Maus Cartoon Art Spiegelman

Through the use of minimalism and animals as characters, Art Spiegelman incorporates a unique art style to illustrate his parent’s past during the Holocaust in his graphic novel, Maus. In the beginning of the Book II of Maus, Spiegelman introduces the aftermath of the critical and commercial success of his graphic novel, as well as personal events that occurred after the publication of Book I (Spiegelman, 201). In the opening panels of Auschwitz: Time Flies, the perspective and portrayal of cartoon Art Spiegelman serve to emphasize Spiegelman’s guilty conscience induced by the success of his graphic novel Maus. Spiegelman’s depiction of himself in the opening panels of Auschwitz: Time Flies is the first indication of his inner turmoil and guilt. On page 201, the first few panels focus on Art Spiegelman’s torso - he depicts himself in human form wearing a mouse mask, which covers his shaggy, frazzled hair and his 5-o’clock shadow (201). Although his face remains hidden, cartoon Spiegelman’s body language makes him appear tired and depressed as he slouches over in his chair. His unkempt appearance expresses that, although his …show more content…
Additionally, for the first time in the graphic novel, he draws himself as a human wearing a mouse mask, rather than as a mouse, which is juxtaposed with the mouse corpses displayed in the bottom panel (201). Through this comparison, Spiegelman illustrates that,