MAUS

Although I went into reading this book knowing that it was a graphic novel about the Holocaust, I really could not fathom how that was going to play out. I wondered if the seriousness of the event would be dampened or if it would be some sort of dark comedy. The book is definitely not a comedy and never makes light of its tragic subject. Maus was generally a critical success and won many awards including the 1992 Pulitzer Prize.

I have to admit that this was my first graphic novel. Being a virgin, I did find that I primarily focused on the words rather than the pictures. I had to train myself to take the drawings into account. I eventually was able to read it effortlessly the way I believe it was intended.

Maus’ author, Art Spiegelman, has received a some criticism over the way is father is portrayed. There has also been much discussion over the use of animals to portray humans and more specifically which animals are used to depict particular races. I did not find this to be a stumbling block. In fact, I believe it adds character to the story and plays directly into the theme “no one escapes unscathed.”

The novel is dealing with a complex set of issues and is as forthright as it can be. One issue is Art portraying his father’s past through the eyes of his father. Of course this can not be objective. People tend to cut themselves quite a bit of slack. Another issue is Art portraying his father now through his own eyes. What we can glean from this is only the tip of the glacier that is parent child relationships. One can easily see that although his father is demanding and unreasonable in his old age, Art is also resistant to his father’s complaints and agenda and has his own objectives.

Arthur’s father is a victim that turns into a very difficult adult. It is easy to see so many of his issues are directly related to what he has been through. One can easily see how living through a monumental tragedy like a concentration camp scars you. The couple, though they survived, did not escape unscathed.