This seminar paper deals with the graphic novel “Maus” by Art Spiegelman. The book was
published in two volumes. The first volume with the subtitle: “My Father Bleeds
History”(1986) and the second volume had the subtitle: “And Here My Troubles Began”
(1991). The novel is about the genocide of European Jews. The action is centered on the
Holocaust survivor Vladek Spiegelman, who was imprisoned in Auschwitz. His son Art
Spiegelman reconstructs the story of his father by interviewing him and taking notes. During
the novel the author Art Spiegelman informs the reader also about his mother Anja and
himself. First of all, there is the question of how to deal with the medium comic, because
comics represent actually funny stories but the Holocaust is anything but funny thus they are
extreme opposites. However, Spiegelman started a new era of comics, because he showed
which opportunities exist in this medium and introduced the genre to a mass audience. He
was able to do this, because he does not want to tell the complete history of the Holocaust but
only a story of a survivor. The book includes three different time levels. The first one is the
tale of woe of his father, who survives the Holocaust, the second one is where Art interviews
his father about his experiences and memories and the third time level acts after Vladek's
death and shows Art working on the second volume of “Maus”. Due to the jumping between
the time levels emerges close connection between present and past, thereby the story appears
truer. The exact title of this seminar paper is Characterization and symbolism in “Maus” and
will deal with the question of what happens with stereotypes of nationalism and how
Spiegelman reflect personalities. First, the genre of the book will be examined by
characteristics of fables and allegories. Furthermore, the question will be why Spiegelman
decided to choose animal figures and how he characterized them and which advantages the
choice of animals in correspondence with the medium comic has. The characterization and
symbolism will be mostly checked on the basis of the primary literature. Critical voices will
be obtained by secondary literature. Moreover, this seminar paper will amplify several
symbols and metaphors and ultimately, the last chapter will try to read out a moral and a
massage. Questions whether “Maus” is a biography or an autobiography, yiddishkeit and
parenthood will be left out, because it would go beyond the scope of this paper.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Fable or allegory?
3. Anthropomorphism and character traits
3.1 Why did Spiegelman choose animal figures?
3.2 Animals and their allegorical meaning
3.3 Untypical characterization and particularities
4. Other symbolism
5. Moral and message
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel "Maus" through the lens of characterization and symbolism. The primary research objective is to analyze how the author utilizes animal metaphors to portray nationalities and personalities, while simultaneously investigating the graphic novel's genre, its self-reflexive narrative, and the moral implications of representing the Holocaust through the medium of comics.
- The intersection of fable and allegory in "Maus"
- The functional and symbolic role of anthropomorphic animal figures
- Self-reflexivity and the moral challenges of Holocaust representation
- Identification of visual metaphors and recurring symbolism
- Deconstruction of racial and national stereotypes
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Why did Spiegelman choose animal figures?
At first view Spiegelman's choice to use certain animals as protagonists is inappropriate, particularly with regard to such a difficult topic like the Holocaust. At a closer look the reader may realize that the animal figures have many advantages and Spiegelman dodges some conflicts, which I will discuss in the following. First of all the animals function as metaphors. Spiegelman tries to assign stereotyping elements and identities to certain animals and reaches easy identifications. So the reader can identify at first sight the role allocations, while human characters would make it harder to recognize offender and victim. In this way it is easier to see if a person is Jewish or not. For Spiegelman himself the use of animal characters “was a way to keep distance to the very personal story”. On the one hand he describes the story of his father and not his own story, so he cannot reach an authentic, realistic drawing, because he did not see the happenings for himself. On the other hand it would not be possible to reconstruct everything and everyone, who is mentioned in the book and Spiegelman could not claim to tell an authentic story. So he works around this problem by using abstract characters.
Further on, the use of such characters has another important advantage, namely that abstract figures raise the willingness to identify with them. Or, as McCloud points it out, “When pictures are more abstracted from 'reality', they require greater levels of perception”. This is exactly what Spiegelman aims, because the “Jewish mice are iconically drawn and can be differentiated from one another only by stature and clothing”. Therefore, the actions of individuals can exemplary represent a larger group. In addition, Spiegelman leaves room for interpretation, because “The mouse heads are masks, virtually blank [and so] the reader can project on his own impressions.
Chapter Summary
1. Introduction: Outlines the scope of the paper, detailing the structure of "Maus" and the author's intention to explore the novel's allegorical and symbolic depths.
2. Fable or allegory?: Explores the classification of "Maus" by testing it against the definitions of fables and allegories, concluding it contains elements of both.
3. Anthropomorphism and character traits: Analyzes the rationale behind using animal figures, the specific symbolic meanings assigned to different species, and identifies untypical characterizations.
4. Other symbolism: Investigates visual symbols beyond anthropomorphism, such as the swastika-shaped path, the exercise bike, and the usage of identification numbers.
5. Moral and message: Examines the ethical complexities presented in the work, including the flawed morality of characters and the debunking of racial ideologies.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the paper's findings, highlighting how the novel provides a unique, self-reflexive approach to Holocaust documentation.
Keywords
Maus, Art Spiegelman, Holocaust, Graphic Novel, Anthropomorphism, Allegory, Symbolism, Fable, Vladek Spiegelman, Racial Ideology, Stereotypes, Self-reflexivity, Holocaust Survivors, Narrative, Visual Metaphors
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on the characterization and symbolism within Art Spiegelman's graphic novel "Maus," specifically analyzing how the use of animal figures addresses the portrayal of the Holocaust.
Which central thematic fields are covered in the work?
Key themes include the genre classification of "Maus," the function of animal metaphors, the representation of racial stereotypes, and the ethical implications of depicting trauma through comics.
What is the primary research question?
The paper asks how Spiegelman uses stereotypes and animal figures to reflect personalities, why he chose this medium, and how these choices affect the reader's understanding of the Holocaust.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The research is based on a close reading of the primary literature ("Maus"), supported by secondary academic literature concerning Holocaust studies, comic theory, and allegorical analysis.
What is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main sections discuss the animal-based anthropomorphism, the specific allegorical meaning of different animals, the symbolism of visual elements like swastikas and chimneys, and the moral ambiguity of the characters.
Which keywords define the paper?
The paper is characterized by terms such as Holocaust, Graphic Novel, Anthropomorphism, Symbolism, Allegory, and Spiegelman.
Why does the author argue that the animal metaphor is meant to "self-destruct"?
The paper suggests that the metaphors are intentionally constructed to reveal their own inadequacy, demonstrating the absurdity of racial classification by showing that the characters are human regardless of their assigned animal heads.
How does the author analyze the depiction of Poles as pigs?
The paper identifies this as the most controversial aspect of the novel, noting that while it reflects historical or perceived differences, it also underscores the complexity of characterization within the narrative.
- Citation du texte
- Patrick Spieß (Auteur), 2010, Characterization and symbolism in “Maus”, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/169862
