Professional Documents
Culture Documents
survive.”
In Maus, Vladek Spiegelman’s story of sur- this challenging is the visual symbolism
viving the Holocaust is told in tandem with that is most striking about Maus: The Na-
the story of his post-war relationship with zis are cats and the Jews are mice. It
the author of the book, Artie. Although Art would be easy because of this to reduce
Spiegelman emphasises the resourceful- Maus to a cut and dried metaphor about
ness of Vladek to survive and his capacity the evilness of Nazis and the innocence of
to overcome the dreadfulness of feeling the Jews. While there is clearly a strong ele-
abandoned by God (“But here God didn’t ment of this in the graphic novel, we need
come. We were all on our own. p. 189”), to remember that writing this book for
Maus is just as much about surviving life Spiegelman represents a struggle to create
after the Holocaust as it is about experienc- meaning out of both the Holocaust and
ing the Holocaust itself. Art says to his what happened to his father afterwards.
wife, Francoise towards the end to book, Art says to Francoise at one point: “I can’t
“But in some ways he didn’t survive” (p. even make any sense of out my relation-
250). Certainly, for Vladek, the Holocaust ship with my father...How am I supposed
seems to have been an emotionally crip- to make any sense out of Auschwitz?...of
pling experience, reducing him to what Art the holocaust?” (p. 174).
says is a “caricature of the miserly old
jew” (p. 133) who is concerned more with While seeing the Jews as mice and the Na-
“things than people! (as Mala says). The zis as cats is one to make “sense out
need to constantly be resourceful and prag- of...the Holocaust” - there isn’t really any
matic has apparently, for Vladek, over- easy resolutions to the questions of why,
whelmed other - less material - ap- how and what in Maus. Yes, Vladek may
proaches to life. have been emotionally deadened by the
Holocaust and his interactions with his son
But as readers we need to be careful may be a reaction to guilt and grief, but he
about how we might seek to simply the also clearly cares about his son. He also
message of Maus. One thing that makes clearly loves Anja. And on this point, some
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things from the novel remain deliberately
veiled. Why did Anja kill herself? Why was
Art being treated for mental illness just be-
fore her death? How can all of this be
Vladek’s fault?
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Graphic novel language
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Maus as a graphic novel - some basic
vocabulary
Caption
A long shot
A close up
A panel
A gutter
A speech bubble
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words, or actions or feelings are happen-
ing at this exact point and no other. When
there is no border a sense of space or free-
dom is created - that the words, actions or
feelings might link to more than just this
point in time. In the example page shown,
we could say that the panel where Vladek
says “we were happy only to be together”
has no border because it something he
feels is always true about he and Anja (and
certainly something he says later on: “We
were both very happy and live happy,
happy ever after” p. 296).
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doesn’t require much effort, because
what’s depicted in one panel can come al-
most directly after what was in the previ-
ous panel (as occurs in the very first exam-
ple shown at the start of this chapter).
However, sometimes there is a space be-
tween panels - either in terms of place or
time. In the example below, from the end
of Maus, there is a leap in time between
when Vladek goes to sleep and the final
panel of his tomb stone. We are left to won-
In the scene above, we don’t see Tosha ad-
der what happened in between. If we were
minister the poison to the children - we’re
talking about film we would call this ‘edit-
left to fill that blank in ourselves based on
ing’ - how scenes can be cut, or cut from
the image of the small, innocent children
point to a next and create a particular ef-
looking up.
fect. In Maus, Spiegelman can use his gut-
ter editing to a very moving effect.
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The characters
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thetic story about him. As bitter as Art about having had an easier life than they
Spiegelman might be about some of the did” (p. 176). It’s instances like the one Art
attitudes Vladek has, it’s impossible to Spiegelman begins Maus with that leave
judgmentally dismiss someone who has ex- his character in the graphic novel feeling
perienced what Vladek has. Vladek’s final “guilt” about a life that doesn’t involve
words in the story are addressed not to Art starving and watching everyone around
- who he has spent the last few years tell- you die.
ing his stories to his, but his other son who
died in the Holocaust - Richieu. The only Art sees his childhood as characterised
thing we can feel at this - as Art Spiegel- not only with guilt, but also with inferiority.
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205). This second quote is getting closer get to feel that he’s been “fair” in telling
to it. Maus isn’t just about Vladek’s story their story.
but about how Spiegelman feels about
Vladek’s story. The visual medium of the Mala:
graphic novel becomes the perfect founda-
Sometime after Anja’s suicide Vladek re-
tion for exploring the complex nature of
marries to Mala. Their relationship is a com-
Speigelman’s feelings towards his father -
bative one. Vladek complains that she is
and to counter (because Vladek has de-
constantly badgering him to change his
stroyed Anja’s diaries) the fact that Vladek
will to make it more beneficial for her,
is the only voice in the narrative of how he
Mala’s riposte is that he is cheap and mis-
and Anja survived the Holocaust. The me-
erly. “He’s more attached to things than
dium of the graphic novel means that in-
people!” (p. 95), she says.
stead of just words to represent his feel-
ings, Spiegelman can manipulate pictures. Mala shows us that Vladek’s particular
So in the scene with the pscyhologist, emotional pathology impacts more than
Spiegelman’s feelings of inferiority are visu- just Art. Talking to Art about one of her ar-
ally reinforced through his illustration of guments with Vladek about money, she
himself as a child. The surreal, exagger- says, “I feel like I’m in prison” (p. 132). She
ated style of Prisoner On The Hell Planet, feels as if Vladek manipulates her, every
captures in pictures what Spiegelman felt time she argues with him, “he moans like
to be the emotional grotesqueness of the he’s going to have another heart attack”
events surrounding Anja’s suicide - the (p. 132). What’s interesting about this is
fact that it’s in a completely different style how Vladek’s dependency towards Mala
to the rest of the book highlighting how it (the sicker he gets, the more he wants her
stands out on its own in Spiegelman’s per- to look after him) - and the emotional ma-
sonal narrative. nipulation he uses to get what he wants
(and the consequent feeling for Mala that
Maus isn’t a book in which the character of
she is a “prisoner”), mirrors Art’s feeling of
Art finally comes closer to his father or
being a prisoner because of his mother’s
gets closure about the suicide of his
emotional dependency-manipulation to-
mother. He doesn’t stop feeling guilty or in-
wards him. There’s a further link provided
ferior or blaming his father. But he does
between Mala and Anja when Mala says at
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one point that she can see why Anja com- threw tantrums or got in any kind of
mitted suicide. trouble...It was an ideal kid, and I was a
pain in the ass. I couldn’t compete” (p.
Like Vladek, Mala is a survivor of the 175).
camps, but however she has been im-
pacted by that experience, it manifests it- Anja:
self in a different way to Vladek’s response
(“All our friends went through the camps. It’s clear that Anja is an emotionally fragile
Nobody is like him!” p. 133 she says). Mala character that experiences depression. Af-
is a character in the graphic novel that cor- ter giving birth to Richieu she has what ap-
roborates Art’s representation of his father pears to be post-notal depression and she
and provides a parallel for Art’s own experi- goes with Vladek to a sanitarium. Through-
ences with his mother. out the war she remains a character who is
dependent on Vladek and terrified of being
Francoise: left alone. At least that is how her story is
presented in the eyes of Vladek. We know
Art needs characters in the novel that can that Anja kept diaries after the war - and
both help him explore how he feels about Art is desperate to read these diaries to
his father and provide context for those hear the story from her perspective. But
feelings. Art’s conversations with Mala of- Vladek destroyed her diaries after her sui-
fer points of comparison in how she feels cide, claiming “I had too many memories.
and how Art feels about Vladek. Francoise, So I burned them” (p. 161). Art is incredibly
Art’s wife (a Frenchwoman who has con- angry at this and calls Vladek a “mur-
verted to Judaism so is consequently repre- derer!” (p. 161). What he means by this is
sented as a mouse in the graphic novel), unclear. Does he mean that Vladek drove
operates chiefly as a character that Art can Anja to her suicide so was a murderer? Or
reveal his most problematic (and what he does he mean it more metaphorically - that
might feel are shameful) emotions to. He he destroyed her story when he burned
says to her, for example: “When I was a her diaries, so figuratively has murdered
kid I used to think about which of my par- her? It’s this second possible use of mur-
ents I’d let the Nazis take to the ovens if I der that is most likely to be true - because
could only save one of them...” (p. 174) Art uses ‘murder’ figuratively elsewhere.
and that “The photo [of Richieu] never The only reflection we get about Anja from
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Art’s own perspective is the chapter Pris-
oner On The Hell Planet. In this section of
the graphic novel, where people are repre-
sented in caricatured and grotesque form,
Anja is represented as a “bitch” who “tight-
ened the umbilical cord” around Art.
Through her suicide she “murdered” him,
because he is imprisoned with guilt: “the
guilt was overwhelming...They think it’s my
fault” (pgs. 104-105). This guilt and bitter-
ness is compounded by the absence of a
suicide note - something that is com-
mented on several times throughout the
graphic novel.
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Themes
Resourcefulness and surviving: some kind of guilt about having had an eas-
ier life than they did”(p. 176). Spiegelman
Vladek Spiegelman is a resourceful man is frank about his guilt throughout Maus.
whose endurance of the Holocaust stems He guilt at not having endured what his par-
from his philosophy that, “you have to ents had to, his guilt at his mother’s sui-
struggle for life” (p. 124). Art Spiegelman cide, his guilt at the success of Maus that
clearly shows us that he admires his fa- may hold up his father to ridicule. There’s
ther’s pragmatism to survive the war. also his inferiority complexes: That he’s
Vladek’s actions are presented as a mix- not as good as his dead brother (“The
ture of caution, risk taking, endurance and photo [of Richieu] never threw tantrums or
aptitude. But there’s also a calculating and got in any kind of trouble...It was an ideal
cold quality to Vladek’s survival. Even be- kid, and I was a pain in the ass. I couldn’t
fore the war he values pragmatism above compete” (p. 175); that “No matter what I
emotion, saying of Anja, “If she was sick, accomplish, it doesn’t seem like much
then what did I need it [her] for?” (p. 21). compared to surviving Auschwitz” (p. 204);
During the war he sees that there is no and that his father was handier and better
place for sentiment, that no one will save at things than he would ever be.
your life for “nothing”. Resourcefulness
may have helped Vladek survive the Holo- We never see any of this guilt in Vladek for
caust, “But in some ways he didn’t sur- the simple reason that guilt is an admis-
vive” (p. 250). sion that he has somehow done something
wrong. Art’s journeying in the opposite di-
Guilt, inferiority and anxiety: rection. He’s coming from a place where
he always feels he has done the wrong
“I know this is insane,” Art says to Fran-
thing.
coise, “but I somehow wish I had been in
Auschwitz with my parents so I could really
know what they lived through!...I guess it’s
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Telling stories:
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Techniques and motifs
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Holocaust in the background: creates Maus. Both images show that the
Holocaust is enduring and overwhelming
The Holocaust was inescapable for Jews in its impact.
in Europe during World War II and even
once it was over, remained inescapable in
terms of its emotional and psychological
impact. Spiegelman represents how over-
whelming the Holocaust was and is in the
lives of those who experienced it or sur-
vived it through his visual representations
of Holocaust symbols dominating the lan-
scape within panels or being the dominant
background behind panels.
Animal Characterisation:
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But there is another layer to the image of mouse mask. At this time in his life,
mice in Maus and that layer involves a sub- Spiegelman tells us, “Maus was published.
version of ideas. At the beginning of the It was a critical and commercial success”
book, Spiegelman quotes Hitler: “The (p. 201). Despite this success, the fact that
Jews are undoubtedly a race, but they are “In May 1968 my mother killer herself. (She
not human” (p. 10). At the start of Book II left no note.)” (p. 201) inserts itself abruptly
he includes another quote, this time from a into his narrative. Success hasn’t made
1930s German newspaper: “Mickey him happy. Because of the success of the
Mouse is the most miserable ideal ever novel Spiegelman is being bombarded
revealed...that...dirty and filth covered with questions about the “message” of the
vermin...cannot be the ideal type of book and offers of merchanise or film
animal...Away with Jewish brutalization of deals. But what he really wants is “Absolu-
the people! Down with Mickey Mouse!” (p. tion. No...No...I want...my Mommy.” The
164). The Jews as innocent mice, then, mask at this stage of the story doesn’t rep-
subverts Hitler’s notion of them as an inhu- resent a purposeful act of disguise.
man race and further subverts the idea of Spiegelman doesn’t show himself with a
them as “filthy vermin.” It is in fact the cats face mask because he is trying to be some-
- the Nazis - who are brutal and inhuman one else, as his father was back in Sro-
in this story. dula. The mask represents confusion: Why
did my mother commit suicide? Was it my
Masks: fault? Why do I feel guilty? How can I
move on? Who am I?
Characters wear masks at two different
points in the story. Before Vladek and Anja Dying faces, dead faces, hanging and
were captured and sent to Auschwitz, they
dead bodies:
were able to avoid being caught in Srodula
by disguising themselves as Poles. In The dreadfulness of the Holocaust is rein-
Maus, in order to do this, they don pig forced throughout Maus by Spiegelman’s
masks. Masks at this point are a functional graphic representations of the dead and
way to avoid detection by pretending to be dying. Hanging bodies are used at a num-
someone else. At the start of the second ber of points with particular haunting ef-
chapter of Book II Speigelman draws him- fect. They evoke within us feelings about
self as a human character wearing a the dehumanisation of Jews (their bodies
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were left to hang like carcasses) and their desperation. The image evokes within the
powerlessness. reader a picture of the horrors of suffering
of the Holocaust that is indelible.
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Essay topics
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Quotes
Vladek: If you lock them together in a room Art: Besides, it’s getting late. I oughta get
with no food for a week...Then you could home before ‘curfew’! p. 69
see what it is, friends! p. 6
Vladek: Such an old shabby coat. It’s a
Adolf Hitler: The Jews are undoubtedly a shame my son would wear such a coat! p.
race, but they are not human. p. 10 71
Vladek: If she was sick, then what did I Vladek: Such a paper could be useful to
need it [her] for? p. 21 have. p. 79
Art: I want to tell YOUR story, the way it Vladek: Of course I old said I got half what
really happened. p. 25 I really made. Otherwise they wouldn’t
save anything. p. 79
Vladek: I told her Anja, if you want me you
have to go my way...p. 31 Vladek: He survived me my life that time.
p. 82
Vladek: Look now what you made me do!
p. 32 Vladek: But his son remained alive; ours
did not. p. 83
Vladek: And then he just left me...He went
somewhere away to give lectures on the Vladek (about Anja’s parents): He wrote
television. p. 41 that we had to give over the grandparents.
Even if they took only him away now, next
Vladek: Yes! So it has to be. Always you they would grab his wife, and then the rest
must eat all what is on your plate. p. 45 of his family. p. 89
Vladek: Why do you cry my boy? I’m your Vladek: And those on the bad side never
father! p. 68 came on any more. p. 93
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Mala: He’s more attached to things than Art: In some ways he’s just like the racist
people! p. 95 caricature of the miserly old jew. p. 133
Art: He loved showing off how handy he Vladek: What you think? Someone will risk
was...And proving that anything I did was their life for nothing? p. 144
all wrong. p. 99
Vladek: We knew the stories - that they will
Art: One reason I became an artist was gas us and throw us in the ovens. This was
that he thought it was impractical...it was 1944...We knew everything. And here we
an area where I wouldn’t have to compete were. p. 159
with him. p. 99
Art: God damn you! You - you murderer!
Art: I was expected to comfort him! p. 103 How the hell could you do such a thing! p.
161
Art: They think it’s my fault! p. 105
German Newspaper Article: Mickey Mouse
Vladek: So the Germans swinged them by is the most miserable ideal ever
the legs against a wall...And they never revealed...that...dirty and filth covered
anymore screamed. p. 110. vermin...cannot be the ideal type of
animal...Away with Jewish brutalization of
Vladek: Why are his eyes still open?
the people! Down with Mickey Mouse! p.
Other Jew: He was struggling to survive. p. 164
119
Art: I can’t even make any sense of out my
Vladek: But you have to struggle for life. p. relationship with my father...How am I sup-
124 posed to make any sense out of
Auschwitz?...of the holocaust? p. 174
Mala: I feel like I’m in prison. p. 132
Art: When I was a kid I used to think about
Mala: Pragmatic? Cheap!! It causes him which of my parents I’d let the Nazis take
physical pain to part with even a nickel! p. to the ovens if I could only save one of
133 them...p. 174
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Art: The photo [of Richieu] never threw tan- Vladek: And now I thought: “How amazing
trums or got in any kind of trouble...It was it is that a human being reacts the same
an ideal kid, and I was a pain in the ass. I like this neighbours dog.” p. 242
couldn’t compete. p. 175
Art: But in some ways he didn’t survive. p.
Art: I know this is insane, but I somehow 250
wish I had been in Auschwitz with my par-
ents so I could really know what they lived Francoise: That’s outrageous! How can
through!...I guess it’s some kind of guilt you, of all people, be such a racist! p. 259
about having had an easier life than they
Vladek: Anja’s parents, the grandparents,
did. p. 176
her big sister Tosha, little Bibi and our
Vladek: But here God didn’t come. We Richieu...All what is left, it’s the photos. p.
Vladek: Always I was handsome...But with Vladek: But I was strong then not so like
193
Vladek: We were both very happy and live
Art: No matter what I accomplish, it happy, happy ever after. p. 296
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