Maus: Exploring Trauma and Memory in Spiegelman's Graphic Novel

This essay provides a detailed analysis of Art Spiegelman's graphic novel Maus, exploring its key themes, characters, and narrative techniques. The analysis covers various aspects of the story, including Vladek's experiences during the Holocaust, the impact of trauma on his personality, and the complex relationship between Art and his father. It examines specific scenes and dialogues, such as the hanging girls, Francoise's observation about Vladek's survival, Vladek's racism, and the significance of Anja's visit to the Gypsy. The essay also discusses the author's choices in representing characters as animals and the effects of including family photographs. The analysis concludes by reflecting on the overall impact of Maus and its unique approach to portraying the Holocaust through a comic medium, highlighting its strengths and personal appreciation for the work.

Running head: MAUS
MAUS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Chapter 3 1. On page 239, why are the girls hung in Auschwitz shown on the road
Vladek, Art, and Francoise are driving on?
With reference to the Art Spegelman’s Maus, Spiegelman elaborates and explains the girls’s
feet and legs that were hanging down form the top of the panel while Art, Vladek and
Francois drives away. Following it, it is revealed that Spiegelman involves the picture in
order to reflect that the horrors of what Vladek experienced during the days when he was a
victim of Holocaust, are always going to stay with him. Thereby, in the comic version,
Spiegelman indroduces the story of prisoners that explains how they blew up the
crematorium ground and the course of committing murder, that is, they killed three S.S men.
Thereby following it, Vladek answers back, “Yah. For this they all got killed.”. the scenario
will always be a story to Spiegelman, but to Vladek the scene will haunt him forever that he
experiences in the past.
2. What does Francoise mean when she says, "but in some ways he didn't survive"
about Artie’s dad on page 150. Which parts did survive? Which parts did not?
When Vladek was about to complete his errands at the grocery store, Francois who was
waiting for him to get is work done, commented that it’s a miracle that Vladek has happened
to survive the entire scenario, the happenings through which he had to go through during the
time of Holocaust. Artie on the other hand who waited along with Francois, commented "but
in some ways he didn't survive". Following to it, he meant that there are certain parts of
Vladek that were transformed irrevocably during the war. It reveals that he almost he lost all
his extended families almost. It is observed in case of Anja’s as well. However, it is revealed
that Artie does not quite know about Vladek’s life before the war. But it is evidently observed
that he has seen his effects certainly. Valdek throughout his life after war has been frugal
towards the matter of paranoia and thereby he trusts nobody. Though he has managed to

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survive the war yet he could not managed to preserve his happiness and the sense of
optimism. Thereby, the time when Francois comments, Vladek narrated the horrific details
and the unimaginable experiences that reverberates beyond the explanations by using mere
words.
. How can Vladek be racist against the "shvartser" or colored man, when he went
through so much due to prejudice?
It has been evidently seen that Vladek was racist against other people despite himself being
brutally treated for his own race. It is to mention that one of the most itresting fact that t=has
been revealed in the Speigelman’s Maus, is that Vladek who has happened to survive or the
one who has managed to escape from the horrors of the Holocaust, is himself a racist. It is
evidently noticed when Francois meets the African- American hitchhiker and picks him up on
their ways back to home from the grocery store. Following to the instance, Vladek appears to
be angry as they have let a shvartser into their car and the fact that he spends his entire time
in checking whether his groceries are safe with him. He had an idea that the people belonging
to African – American might have the habit of stealing things. Thereby, in this context,
Spiegelman suggests that the idea of race is only an artifice and underneath the masks every
individual is essentially the same.
Chapter 4
4. Do you think Vladek's survival is pure luck or resourcefulness?
As per my opinion, I feel that Vladek’s escape is an act of absolute pure luck even though he
had skills to learn quickly that he certainly have utilized in finding ways to escape. With the
skills of fixing shoes, that he learnt from one of the show makers, whom he met in the
barracks of Auschwitz. Vladek pays him to fix a shoe, while he watched him fixing it.
Through his observance, Vladek learns the skills of fixing shoes. Yet his luck has favoured

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him in his escape. Through his learning skills Vladek , happens to reunite with Anja and the
fact that they both had survived the Holocaust. Thereby, it is to mention that luck and skills
equally played essential roles. And because of that, Vladek was able to get through the
horrific experience of Holocaust.
5. What effect do you think Art was trying to achieve by including the photographs near
the end of chapter 4 (pp. 274-276)?
Chapter 4 ends with a powerful scene in which Vladek reveals his ad Anja’s family
photographs to his son. Through the photos, it is revealed that most of the family members
died in the Holocaust. It is evident enough that the Holocaust ruined almost his entire family
and all he is left now with is the photographs. The effects of these photographs reverberated
the intense horrific ambience of the Holocaust.
6. How do you think the story would be changed if Art had been able to include
information about Anja’s Holocaust experience?
As per my opinion, Art Spiegelman was himself traumatized by Anja’s suicidals. Thereby, it
would have been a disaster if he added the information regarding Anja’s Holocaust
experience. This is because, Art Spiegelman’s main motive was to convey the facts and the
horrific experiences of the Holocaust through comic version in order to show the real truth
without causing an grave consequences or adverse impact in the psychological state of the
readers’ mind. Thereby, Art uses the character that includes animalistic features that helps to
minimize the intense magnitude of the terror and horror of the experience of Holocaust.
Chapter 5 7. Why did the author name the chapter "second honeymoon "?
“The Second Honeymoon” has two significant meanings that the author utilizes emphatically.
The first meaning refers to the figure of Anja and Vladek, who were reunited during the days
of Holocaust. These two characters happened to survive the horrific experience of the

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Holocaust. It is evidently seen that these two characters embraces each other’s presence in the
full moon and the readers as they simultaneously proceeds with the scenes, they get the sense
of intense relation between Vladek and Anja. The relationship intrigues the reader as they
reunite and the scene reaffirms of their marriage vows provided with the ambience of
perpetual “honey moon period”. The second meaning of the Second Honeymoon refers n
association with Mala. Mala was observed to leave Vladek. However they were back together
later. Vladek was just as cantankerous as ever. But things got changed with the worsening of
the Vladek’s condition. He was no more seen to be fighting with her anymore and the fact
that he resigns her towards whatever she feels to do in order to get some peace. Thereby, the
title relates to the instance of Mala’s return, however they were not happy.
8. Why did Mala get back together with Vladek? What do you think about their
relationship? Do you think that things will go better this time? Explain.
It is observed that Mala leaves Vladek in search of peace. However, later when Vladek falls
ill, Mala happened to return to him. It is evidently revealed that Mala feels sorry for Vladek
that he has no one look upon no one to call. Mal is not trapped within her mixed feelings aand
also the fact that she has to stay with him for the predictable future. Mala comes back with
the burden of guilt, and this can never fix a relationship. Thereby, it is concluded that Mla
feels trapped as she predicts that Vladek cannot depend on his son fully apart from recording
the experiences of his life.
9. On page 293, Anja goes to visit a Gypsy. What do you think was the main reason for
visiting the fortune teller? What does the Gypsy tell Anja? How does it make her feel?
Anja visits the gypsy fortune teller who informs her that Vladek has been sick for days,
however the good thing is that he is alive. Anja further foresees of the birth of another son.
As per my opinion Anja has been suffering from severe depression. Thereby, due to the

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uncertainty of her life she has come to fortuneteller. However, the first thing she knows is
regarding Vladek’s condition. This has reverberated and magnified the past experiences
provided with the fact that she was once with Vladek and has together managed to escape the
Holocaust.
10. On page 294 a real picture of Vladek is shown. What human element does this give
to the story?
Art does not paints the perfect picture of the human being yet he sows the faults and struggles
and triumphs through the animalistic feature that shows the brutal violence of the Holocaust.
11. At the end of the story, Vladek calls Art “Richieu” by accident. What can you infer
from this?
At the end of the story, Vladek calling Art “Richieu” has been projected as a weak point for
Vladek. This is because he was in a condition of losing his mind around that time which
might contend for this mistake, or it could be because he sees Art as he does his first son. It is
by nature revealed that his son is someone who he really cares for and looks as that one
person that never let you down. Reliving his past, it seems that Vladek has revived his old
feelings.
12. Overall, what did you think of Maus? What specific things did you like/dislike about
it?
Maus by Art Spiegelman has been one of my favourite graphic novels. It shares a story in a
unique way that other cannot think of it. Art presents the realistic features through the
utilization of cartoonish way, that is using the feature and appearance of animals that reveals
the comical version. Through such presentation Art successfully magnifies the events in
Vladek’s life more focused.