Dissecting Maus

A few days ago I started to read a graphic novel named Maus, so far I've read 100 pages and I'm liking it a lot. Art Spiegelman is able to incorporate a harsh event such as the holocaust in a very creative way such that the gruesomeness of this event is still there but not as implicit. Through various symbolisms he is able to develop the various characters throughout the story. There are three different characters that we can recognize: the "maus" which are the jews, I believe he deliberately made jews as rats in his book not to offend but to show what they resembled at that particular time.  When you think of a disgusting animal you immediately think of rats among others so in my judgement Art wanted the audience to see how jews were seen as a repulsive race. He then made the Nazis off course as cats to create a juxtaposition between these two characters he wanted to create that sharp distinction between predator and pray. What a better way to do it that by using cats and mice. The non jews or the polish were represented by pigs I am still not certain how to describe this symbolism its harder to interpret. By these subtle elements Art makes the book much more interpretational and symbolical this is what I mean when I said that it's a very creative way to narrate these events through visual images.

 The story is developed between Vladek Spiegelman and Art his son. This is much after the war when Art goes to his father's apartment so that he tells him his story so that he can write his book. It basically shifts from present to past it combines these two aspects when the father tells his story we go back in time but when he finishes we go back to the present. After starting to read all of Vladek's experience through the holocaust I cant stop imaging the cartoon show Tom and Jerry as from what I read Vladek gets saved time after time he never gets caught. In a metaphorical way he is running from death and luckily he manages to defy it as in the show Tom no matter all the schemes he plans he is never able to get Jerry as he is one step ahead.  It's a miracle that Vladek was able to stay alive through this period as from what he says to Art most of his known relatives passed away during this time. What I did notice is that Vladek doesn't seem that afflicted by what he lived through he is somehow able to put a wall between him and his memories very bravely. I guess people deal with grief and traumatic events in different ways probably he just repressed all those awful flashbacks or at least most.

 This image I found interesting as it shows Vladek talking to a non jew guy the clever part is that Vladek is a jew so why isn't he a rat in this image. He is trying to pass himself as a non jew so Art portrays him as a pig this is why I choose this part of the book.

 This image is very emotional as it show's Vladek state after he witnessed a gruesome experience its very visual to the point that you can sense what he must feel like.