Essay on Maus and the Holocaust - 835 Words

The Holocaust is known to all of us in some manner. Maybe we know someone who survived this terrible event in history, or one has learned about it in school, either way, everyone has had some kind of knowledge about the horrible things that the Nazi party did to the European Jews during the Holocaust. The Holocaust took a great toll on many lives in one way or another, one in particular being Vladek Spiegleman. Vladeks personality underwent a huge change due to his experiences during World War II. His personality is so dynamic and it was the experiences that he made during the Holocaust that changed him so dramamtically. In the beginning of Maus the reader is thrown into a scenario of the†¦show more content†¦He was a fun-loving young man with his whole future ahead of him. He didnt seem to have care in the world and was a happy bachelor. He eventually met Anja and sure enough they got married. His marriage with Anja really didnt change the way he ated to other people, he was still always enthusiastic. It wsnt until the war started the Vladek got a little more precautious about a few things. Whenever a bad thing would happen, Vladek would remain hopefull and trusted that things would go well for hima nd his family in the long run. Even when Vladek had to fight in World War II and was put in a prisoner camp with the most terrible conditions he still seemed to keep faith. However, onew can slowly notice how Vladek becomes a martyr about food and any kind of valueable. It is antural that becasue he didnt get much or had much, that he would be very careful about wasting anything. At times, hewas willing ot share, but he quickly realized that he had to fight for himself to survive and that everyone wsa responsible for themselves. He became a little careful about who his real friends were. When he and his family had to hideout from the NAZIs, he became even more offa scavanger and keeper of any food that he could get. When Vladek and Anja were brought to Auschwitz, the infamous concentration and death camp, Vladek became very supspicious about everyone, thinking that everyone would betrayShow MoreRelatedHolocaust Essay : The Effects Of The Holocaust On Maus1376 Words   |  6 PagesThe Effects of the Holocaust on Vladek Traumatic life experiences can have a variety of effects on a person, like constant flashbacks, PTSD, or depression. But very difficult life or death experiences can also seriously change a person’s personality. In Maus, Art Spiegelman explores how living through the Holocaust affects his father’s personality and personal relationships. By showing us Vladek’s story in both the past and the present, we get to see his experiences in the Holocaust changed who he isRead MoreMaus and the Psychological Effects of the Holocaust1704 Words   |  7 PagesMaus and the Psychological Effects of the Holocaust The Maus books are award-winning comics written by Art Spiegelman. They are the non-fictional stories of Art and his father, Vladek. In the book, Art Spiegelman is a writer, planning to portray Vladek’s life as a Jewish man during WWII Europe in comic book form. While Art gathers information for his story through visits to his father’s house, much is learned about their relationship and individual personalities. Through this analysis, Maus becomesRead MoreMaus, By Spiegelman, And How They Survived The Holocaust1180 Words   |  5 Pageselse. But these strips are exactly what they are.† This quote was said by renowned American cartoonist Art Spiegelman, on his best-selling graphic novel, Maus, published by Pantheon Books in 1986. 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The approach that the author has taken construes and magnifies the comical shape of telling history. It portrays Spiegelman dialog between himself and his father about his happenings as holocaust and polish jew survivor. Most of the narrative specifically focuses on Spiegelman s difficult connection with his father, and the nonappearanceRead MoreThe Significance of Masks in Art Speiglemans Maus1113 Words   |  5 Pagesworld. Many of these examples are shown in Art Speigelman s Maus. During Maus, the illustration of masks is made very obvious. The features are pronounced and it is very clear that the characters are wearing masks. The illustration of these masks is not to be ignored- there must be a message hidden beneath them. Speigelman uses masks to represent many different feelings and situations during the course of his father s story of the Holocaust. These masks are significant symbols which can quite strongly