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The Holocaust In Maus I And Maus II By Art Spiegelman

Decent Essays

Leaving 6 million Jews murdered in its wake, the Holocaust is one of the most devastating events to ever occur in history. This horrific work of evil is a moment never to be forgotten, especially by those who lived through the nightmare. With hundreds of stories that have been published about the Holocaust by survivors and their relatives, this time in history is also a learning experience for modern day people. By reading the sorrowful and melancholy tales of Holocaust victims, the people of today grow wiser and more knowledgeable as to prevent something so heinous from reoccurring in the future. However, what shocks many readers is one author’s decision to depict his father’s Holocaust story in the form of a comic book. The comic book format used in both Maus I and Maus II by Art Spiegelman is a new and innovative way to present the atrocities of the Holocaust because it makes the dark concepts of the story easier to understand and opens opportunities for not only displaying, but inspiring new insights among readers.
Without the assistance of images, it would be easy for readers to become confused or misunderstand certain aspects of the story. As Vladek travels through the country and comes in contact with various people, specifically those of diverse ethnicities, Spiegelman depicts them as different animals to represent their nationalities. For example, when Vladek is crying in the concentration camp barracks, a priest, whom Spiegelman draws as a pig, comforts him through

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