The Holocaust is an event that has changed the world and is continuing to be studied. In the graphic novel, Maus by Art Spiegelman, Valdec and his family have suffered and are continuing to suffer with the burden of this traumatic event. Art does not paint everyone as perfect human beings, he shows their faults, triumphs, and struggles. He paints an accurate picture of the aftermath of his father and their complicated relationship. The Art Spiegelman’s, Maus, should be Mayor Kevin Faulconer choice for the “One City, One Book” initiative for “Days of Remembrance” due to his use of animals to portray people to dehumanize the characters and addresses the multiple effected generations with detailed accounts before and after the war. Art Spiegelman
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The mice do not have big noses and do not have a preconceived notion about them. In the second volume of the first chapter in, Maus, Françoise says, “But if you’re a mouse, I ought to be a mouse, too. I converted, didn’t I?” (Volume II. Chapter 1. Page 1) This is an example where the lines are blurred when discussing Jews as a race or religion. Art draws Françoise as a mouse because he had the faith and the culture of the Jewish people. This message relates to a large community because it helps them understand that it was not just one type of person who was the victim, although they were all grouped together. The Nazi dehumanized Jewish people, and Art dehumanizes them as mice in this graphic novel. Hitler was so successful killing a large population …show more content…
The events leading up to the Holocaust are just as important to touch on. Most Holocaust stories are only during the time of the war in comparison to Anne Frank. Which in reality, this event in still continuing on today. There might not be actively killing but there is still anti-Semitism and the survivors are still trying to cope. This allows readers to see the struggle that is currently going on. The Holocaust did not just affect survivors, as Art explained, he was affected by it as well. A tragedy like this does not just stop when the war is over. There is a longevity effect that can continue to grandchildren. Art explains his frustration with his relationship with his father, “I mean, I can’t even make any sense out of my relationship with my father … how am I supposed to make sense out of Auschwitz? … of the Holocaust?” (Vol. 2, Chapter 1, Page 4). Valdec was very closed off like many survivors are, it was hard to fully understand what has happened to them and understand the way they are. With a population so large, this idea of longevity can relate to multiple generations. Since most of the population is younger than the survivors, they can connect with Art and the struggle he has
The mice do not have big noses and do not have a preconceived notion about them. In the second volume of the first chapter in, Maus, Françoise says, “But if you’re a mouse, I ought to be a mouse, too. I converted, didn’t I?” (Volume II. Chapter 1. Page 1) This is an example where the lines are blurred when discussing Jews as a race or religion. Art draws Françoise as a mouse because he had the faith and the culture of the Jewish people. This message relates to a large community because it helps them understand that it was not just one type of person who was the victim, although they were all grouped together. The Nazi dehumanized Jewish people, and Art dehumanizes them as mice in this graphic novel. Hitler was so successful killing a large population …show more content…
The events leading up to the Holocaust are just as important to touch on. Most Holocaust stories are only during the time of the war in comparison to Anne Frank. Which in reality, this event in still continuing on today. There might not be actively killing but there is still anti-Semitism and the survivors are still trying to cope. This allows readers to see the struggle that is currently going on. The Holocaust did not just affect survivors, as Art explained, he was affected by it as well. A tragedy like this does not just stop when the war is over. There is a longevity effect that can continue to grandchildren. Art explains his frustration with his relationship with his father, “I mean, I can’t even make any sense out of my relationship with my father … how am I supposed to make sense out of Auschwitz? … of the Holocaust?” (Vol. 2, Chapter 1, Page 4). Valdec was very closed off like many survivors are, it was hard to fully understand what has happened to them and understand the way they are. With a population so large, this idea of longevity can relate to multiple generations. Since most of the population is younger than the survivors, they can connect with Art and the struggle he has