Art Spiegelman's Maus

I read Maus by Art Spiegelman in my 10^th grade English class. Before then I had never even heard of graphic novels and I thought comic books were only about superheroes. This reaction is perhaps what other students may initially have but I’m sure after just a few pages of Maus they would change their opinion just like I did.

Maus really pulls the reader in and makes them empathize with its characters. Reading it this time, I really appreciated how Spiegelman shows the lasting effects of the Holocaust experience. Because this graphic novel is written about his own life readers feel closer. Also, the fact that is a frame story, readers can connect with it as if Vladek was telling them the story. He depicts his own relationship with his father and the relationship between his father Vladek, and his second wife, Mala were strained because of Vladek by psychological wounds he bears. first wife, Anja, was so traumatized by her experiences that she committed suicide. The reader also sympathizes with Art because we really see how his parents’ sufferings directly affect him too. His It is important to see that events such as wars and the Holocaust tear people down so much that it lasts for generations.

This novel also does a wonderful job of illustrating how the rise of intolerance can lead to such a horrific event. Vladek and Anja being Polish Jews feel small incidents of discrimination at first and then grow and become unbearable. This is an important message to students that perpetuating any type of prejudice hurts people and allows for the chance that it will intensify to extremes.

I also really appreciate the illustrations. They are simple, black and white, but they really express the emotions and sensations of the characters. Also, I always liked that the fact that Spiegelman chose to use mice and cats to represent the Jews and Germans. I think it really depicts the aggression Nazis had against the powerless Jewish people.

Overall I think this is a great work to use in the classroom because it allows students to continue learning about the Holocaust in a new way, probably different to anything they’ve experienced before.

Thanks!