Maus Response

I was really excited to read Maus. It was one of the books that I have always had on my list of books to read. I had never read graphic novels before, nor did I have much interest in reading them. I associate them with comic books, which I associate with super heroes. I have never had much interest in either of those. Maus was the first book that made me realize that there are more to graphic novels than I expected - it just took me years to finally pick up the book and read it.

I enjoyed the read: I read it very quickly in one setting. I don’t even recall flipping through it to see if the action picks up, as I often do with books. I had difficulty accepting that this book is a retelling of Spiegelman‘s father‘s true story. With the animal drawings and graphic novel format, it’s difficult for me to understand the content on a serious level. In a strange way, Maus reminded me of fables - stories which use animals to represent human actions and teach a moral. When using animals instead of humans, it seems to soften the blow of difficult topics. Seeing Vladek, Art Spiegelman’s father, starving, fearning for his life, hiding in small places and trying to continually come up with new ideas just to survive, as a mouse makes the story easier to read from a comfort-level position. All of those terrible circumstances were easier for me to digest because I did not see them happening to a human. The question, however, is - is that right? I am a believer in straight talk and being honest, so naturally, I tend to believe that this softening has done harm because I do not take the story as seriously. It is important to note, though, that this softening may be why the book has been so successful. It is a book I have seen many students pick up and read through the entire book. I believe the readers will learn about the Holocaust, the human condition and morality through this book. I believe they will be entertained and learn reading skills along the way. Perhaps, any book that will get students to read should not be given the scrutiny of “How I Would Change This Book.”

When looking at this book critically, I was very impressed by its use of genre. When reading graphic novels, sometimes I worry that they will just try to make an illustrated novel, instead of one that takes advantage of its medium. I believed Maus did this, especially as it is seen as a sort of pioneer for the genre. The illustrations showed plot advancements, such as the change in emotions, settings and action. It is user-friendly, as the reader never has to guess which decade she is in, what is going on, or how the characters feel about the circumstances of each section. These questions are all answered; however, the fantastic thing about this book is how subtly these questions are answered. Each chapter does not need a grand entrance; the changes between decades and settings do not need elaborate explanations; new characters do not have a lengthy description of their insides and outsides. Instead, the characters walk into the action and the reader does not question their motives. This, I believe, comes from good use of the medium and good writing. I do not believe that this is a naturally occurring phenomenon in all graphic novels.

Finally, I would like to talk about the depths of this book. I know Maus is studied in many literature classes, both secondary and post-secondary. I am interested in reading some of the literary criticism articles about this book because I want to read others interpretations of the depths of this text. I want to be able to study the text and talk to others about it. The book does not leave me with many unanswered questions; instead, it leaves me with the feeling that I should have questions, but I have not gone deep enough into the text to begin asking those questions. This text is not just about surviving the Holocaust; it is about family relationships, psychological trauma from tragedies, friends, ingenuity, love and compassion. It is a text that readers can tie to themselves and their worlds. It’s a multi-layered text that can incite meaningful conversations. Most importantly, it’s a good book with a great story and a high level of interest. I read through the book quickly, non-stop, which is not how I usually read books. I believe people will generally enjoy reading this text; the benefits of good discussion and deep reading will come later.