Book Review: Maus I -- A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman
This is the first book of Maus, detailing all that happens in Vladek Spiegelman’s life both pre- and during-Nazi control, right before Auschwitz. It is told in a storytelling fashion through comics, with text on each page to guide the story along. I’m not sure what it is exactly, but the way Artie’s father speaks sounds almost exactly like the way Doctor Zoidberg does. You know, from Futurama? One of the best shows ever? No? Okay, I’ll be on my way.
I like how Vladek always blames Artie for mixing him up or taking him off course in his stories. It adds an element of family realism to the tale; a sort of “look what you made me do” that my Ukrainian-American family has as well. The use of mice and pigs as personified characters in this story creates an element of distance from the horrific narrative that is the Holocaust and the Nazi regime, but every few pages or so there is a thought that pops back into your head and you remember that these are real people, and that this really happened. I wonder why Vladek threw out Artie’s coat. I wonder, for someone who does not like to spend a lot of money why he threw out a coat just because it was “ugly,” instead of holding on to it. Learning about the Holocaust in previous years of schooling always took a toll on me. I try to see the best in people and I work hard to be kind to everyone and historic events like this, especially of this magnitude just break my heart. How can people be so judgmental? On page 118 Vladek has a heart issue and has to have Artie give him nitrostat which reminds me of my late grandfather, to whom I had to give nitroglycerin fairly often. The immigrant-centric nature of this book gave me many connections to my own immigrant family, so it felt as if I could somehow relate to where the story was coming from on a very minute level.
In summary, this book is the story of Artie’s father Vladek and everything that led up to his arrival at Auschwitz. It shows the difficulties of being a Jewish person in that time. There were signs on walls and labels on their clothes, them being branded by the Star of David as if it’s something to be ashamed of.
This book is a good read for those who have already had some sort of introduction to the Holocaust and just want some more personal aspects to the narrative. It is not a good introductory level read for this subject, but for someone who knows a little bit about the nature of World War II, it will prove to be both informative and interesting. This is a biographical graphic novel. There’s a little bit of language and cartoon violence but none of it is too graphic. If mature children/preteens wish to read this book, I think they would be okay to.
This is a five star work. The illustrations are perfectly tailored, the story flows beautifully, and the story is so tragic I had a couple of heart palpitations during its reading. This book was assigned to me in one of my college courses this semester, as well as its second part. It has been on my To Be Read list since 2016, but I have been wary of picking it up simply because of the nature of the work. I loved Elie Weisel’s Night, but for some reason this book intimidated me more, despite the distancing effect of the animal drawings.
I like the art style. There is a certain element of innocence added in the cuteness of the mice that creates a greater sense of contempt for the things being done to them and others in the nation. The swastika on the front, though partially covered with a mouselike rendition of Hitler’s face, made (and makes) me uncomfortable, and I do not know if this is an issue of sensitivity or expected censorship.
On the copyright page of this book, there is a quote from Adolf Hitler, the perpetrator of the Holocaust himself. It says, “The Jews are undoubtedly a race, but they are not human.” I understand that this is included in the book to introduce the concepts and background of the history being discussed within, but it still made me uncomfortable. Before I actually began reading, having the swastika on the front as well as the quote by Hitler made me feel as though I were about to read Nazi propaganda. I wonder if that great discomfort I was given was an attempt by the author at creating a greater distaste for the antagonists of this book.
“But this what I just told you — about Lucia and so — I don't want you should write this in your book.”
“What? Why not?”
“It has nothing to do with Hitler, with the Holocaust!”
“But Pop — it’s great material. It makes everything more real — more human. I want to tell your story, the way it really happened.”
“But this isn't so proper, so respectful. I can tell you other stories, but such private things, I don't want you should mention.”
“Okay, okay, I promise.”
And yet it is still in the book. I wonder what his father’s reaction was if/when he saw that, especially since Art had previously published another personal comic without his knowledge.
“His name was Jan…and I knew that I killed him. And I said to myself, “well, at least I did something” (Spiegelman 50).
“At 7:00 it was a rule. All Jews had to be in their home, and all lights out” (Spiegelman 65).
“He’s more attached to things than people!” (Spiegelman 93) I think this is because Vladek can no longer trust people, after what he has been through. A chair cannot suddenly up and pledge allegiance to a criminal regime like a person can, and chairs cannot lie. They either work, or they don’t. There’s no concealing involved in their existence, unlike people.
Vladek: “I talked just now to Frank, what lives next door. He agreed he would fix with me over the weekend.”
Artie: “That’s great!”
Vladek: “Yes, of course, better it would be fixed today — but at least somebody will help me!”
Artie: “Just great” (Spiegelman 97). I have met quite a handful of people like that before.
“A Jew! A Jew! Help! Mommy! A Jew!” Quick, their mothers came outside to see what was. I approached over to them. If I ran away they would see: “yes, it is a Jew here.”
Artie: “Heil Hitler. Do not be afraid little ones. I’m not a Jew. I won’t hurt you.”
Mothers: “Sorry, mister. You know how kids are. Heil Hitler” (Spiegelman 149).
The fact that an entire group of people had to undermine their existence and pretend to be something that they certainly were not breaks my heart and leaves me aching, wondering if something like this would ever happen again. Why did they automatically assume that being Jewish would mean that person had intent to harm them? What do children know about Jewish people? Are they just feeding into the lies they’re being told? What happens if the post-9/11 Muslim fear in the United States turns into something similar?
I will not ask any questions about this book until I have finished the second half, in case they will be answered in that reading. I shall now proceed to finishing that part of this story.
xoxo, Veronica Nagorny
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by Veronica Nagorny 2018
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