What Is The Character Of Maus In The Holocaust?

Vladek is depicted as a hero who shows countless acts of selflessness and generosity and a villain who is, “opinionated, tight-fisted, and self-involved”. (Brown 6) Art Spiegelman’s book Maus, tells the story of how Vladek and Anja Spiegelman survived the Holocaust. Spiegelman illustrates Vladek as a man who single-handily saved his family from starvation and Auschwitz in World War I. During Spiegelman’s interviews, we get an idea of Vladek’s darker side since the war ended. Mala to speak of her astonishment and disgust in Vladek’s character. Which leaves us to question how truthfully these stories are being told. In the end, Vladek’s unsuccessful heroism is a constant reminder of his failure; survival with Anja was always easier, after her death, Vladek pushes everyone away with his “guilt and manipulation” (Brown 7)

“But of that – of that he [Raskolnikov] had no recollection, and yet every minute he felt that he had forgotten something he ought to remember. He worried and tormented himself trying to remember.” (2.3.1)

Vladek feels neither joy nor sadness. Although he did not want to kill another human being, he did not want to be killed himself, pushing him to keep shooting.

To further exacerbate the situation, a typical father son relationship is all about bonding, trust and understanding each other. Seemingly he's not able to do so because of the distress overpowering his brain, he continues to be insensitive to Art. Art can't fathom Vladek and he starts to lose hope by saying to Francois his women, "I mean, I can't even make any sense out of my relationship with my father..how am I supposed to make sense out of Auschwitz?..the Holocaust?" (MAUS 2 14) Art later on start to get the sense of hope again and make better out of worse and asked Vladek questions of his mother Anja. Art finds out that her "diaries" (MAUS 1 159) we're destroyed purposely by Vladek. Not only does Art feel hopeless because his mother is gone but now he can't even share her voice with the world today. There was no way of expressing her

To begin with Vladek did not want to go to the war but he was forced to go to. Vladek was forced to shoot somebody and was forced to do things he didn’t want to do during the

The Holocaust was an event that many would love to forget, lives would be altered forever, and many would come to realize the true ability

In the opening, Vladek was very reluctant about discussing his past with even his own son. This hesitation came from the fear of reliving the pain he suffered through during the holocaust. Although Vladek doesn’t bluntly state the struggles he overcame, it is seen through the personality alteration Vladek has undergone. Before the occurrence of the Holocaust, Vladek is a resourceful, successful and very intelligent. Vladek managed to find a woman like Anja to marry—rich and smart. His marriage with Anja if filled with love, compassion and intimacy; Anja soon became a significant aspect of Vladek’s life. Vladek loved Anja knowing she was suicidal; he always did his best to cheer her up. Although Vladek and his family spent years trying to hide from the

Many European Jews could make it and remain alive, but in reality, most of them are not really still alive from their inside. It is true that their bodies have healed; however, their minds are still psychologically sick. It is hard for many people to see their beloved ones dying because of the hanger or even the harsh treatment. Imagine how hard was for Vladek and Anja to see their little son Richu dying, and they could not do anything to him. Many survivors had this sense of regret about why they were the ones who get to survive while others died. They could see the images of dead people who were lying above each other. Aaron Hass from California State University, Dominguez Hills, California talks about a woman called Rose who was in her 19th year of age during the Holocaust. In his interview with Rose F., he explains how the Holocaust has shaped her life and personality. For example, Rose states that “I felt guilty for many years that maybe I should have run back and tried to get her [he sister] with me or stay with her. Maybe I didn’t do enough to stay together. Maybe I was too selfish about saving myself” (Hass 163). This shows how Rose could not and still can not get over the loss of her sister, and she keeps blaming herself for her sister’s death. The Holocaust and its brutality are hard to be forgotten by Jewish

The Holocaust was a terrifying and horrific feat in our worlds past as no one seemed to want to help the Jews escape there mass onslaught led on by the Nazi forces throughout WWII. They were rounded up like animals and treated as slaves going to camp after camp waiting their turn in the gas chamber. Did anyone know what was happening? Did people try to escape? These are just some of the many questions brought up by skeptics and some historians.

The Holocaust took a great toll on many lives in one way or another, one in particular being Vladek

I agree with your opinion John, it is impossible to say whether or not one life is worth more than another because they are both someone’s child. Even though one is more temperamental than the other they are both loved and cherished by their parents it seems otherwise this would not be such a tough decision. So looking at it from a parental view it would be so hard to make this decision because you never know who could come out of that surgery. Based on this logic, how do you think the parents came to the conclusion of allowing Vladek to keep the

A very shocking moment in people’s life is when they are kids and they live during the holocaust. Children in the holocaust were beaten, tortured and killed in either a concentration camp or death camp. If they did survive

Lastly, another fascinating thing about the Holocaust is whether or not people have moved on from the Holocaust and considered it ‘old news’ in today’s world. Many people believe that in today’s world, we have moved on from the holocaust and considered it ‘old news’. In my opinion we have definitely not moved on or forgotten the Holocaust, how could we? The Holocaust was such a catastrophic event that changed the world forever. It will never be forgotten. In many ways the Holocaust is so disturbing but I’m glad to know about it. Hitler was wrong for killing the Jews because all people should be treated the same. It’s horrible how no one back then knew anything. And even though some did have their suspicions, they never did anything...the whole thing is sick, horrible, and terribly sad. Centuries from now people will still remember the Holocaust because it was a major event in history when millions of Jews and others were murdered, there for it will never be forgotten. We need to remember the

For all of Vladek’s teaching, he is presented with a breakfast and new clothing. Vladek could have thanked his supervisor and left, instead he indulges in the inconvenience and disruption

Even when Raskolnikov was asleep he received painful messages of others who were suffering, just as he was. In one particular instance, before the double-murder, Raskolnikov is brought back to the poverty he suffered throughout his childhood. He once again feels a great empathy toward the suffered, but this time