The Complete Maus

Significantly better than I expected. Like many I first came to know of this book a number of years ago when it was "banned" for having nudity. Like so many "banned" books I feel its often a ploy by the publishing company to sell more books, particularly when they are books like this that have been in publicization for a long time. returnreturnI expected it to need the help because it wasn't that great. However I found it a pleasant read, granted you probably aren't supposed to get a pleasant read out of a holocaust book but I digress. I really appreciated the Vladek character when is so much a character of a miserly Jewish American that even the author notes he isn't sure he should include it because of how stereotypical it is. returnreturnA good look at the insight of a particularly family and there making, and no so making it, through the holocaust.

Spiegelman is on record saying he doesn’t like Maus being used to teach about Holocaust, but honestly I can’t think of many better texts for it. He prefers Maus being used to discuss relationships, and I’m just thinking “por que no los dos?”

In this novel the author shows his father’s story of survival through the holocaust, and the long term impact on his physical and mental health. He delves into the intergenerational trauma associated with survivor’s families.

Spiegelman said in an interview with Australian Radio National that he wanted to challenge the myth that everyone who goes through such a crucible inherently becomes a better person His depiction of his father, Vladek, is loving but unyielding. When Vladek, who suffered so much during the Holocaust, sees his son wanting to pick up an African-American hitchhiker, he responds with the exact kind of racist stereotypes he himself faced as a young man. He should’ve know better, and yet here we are. It’s a powerful moment.

I’ve taught Maus for a few years now and always find the students gobble it up, with few exceptions. Holocaust, relationships, visual literacy, symbolism; this is such a powerful novel with so much to offer a classroom. It’s great to follow up with encouraging students to reflect on their own relationships in visual form (even if that’s just stick figures!).