Hemna Hypothesized

  Maus is literature not like any other. I thought I knew a lot about the holocaust but his comic proved me wrong. Maus demonstrated how art is a form of human expression that is difficult to censor as it showcases the brutal treatment of Jewish people in various ways and highlights the importance of not forgetting history. In Maus: Volume II a reporter says “Many younger Germans have had it up to HERE with Holocaust stories. These things happened before they were even born. Why should THEY feel guilty” (42), something many Western news outlets say regarding the Palestinian genocide. Art Spiegelman showcases why we must never forget the Holocaust otherwise we’re doomed to repeat itself. The point of talking about systematic abuse isn’t to annoy but to remind us how we can do better now. Maybe that’s why some don’t like Maus, it forces them to see the horrific treatment of the Jewish people and isn’t sugarcoated. It makes them uncomfortable. Pictures can’t hide the way words do. Thi...

  On pages 100-103, Art Spiegelman transitions from an anthropomorphic art style to a completely abstract style, highlighting the ideas of generational trauma and grief, to emphasize how Artie’s parents' past affects his life in the present. “Prisoner on the Hell Planet: A Case History” starts with Artie presented as a prisoner in human form (100). However, in this case, he’s a prisoner of his generational trauma. The holocaust stripped the livelihood of both his parents, especially his mother, who eventually took her life. Artie carries the guilt he didn’t do enough for her as people around him tell him that and how it’s too late for him to grieve (102). He’s shackled to the holocaust and is unable to escape it no matter how long ago it happened. Spiegelman utilizes abstract elements like the focus on human expression and language. In 102, Spiegelman makes the words bright white to contrast the black background, and in the 2nd panel of 103 black with a white outline. The words flo...