman Yidl Dislike Vladek in “Maus”?
• What Is the Symbolism in “Maus”?
• Why Do the Germans Hang Nahum Cohn and His Son in “Maus”?
• What Do the Moths Represent in “Maus”?
• How Is Merging Past and Present in Art Spiegelman’s Complete “Maus” Tales?
• What Are the Major Themes in “Maus”?
• What Did the Pigs Represent in “Maus”?
• How Does Vladek’s Father Try to Keep Him Out of the Army in “Maus”?
• Why Is “Maus” Called Maus?
• What Age Is “Maus” Appropriate For?
• How Does Present-Day Vladek’s Personality Compare to His Past Self in “Maus”?
• How Did Vladek Change in “Maus”?
• How Is the Conflict Between Father and Son Showed In “Maus”?
• Why Does Vladek Choose Anja Over Lucia in “Maus”?
• How Is Survival a Theme in “Maus”?
• What Are the Psychological Effects of the Holocaust Described in “Maus”?
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Essays on Maus

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Analysis of Father-son Relationship in Maus

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The Use of Visual Narrative and Formal Structure in Maus: a Survivors Tale by Art Spiegelman

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The Means of Stylistics Used and Their Influence on The Text in Maus

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1991, Art Spiegelman

Comics, Novel, Graphic novel, Comic book, Biography

Vladek Spiegelman, Art Spiegelman, Anja Spiegelman, Mandelbaum, Mala Spiegelman, Françoise Mouly

"Maus" is a graphic novel written by Art Spiegelman and is based on the experiences of his father, Vladek Spiegelman, a Holocaust survivor. The novel is a unique and poignant exploration of the Holocaust, using the medium of comic art to depict the harrowing events. Inspired by his father's firsthand accounts, Art Spiegelman tells the story of Vladek's life during World War II, including his time in Auschwitz concentration camp and his struggles to survive and protect his family. "Maus" stands out for its innovative portrayal of the characters as anthropomorphic animals, with Jews depicted as mice and Nazis as cats. This metaphorical representation adds depth to the narrative, allowing readers to engage with the story on multiple levels.

The story begins with Art's attempts to understand his father's past and the impact it has had on their relationship. Vladek shares his harrowing journey, from the rise of anti-Semitism in Poland to the Nazi occupation, the horrors of Auschwitz, and his eventual liberation. Throughout the novel, Art grapples with the weight of his father's story and the responsibility of representing it truthfully. The narrative not only explores the brutality and dehumanization of the Holocaust but also delves into the complex dynamics between father and son, the trauma of survivors, and the challenges of memory and storytelling.

"Maus" is primarily set in two distinct time periods: the present-day 1970s in New York City and the past during World War II in Poland and various concentration camps. In the present, the story takes place in the urban landscape of New York City, depicting the everyday lives of Art Spiegelman and his father, Vladek. The city serves as a backdrop for Art's interviews with his father, as well as their interactions and struggles in dealing with the lingering effects of the Holocaust. The past setting of the narrative is situated in Poland during the rise of Nazi Germany and the subsequent occupation. It portrays the stark realities of life under Nazi rule, the ghettos, and the horrors of concentration camps such as Auschwitz. The grim and oppressive atmosphere of these settings highlights the extreme circumstances faced by Vladek and countless others during the Holocaust.

One of the primary themes is the trauma and its intergenerational effects. The graphic novel delves into the psychological impact of the Holocaust on both survivors and their children. It portrays the burden of memory, guilt, and the struggle to reconcile personal experiences with the larger historical context. Another significant theme is the power of storytelling and the role of art in representing history. Art Spiegelman employs the medium of comics to convey the complex and emotional story of his father's survival. Through visual imagery and the use of anthropomorphic animals as characters, the narrative challenges traditional depictions of the Holocaust and highlights the capacity of art to engage with difficult subject matter. Additionally, "Maus" explores themes of prejudice, dehumanization, and the consequences of unchecked bigotry. It delves into the ways in which individuals grapple with their identities, navigate social hierarchies, and confront prejudice in a world scarred by the Holocaust.

One prominent literary device is symbolism. Art Spiegelman utilizes anthropomorphic animals to represent different groups of people, with Jews portrayed as mice and Nazis as cats. This metaphorical approach adds depth and complexity to the storytelling, allowing readers to grasp the power dynamics and dehumanization inherent in the Holocaust. For example, the use of mice to represent Jews underscores their vulnerability and prey status in the face of Nazi persecution. Another literary device employed in "Maus" is foreshadowing. Through subtle hints and clues, Spiegelman foreshadows future events, creating suspense and anticipation. An example of this is when Art's father, Vladek, mentions his first wife and children who died during the war, foreshadowing the tragic fate that awaits them. Additionally, the use of flashbacks is a significant literary device in "Maus." The narrative frequently shifts between the present and past, offering glimpses into Vladek's experiences during the Holocaust. These flashbacks provide crucial context, deepen character development, and offer a layered understanding of the historical events. Moreover, the graphic novel format itself is a distinct literary device in "Maus." The combination of visuals and text allows for a unique storytelling experience, providing visual cues and imagery that enhance the emotional impact of the narrative. The illustrations contribute to the overall narrative structure and create a powerful synergy between the words and images.

First and foremost, Art Spiegelman's groundbreaking work revolutionized the graphic novel medium. "Maus" demonstrated the artistic and narrative potential of the graphic format, elevating it from mere entertainment to a serious and respected literary form. Its success opened doors for other graphic novels to explore complex themes and historical events. In terms of Holocaust representation, "Maus" introduced a new perspective by using anthropomorphic animals to depict the characters, reflecting the dehumanization and brutality of the Holocaust itself. This innovative approach challenged traditional portrayals and expanded the possibilities of Holocaust storytelling. Moreover, "Maus" sparked critical discussions about trauma, memory, and the transmission of history. Spiegelman's exploration of his father's experiences as a Holocaust survivor highlighted the intergenerational impact of trauma and the complexities of memory. This prompted a reevaluation of how personal narratives and collective memory shape our understanding of historical events.

1. "Maus" was the first graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize. In 1992, Art Spiegelman's groundbreaking work received the Pulitzer Prize Special Citation, marking a significant moment in the recognition of graphic novels as a legitimate form of literature. 2. "Maus" has been translated into over 30 languages, reaching a global audience and resonating with readers worldwide. Its powerful storytelling and unique visual style have transcended cultural boundaries, making it a universally acclaimed and widely read work.

Maus is an important subject for an essay due to its exceptional contribution to literature and its innovative narrative style. The graphic novel by Art Spiegelman delves into the Holocaust and its aftermath, presenting a poignant and deeply personal account of the author's father's experiences as a survivor. By using anthropomorphic animal characters to represent different groups, Spiegelman creates a powerful metaphorical framework that explores complex themes of identity, trauma, memory, and the impact of historical events on individuals and generations. Writing an essay about Maus provides an opportunity to delve into the unique literary and artistic techniques employed by Spiegelman, such as the use of panels, visual symbolism, and interweaving narratives. It allows for an examination of the graphic novel's impact on the acceptance and recognition of the genre as a form of serious literature. Additionally, an essay on Maus can shed light on the Holocaust's ongoing relevance, the responsibility of memory, and the power of storytelling in confronting historical atrocities. Overall, Maus prompts critical analysis and deep reflection, making it a compelling and important subject for an essay.

"I cannot forget it...tonight, you have made me hate you, and the whole ghetto, because of this ridiculous uniform you're wearing!" "Friends? Your friends...if you lock them together in a room with no food for a week...then you could see what it is, friends!" "I'm tired of hearing about the Holocaust!" "Richieu, my brother, where are you now?" "To die, it's easy...but you have to struggle for life!"

1. Rothberg, M., & Spiegelman, A. (1994). " We Were Talking Jewish": Art Spiegelman's" Maus" as" Holocaust" Production. Contemporary Literature, 35(4), 661-687. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/1208703) 2. Young, J. E. (1998). The Holocaust as Vicarious Past: Art Spiegelman's" Maus" and the Afterimages of History. Critical Inquiry, 24(3), 666-699. (https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/448890?journalCode=ci) 3. Orbán, K. (2007). Trauma and Visuality: Art Spiegelman's Maus and In the Shadow of No Towers. Representations, 97(1), 57-89. (https://online.ucpress.edu/representations/article-abstract/97/1/57/95740/Trauma-and-Visuality-Art-Spiegelman-s-Maus-and-In) 4. Tabachnick, S. E. (1993). Of Maus and memory: the structure of Art Spiegelman's graphic novel of the Holocaust. Word & Image, 9(2), 154-162. (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02666286.1993.10435484) 5. Tabachnick, S. E. (2004). The religious meaning of Art Spiegelman's Maus. Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies, 22(4), 1-13. (https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/17/article/170723/summary) 6. Spiegelman, A. (2008). Maus I & II. Historia de un sobreviviente: Y aquí comenzaron mis problemas. (https://www.tpet.com/content/PHSamples/MausRJs.pdf) 7. Knowles, S. (2015). The postcolonial graphic novel and trauma: From Maus to Malta. Postcolonial traumas: memory, narrative, resistance, 83-96. (https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781137526434_6)

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125 Maus Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Are you struggling to come up with a topic for your Maus essay? Look no further! We have compiled a list of 125 Maus essay topic ideas and examples to help you get started on your assignment. Whether you are analyzing the themes, characters, or symbolism in Art Spiegelman's graphic novel, there is a topic here for you.

• Analyze the use of animals as characters in Maus and what they represent.
• Compare and contrast Art and Vladek's relationship in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of survival in Maus and how it is portrayed throughout the novel.
• Explore the role of memory and trauma in Maus.
• Examine the portrayal of gender roles in Maus.
• Discuss the significance of the comic book format in telling the story of the Holocaust in Maus.
• Analyze the use of color in Maus and what it symbolizes.
• Compare and contrast the different generations depicted in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of guilt and responsibility in Maus.
• Examine the role of religion in Maus and how it shapes the characters' identities.
• Analyze the use of flashbacks in Maus and how they contribute to the storytelling.
• Compare and contrast the portrayal of Jews and Nazis in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of family in Maus and how it is depicted.
• Explore the motif of masks in Maus and what they represent.
• Analyze the role of art and creativity in Maus.
• Compare and contrast the different art styles used in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of dehumanization in Maus.
• Examine the use of humor in Maus and how it adds depth to the storytelling.
• Analyze the portrayal of trauma in Maus.
• Compare and contrast the different perspectives on the Holocaust presented in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of storytelling in Maus and how it shapes the characters' identities.
• Examine the role of history in Maus and how it influences the characters' actions.
• Analyze the use of silence in Maus and how it conveys meaning.
• Compare and contrast the portrayal of love and loss in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of identity in Maus and how it is shaped by the characters' experiences.
• Examine the role of memory in shaping the characters' perceptions in Maus.
• Analyze the use of symbolism in Maus and how it enhances the storytelling.
• Compare and contrast the different forms of resistance depicted in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of trauma and recovery in Maus.
• Examine the role of guilt and forgiveness in Maus and how it shapes the characters' relationships.
• Analyze the portrayal of power and control in Maus.
• Compare and contrast the different forms of oppression depicted in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of survival and resilience in Maus.
• Examine the role of fate and chance in shaping the characters' destinies in Maus.
• Analyze the use of music and sound in Maus and how it enhances the storytelling.
• Compare and contrast the different forms of communication depicted in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of memory and forgetting in Maus.
• Examine the role of family and community in shaping the characters' identities in Maus.
• Analyze the use of food and hunger in Maus and what they symbolize.
• Compare and contrast the different forms of violence depicted in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of friendship and betrayal in Maus.
• Examine the role of art and creativity in resistance in Maus.
• Analyze the use of technology and media in shaping the characters' perceptions in Maus.
• Compare and contrast the different forms of collaboration depicted in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of justice and revenge in Maus.
• Examine the role of memory and imagination in shaping the characters' identities in Maus.
• Analyze the use of dreams and nightmares in Maus and how they convey meaning.
• Compare and contrast the different forms of denial depicted in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of hope and despair in Maus.
• Examine the role of memory and forgetting in shaping the characters' perceptions in Maus.
• Analyze the use of rituals and traditions in Maus and what they symbolize.
• Compare and contrast the different forms of trauma depicted in Maus.
• Discuss the theme of resistance and collaboration in Maus.
• Examine the role of memory and imagination in shaping the characters' destinies in Maus.
• Compare and contrast the different forms of power and control depicted in Maus.
• Compare and contrast the different forms of power and control depicted

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Best maus discussion questions

Home » Questions » Best maus discussion questions

Maus, a graphic novel by Art Spiegelman, is a powerful and thought-provoking work that explores the Holocaust through the eyes of the author’s father, Vladek. The book has garnered critical acclaim and is often studied in schools and universities. To delve deeper into the themes and messages of Maus, discussion questions can be incredibly helpful. These questions encourage readers to reflect on the story, its characters, and the historical context. In this article, we have compiled a list of 40 Maus discussion questions to facilitate meaningful conversations and analysis.

Before diving into the questions, it is important to note that Maus is a poignant and sensitive piece of literature. The Holocaust is a tragic event in history, and discussing it requires empathy and respect. These questions are designed to foster understanding and provoke thoughtful responses, but it is crucial to approach the topic with sensitivity.

Now, let’s explore the Maus discussion questions that will help you engage with the novel on a deeper level:

See these Maus discussion questions

• How does the use of animals as characters contribute to the storytelling in Maus?
• What impact does the graphic novel format have on the reader’s experience?
• How does the portrayal of Vladek change throughout the book?
• Discuss the role of guilt in Maus and its effect on the characters.
• What do you think Spiegelman’s purpose was in including his own story alongside his father’s?
• What are the similarities and differences between Art and Vladek as characters?
• How does the use of black and white imagery contribute to the overall tone of the graphic novel?
• Discuss the relationship between Art and his wife, Francoise, and how it is depicted in Maus.
• What is the significance of the recurring image of masks and disguises in the book?
• How does Maus challenge traditional notions of storytelling and memoir?
• Discuss the role of memory and its reliability in Maus.
• What does the character of Anja represent in the story?
• Examine the theme of survival in Maus and how it is portrayed.
• Discuss the impact of Vladek’s experiences during the Holocaust on his relationships.
• What does the use of different languages in the dialogue represent?
• How does Maus explore the concept of identity?
• Discuss the significance of the book’s title, Maus, and its multiple meanings.
• What does the portrayal of Nazis as cats and Jews as mice symbolize?
• Examine the role of art itself in Maus and its connection to memory and storytelling.
• Discuss the impact of trauma on the characters in the novel.
• What does the character of Mala represent in the story?
• How does the theme of father-son relationships manifest in Maus?
• Discuss the portrayal of women in the graphic novel.
• What is the significance of the comic-within-a-comic, “Prisoner on the Hell Planet”?
• Examine the theme of responsibility in Maus and how it is portrayed.
• Discuss the impact of historical events on personal lives in the novel.
• What does the use of anthropomorphism contribute to the narrative?
• How does Maus challenge the traditional boundaries of literature and art?
• Discuss the role of silence and absence in the story.
• What does the character of Richieu represent in Maus?
• Examine the theme of generational trauma and its effects on the characters.
• Discuss the significance of the book’s cover art and its symbolism.
• What does the portrayal of the Holocaust’s aftermath reveal?
• How does Maus explore the theme of betrayal?
• Discuss the impact of Vladek’s frugality on his relationships.
• What does the use of panels and page layout contribute to the storytelling?
• Examine the theme of storytelling itself in Maus.
• Discuss the portrayal of guilt and forgiveness in the graphic novel.
• What does the character of Pavel represent in the story?
• How does Maus depict the dehumanization of Jews during the Holocaust?
• Discuss the use of metaphor and symbolism in the graphic novel.
• What does the portrayal of the Holocaust survivors’ guilt reveal?
• Examine the theme of family and its complexities in Maus.
• Discuss the impact of Vladek’s survival instincts on his relationships.
• What does the use of color symbolism represent in the book?

These Maus discussion questions provide a starting point for exploring the many layers of the graphic novel. By engaging in thoughtful conversations, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the Holocaust, the power of storytelling, and the complexities of human relationships.

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Discussion Questions

Why does Spiegelman use animals to represent the people of Maus ? Explain why he chooses certain animals to represent different nationalities and ethnic groups. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this choice?

Spiegelman begins Maus with the story of his parents’ courtship against Vladek’s wishes. What are Art’s and Vladek’s perspectives on this issue? Why is it important to detail their life before the war?

How do the present-day interactions between Art and Vladek influence the narrative? How does growing up with Holocaust survivors affect Art, and what story elements does he struggle with depicting?

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World War II

Essay and Study Questions for Art Spiegelman, Maus, A Survivor's Tale

Below is a series of questions to guide your reading of the book. you are not supposed to answer all or even most of these questions in your paper (though you may find some to be relevant). the question for your paper is at the bottom of the page., note: english is not the first language of the father (vladek), so he speaks a kind of broken english. his dialogue makes more sense if you think of it being spoken with an eastern european accent., part 1: my father bleeds history, what is the significance of the opening scene of the book, why does the author include the details of his father's personal life why did the father not want him to, what does the story about his mother's conspiratorial activities tell us about pre-war poland, what was vladek's view of hitler initially, why did vladek's father not want him to serve in the military, what happened to vladek in the army, how did his pow experience differ from that of other poles why was he released, what was life like in occupied poland what specific mistreatments did they suffer, why did they show up for inspection, despite suspicions of german motives, why does the author include the reprint of his earlier comic about his mother, what happened to the idea of "family" as the noose tightened on poland's jews, why is vladek so obsessive about money and saving things why does this concern the author, why does the author call his father "murderer" at the end of part 1, part 2: and here my troubles began, why does art feel "presumpuous", why does he bring up his "ghost brother", how did vladek manage to gain certain privileges at auschwitz, what is different about the way art presents himself at the start of ch. 2, what does his survivor friend tell art about the meaning of survival, how did vladek contact and provide for anja, what kind of lessons does vladek draw from his experiences, how does vladek explain the lack of resistance among the jews at auschwitz, what happened as the russian approached the camp, was francoise right about vladek's attitude toward the hitch-hiker, how are the americans represented artistically and why, how does art end the book, and why, paper question, deadline april 21 (1000-1200 words), there are at least two major stories in maus : the "survivor's tale" of vladek, and the author's story of his relationship with his father. what do you think is art spiegelman's main purpose in wrting maus, and why what connection, if any, is there between the stories in the book (be sure in making your argument to quote directly from the entire book. citations may be simple parenthetical notes with the page number.).

by Art Spiegelman

Maus themes, familial guilt.

While on its surface Maus is the story of Vladek Spiegelman 's experiences in the Holocaust, it is also much more. In many ways, the relationship between Vladek and his son is the central narrative in the book, and this narrative deals extensively with feelings of guilt. Of particular relevance in Maus is the guilt that is associated with the members of one's family. The primary types of familial guilt can be divided into three separate categories: 1) Art's feelings of guilt over not being a good son; 2) Art's feelings of guilt over the death of his mother; and 3) Art's feelings of guilt regarding the publication of Maus .

The simplest form of guilt in Maus is Art's guilt over the fact that he thinks he has not been a good son to his father. Right from the first panel of Book I, we are told that the two of them do not get along particularly well, and that they do not see each other often, though they live fairly close by. Art is always on edge around his father, and when they speak it feels as if an argument could break out at any moment. Indeed, arguments often do break out over, for example, Art's dropping cigarette ash on the carpet, or Vladek's revelation that he has burned Anja's diaries from the war. Vladek often asks his son for help with errands around the house, and Art is always loath to comply. One of the most prominent examples of this situation occurs at the beginning of Chapter 5 of Book I, in which Vladek awakens his son early in the morning to ask for help fixing a drain on his roof. Art refuses, later telling his wife that he would rather feel guilty than travel to Queens to help his father. A few weeks later, during Art's next visit to his father, this guilt is painfully obvious, as he immediately asks his father if he needs help with any chores.

Art's feelings of guilt over the death of his mother are also relatively straightforward. As told in the brief "Prisoner on the Hell Planet" interlude in Chapter 5 of Book I, Art feels responsible for his mother's suicide, believing it to be a product of his own neglect. His last memory of his mother - in which she asks him if he still loves her, and he responds with a cold and dismissive "sure" - is a painful reminder of this disregard. Though this particular form of guilt does not play a major role in the story, it is noteworthy in that Art feels somewhat similar feelings of guilt towards his father, who is still alive.

After the first volume of Maus is published in 1986, four years after his father's death in 1982, Art is still consumed with guilt. The publication of Maus has not alleviated these feelings, and in some ways it has made them worse. "My father's ghost still hangs over me," Art says before walking to his appointment with Pavel . Pavel suggests that Art may be feeling remorse for portraying Vladek unfavorably. Pavel also suggests, in an interesting reversal, that perhaps Vladek himself felt guilty for having survived the Holocaust. This form of guilt, "survivor's guilt," is detailed in the next section.

Survivor's Guilt

The second form of guilt found in the pages of Maus is more thematically complex. This guilt, called "survivor's guilt," is the product of both Vladek and Art's relationships with the Holocaust. Much of Maus revolves around this relationship between past and present, and the effects of past events on the lives of those who did not experience them (see below). In the cases of both men, this relationship often manifests itself as guilt.

Though Art was born in Sweden after the end of World War II, both of his parents were survivors of the Holocaust, and the event has affected him deeply. In Chapter One of Book II, as Art and Francoise are driving to the Catskills, Art reflects on this in detail, and Art's relationship with the past is revealed to predominantly take the form of guilt: "Somehow, I wish I had been in Auschwitz with my parents so I could really know what they lived through! I guess it's some form of guilt about having had an easier life than they did."

Vladek, too, appears to feel a deep sense of guilt about having survived the Holocaust. As Art's guilt persists through the late 1980s, five years after the death of his father, he visits his psychiatrist, Pavel, and the two discuss the nature of guilt and what it means to be a Holocaust "survivor." Vladek's survival in the Holocaust was not the consequence of any particular skill, but the result of luck, both good and bad. Pavel turns the idea of guilt on its head by suggesting that Vladek himself actually felt a strong sense of guilt for having survived the Holocaust while so many of his friends and family did not. And perhaps in response, Vladek took this guilt out on Art, the "real survivor," as Pavel calls him. In essence, Vladek's guilt may have been passed down to his son, establishing the foundation for the volumes of guilt that Art now feels towards his family and its history.

Past and Present

Maus consists of two primary narratives: one that takes place in World War II Poland, and the other that takes place in late 1970s/early 1980s New York. The relationship between these two narratives - and more generally between the past and present - is a central theme of the story. The events of the Holocaust continue to influence the life of Vladek, a Holocaust survivor, and reverberate through future generations, ultimately affecting his son, Art.

Many of Vladek's peculiar personality traits can be linked to his experiences in the Holocaust. In 1978, Vladek is stubborn, irritable, and almost comically stingy with his money. His relationship with his second wife, Mala, is strained and seemingly devoid of love. Prior to World War II, however, he exhibits none of these characteristics. He is kind, wealthy, and uncommonly resourceful, and his marriage to Anja is filled with compassion and intimacy. His experiences in the Holocaust undoubtedly played a role in these dramatic personality changes.

Once relatively wealthy, Vladek's survival in German-occupied Poland depended on his ability to hoard and save even the smallest of items, such as the paper wrapper from a piece of cheese, or the cigarettes from his weekly rations. These small items took on enormous importance to Vladek, and even many years later, he feels unable to throw anything away. His stubbornness in 1978 can be explained by the fact that he survived the Holocaust largely because he possessed a remarkable intelligence and resourcefulness that enabled him to acquire the necessary food, supplies, shelter, and protection. Now he is much older, but he still thinks of himself as the same young man who could do everything on his own. He still wants to act accordingly, going to such extremes as climbing onto the roof to fix a leaky drain. Still, as Art notes on a few separate occasions, the Holocaust cannot explain everything about his father: "I used to think the war made him this way," Art reflects to Mala, in Chapter Six of Book I, to which she responds that "all our friends went through the camps; nobody is like him!" Vladek has clearly never fully recovered from the horrors of the Holocaust. This fact is poignantly illustrated by his final words of the story, when he mistakenly calls Art by the name of his first child, who died during the war.

Though Art was born in Sweden after the war and did not experience the Holocaust firsthand, his life has also been deeply affected by these unspeakable events. To begin with, Art is directly affected by secondary "aftershocks" of the Holocaust, in that Vladek's personality and parenting style were clearly influenced by these events, and Art's personality and lifestyle choices were in turn clearly guided by his father's personality and parenting style. Art describes a specific instance of this transmission to his wife:

[Vladek] loved showing off how handy he was... and proving that anything I did was all wrong. He made me completely neurotic about fixing stuff...One reason I became an artist was...it was an area where I wouldn't have to compete with him.

Art is also affected by the past in less direct ways. To begin with, he feels almost completely consumed by the horrible specter of the Holocaust. As a child, he sometimes fantasized that the showers in his house would spew gas instead of water, and he would often ask himself which parent he would save if he could have only saved one from Auschwitz (he usually picked his mother). In many ways, he feels guilty about the fact that his parents were forced to live through Auschwitz, whereas he was born after it ended, into a far more comfortable and easy life.

The relationships between past and present are often illustrated graphically within the context of the story. The most vivid representation of this concept occurs at the beginning of Chapter Two of Book II, in which Art is sitting at his drawing board above a sprawling pile of dead and emaciated Jewish mice.

The primary motivation amongst Jews in the Holocaust is survival. Vladek sums up the process succinctly while consoling his wife after the death of his first son, Richieu: "to die, it's easy...but you have to struggle for life." Vladek's experiences in the Holocaust represent a constant struggle to survive, first as his factory and income are taken away, then as the Jews are sent into the ghettos, and ultimately in the nightmare of Auschwitz. And as the struggle intensifies, the will to survive begins to break the strong bonds of family, friendship, and a common Jewish identity.

In the initial stages of German occupation, these measures are relatively small - buying food on the black market, for example - and strengthened by strong family ties, a unified Jewish identity, and even altruism. When Vladek arrives home from the prisoner of war camp, for example, an old business acquaintance, Mr. Ilzecki , helps him earn money and acquire the proper work papers that will allow him to walk the streets in relative safety. As the situation continues to deteriorate, however, Vladek, his family, and his friends are forced to resort to increasingly extreme measures in order to survive. Here, the bonds of Jewish identity begin to break under the pressing instinct to survive. The first sign of this comes in the form of Jews serving on a Jewish Police force, like the ones who came to Vladek's apartment to escort his wife's grandparents to the concentration camps. According to Vladek, these Jews thought that by helping the Nazis in taking some of the Jews, perhaps they could help save others - and of course they could also save themselves. Soon after, the bonds of family also begin to break, as illustrated by Vladek's cousin Haskel's refusal to save them from transport to Auschwitz without some form of payment. Though Haskel eventually does help Vladek and Anja escape, he ultimately decides not to help Anja's parents, and they are sent off to their deaths.

The bond between Vladek and Anja remains solid throughout most of the story, as they first hide together in the barns and back rooms of Sosnowiec and are ultimately sent to neighboring concentration camps. In the camps, Vladek and Anja are both preoccupied with their own survival, but Vladek is also able to help his wife by giving her extra food and emotional support. Soon, though, the Russians advance upon Auschwitz and Birkenau, and the couple is unavoidably separated. Vladek is hurried on a long, forced march through snow-covered woods to packed railway cars where there is no food or water for days. In telling this story to his son, Vladek does not mention Anja again until right before their eventual reunification in Sosnowiec. Unable to help those around him, and unable to help his wife, he is left only with his own stubborn will to survive.

The importance of luck is closely related to discussions of survival and guilt (see above). Vladek is blessed with many skills and qualities - including the ability to speak multiple languages - that provide him with opportunities to survive within the confines of Auschwitz. Ultimately, however, Vladek's survival and the survival of all other Holocaust survivors hinges upon luck. On countless occasions throughout Vladek's Holocaust ordeals, his life is spared only by the narrowest of margins: the near-miss bullet at the prisoner-of-war camp in Lublin; the run-in with the Gestapo while carrying ten kilograms of illegal sugar; the night Mrs. Motonowa forces him and Anja out of her house; the case of typhus at Dachau; and many, many other incidents. No matter how resourceful Vladek is, no matter how many languages he knows or jobs he can perform, he cannot ultimately save himself from the horrors of the Holocaust. Rather, the matter of his life and death ultimately depends upon a long line of chance outcomes, most of which happen to fall his way. The rest of his family, including his parents and five siblings, are not so lucky. Pavel, Art's psychiatrist, suggests that this idea may have contributed to a strong sense of guilt in Vladek for having survived the Holocaust while so many of his friends and family did not.

Race and Class

Unsurprisingly, given the subject matter, issues of race and class figure heavily in the plot, themes, and structure of Maus . At the most basic level, issues of race play themselves out on the grand scale of the Holocaust, a terrible culmination of senseless racism that is drawn and described in all its brutality and efficiency. But Maus also deals with these issues in other, more subtle ways, through the use of different animal faces to portray different races.

In Maus , Jews are portrayed as mice, while Germans are portrayed as cats. The metaphor of Jews as mice is taken directly from Nazi propaganda, which portrayed the Jews as a kind of vermin to be exterminated. The cat/mouse relationship is also an apt metaphor for the relationship between the Nazis and Jews: the Nazis toyed with the Jews before ultimately killing them.

The decision to portray different races as different kinds of animals has been criticized as over-simplistic and for promoting ethnic stereotypes. Beneath the simple metaphor, however, is an earnest attempt to illustrate the unyielding stratification by class and race that was very much a part of life in World War II-era Poland. Within the pages of Vladek's story, the Jews are rarely seen socializing with the non-Jewish Poles, except in cases where the Poles serve as janitors, governesses, or other household assistants. The idea of stratification and classification is best illustrated by the man in the concentration camp who claims that he is German, not Jewish, and who is ultimately taken aside and killed. When Art asks his father whether the man was really a German, Vladek replies, "who knows...it was German prisoners in there also...But for the Germans this guy was Jewish." There were no shades of gray within the German system of racial classification. Indeed, this middle ground is so rare within the pages of Maus that the only instance of mixed marriage ( Shivek 's brother, who married a German woman) comes as quite a shock, especially when we see their children, who are drawn as cat/mouse hybrids.

This, however, is not the only form of racism that exists within the pages of Maus . One of the most interesting aspects of the story is the fact that Vladek, who survived the horrors of the Holocaust, is himself a racist. When Francoise picks up an African-American hitchhiker on their way back from the grocery store, Vladek can hardly contain his anger that she has let a "shvartser" into the car and spends the whole ride home watching his groceries to make sure they aren't stolen. This episode serves as a reminder that the racism of the Holocaust survives in other forms to this day.

Just as the animal metaphor is an attempt to explain an existing social stratification, other aspects of the story seem to suggest that this stratification is a manufactured illusion. This is most clearly illustrated in opening pages of Chapter Two of Book II, which take place after the publication of the first book of Maus . In this narrative, Art Spiegelman is clearly having doubts about the animal metaphors that form the backbone of the story. Here, people are still characterized by animals based on race, but these characterizations are now clearly only masks that have been tied to their heads with a bit of string. Thus the idea of race is only an artifice, Spiegelman suggests, and underneath the masks we are all essentially the same.

MAUS Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for MAUS is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Page 32, “Right away, we went.” Where are Vladek and Anja going and why?

Right away, we went. The sanitarium was inside Czechoslovakia, one of the most expensive and beautiful in the world.

Anja, Vladek's wife and Spiegelman's mother, went to a sanatorium in Czechoslovakia in 1938.

Vladek wants to go to Hungary in order to escape the danger and uncertainty of his life, as well as Anja's. Hungary represents hope and safety.

The visual device used to show the difference betweem Vladek and Anja is that Anja has a tail protruding from under her coat, a detail that emphasizes her Jewish identity.

Study Guide for MAUS

MAUS study guide contains a biography of Art Spiegelman, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• MAUS Summary
• Character List

Essays for MAUS

MAUS essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of MAUS by Art Spiegelman.

• Stylistic Detail of MAUS and Its Effect on Reader Attachment
• Using Animals to Divide: Illustrated Allegory in Maus and Terrible Things
• Father-Son Conflict in MAUS
• Anthropomorphism and Race in Maus
• A Postmodernist Reading of Spiegelman's Maus

Lesson Plan for MAUS

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to MAUS
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• MAUS Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for MAUS

• Introduction