I introduced Maus and some of the controversy surrounding it in class on Tuesday, and now want you to experience it for yourself. So read Chapters 1 "The Sheik" to Chapter 4 "The Noose Tightens" for Tuesday's class. Here are a few questions to get you thinking about the book before class...
Answer two of the following:
Q1: We discussed the metaphor of mice and cats in class on Tuesday, where Spiegelman said he was inspired by the Nazi's comments that Jews were "rats" and "vermin." But besides the metaphor, why do you think the comic is drawn not only in black and white, but in such a rough, cartoony style? Would it have been more effective if it were in color and more realistic-looking? Does the style somehow aid the metaphor?
Q2: Why does Artie have such trouble relating to his father in these early chapters? What seems to be their biggest conflict or argument? Is this a generational issue, or does it have something to do with Vladek's war experience, do you think?
Q3: Why do you think Artie shows us the early days of Vladek's romance with Anja? Does this make Vladek look like a sympathetic character? Do you think Vladek would have approved of this characterization (since he tells Artie at one point not to record some of his stories, such as the one with Lucia)?
Q4: According to these chapters, why didn't the Jews of Poland and elsewhere resist the gradual cruelties and dominance of the Nazi regime? In other words, why did so few of them fight back? You might consider how Anja refuses even to send her children away to safety, even though at this point the 'noose' is tightening around them.
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