MAUS I and II By Art Spiegelman

1. MAUS I and II By Art Spiegelman

2. MAUS I and II • Art Spiegelman’s Maus: A Survivor’s Tale is published in two volumes: • Maus: A Survivor’s Tale, I My Father Bleeds History – published in 1986. • Maus: A Survivor’s Tale, IIAnd Here My Troubles Began – published in 1991. • Written over a 13 year span • The books are hard to classify since they have elements of fiction, non-fiction, biography and autobiography.

3. Background • Summary of Maus I and II • Maus is a story within a story: Art Spiegelman, the son of two survivors of the Holocaust, tells how he interviewed his father Vladek about his and his mother Anja’s Holocaust experience, as well as the the story of his father's persecution and survival. • It also gives the reader insight into the complex relationship Art has with his father Vladek and Art’s search for understanding as the child of Holocaust survivor parents. • It is written in a graphic novel format, with various types of animals representing the various nationalities and religions (however, Jews are mice, no matter what nationality they are).

4. About the Author • Art Spiegelman • Born in 1948 in Stockholm, Sweden • Now a naturalized U.S. Citizen • Grew up in Queens in the Rego Park Section with his parents Vladek and Anja • From 1966 to 1989 worked for Tops Chewing Gum as an illustrator of trading cards and stickers including the Garbage Pail Series

5. Spiegelman continued • Has written many comix (underground comics) • Worked as a New Yorker staff artist and writer • His work has been the subject of special museum and gallery exhibits both in the US and abroad. • Most noted for his work of the comix magazine Raw • Maus has earned him a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Pulitzer Prize • His newest graphic novel, In the Shadow of No Towers, a reflection of the tragedy of September 11 was published in 2004

6. Setting • Most of the book weaves in and out of two timelines. • In the frame tale of the narrative present, Vladek’s conversations with Art take place in the 1970s and 1980s, at the family home in Rego Park, a section of Queens, New York , at vacation spots in the Catskills, and at a home in Florida where Vladek and Mala (Vladek’s 2nd wife) spend part of their time. • Maus I: The story that Vladek tells is depicted in the narrative past, which begins in the mid-1930s and follows Vladek in Poland in the years leading up to World War II. • Maus II: Vladek continues his story about his experiences at various work and death camps in Europe including Auschwitz, Birkenau, and Dachau until the end of the Holocaust in 1945.

7. Animal Symbolism in Maus • Maus I • The Jews are represented by mice. • The Germans are represented by cats. • The Americans are represented by dogs. • The Poles are represented by pigs. • Maus II • The Roma (Gypsies) are represented as gypsy moths. • The British are represented by fish. • The child of a Jew and a German is shown as a mouse with cat stripes. • Frenchare represented by frogs 

8. Animal Symbolism Continued • Mice—Pestilence, breeds rapidly with large amounts of offspring; live silently among people; hard to get rid of • Cats—hunt mice; protect the home from pestilence • Pigs—Jews don’t eat pork and consider the pig a dirty animal; the Poles were often collaborators with the Germans • Fish—the British have long been famous for their navy • Frogs—frogs are slippery, slimy; frogs can change into princes; the French are renowned for eating frogs • Dogs—man’s best friend; loyal; chase cats • Gypsy Moth—gypsies are always on the move like the moth, flitting around • Reindeer—reindeer, like the Swedes, are from the North • Mouse with Cat Stripes—the child of a German and a Jew after the war

9. Major Characters • Vladek Spiegelman– Born in Poland in 1906, husband of Anja and later Mala and father of Richieu and Art. Vladek is a survivor of the Holocaust and in life in general. • Anja Spiegelman – Born in Poland in 1912, wife of Vladek and mother to Richieu. Born to a prosperous family and well educated. Relies on Vladek to care for her as she is often depressed • Art Spiegelman – Author/cartoonist; son of Vladek and Anja and husband to Francois. As a child of Holocaust survivors, Art is driven to tell their story but obsesses about how to tell the story and maintain his difficult relationship with his father. • Richieu Spiegelman – Born in Poland in 1937, first son of Vladek and Anja. Described as a happy child, he is sent by parents to live with a relative so that he will be safe.

10. Characters Continued • Mala Spiegelman – Second wife to Vladek, also a survivor, difficulties with relationship with Vladek but is ultimately a supportive wife that must live with Vladek’s love for Anja his first wife. • Francoise – Wife of Art. She is French and converted to Judaism. She is very supportive of Art and his work.

11. Major Themes • Family Conflict • Racism • Guilt • Survival