Maus I: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman

Bibliography
Spiegelman, A. (1986). Maus I: A survivor’s tale, my father bleeds history. New York: Pantheon Books.

159 pages

Plot
Part I in Spiegalman’s biographical graphic novel account of his father’s experiences during World War II as well as the family’s following these events. Artie’s father Vladek was a young man during the start of World War II in Poland. The reader experiences Vladek’s marriage to Artie’s mother, their initial acceptance of the German’s occupation in Poland, to the abuses, fear, isolation, and death experienced at the hands of the Nazis. Through it all, Artie begins to better understand his father and the suicide of his mother. The reader will be drawn into Spiegalman’s amazing and yet horrifying tale, wanting to read the second installment to finish both Art’s and Vladek’s tale.

Review
Spiegalman’s work is moving and triumphant. A man’s attempt to better understand his father, Art weaves both his experiences in the present day along with his father’s during World War II. Spigelman’s artistry works on many levels, as Jews are represented by mice, Nazis by cats, and all others as pigs. The mice are initially portrayed as meek, following what the rest are doing. The cats are portrayed as manipulative tormentors, taunting and oppressing the mice. These characterizations allow the reader to see what actually happened, in a means more comfortable than actually seeing photos, but just as harrowing. Spiegalman’s story about his father’s account coupled with his own realization of his family, makes for a moving story which leaves the reader wanting more.

Genre
Graphic Novel

Reading Level/Interest Level
This novel contains gritty content; however it is also considered one of the most influential graphic novels. Tweens and teens in grades 7th – 10th would be able to understand the complexity and horrors that occurred.

Similar Content
Hanna’s Suitcase
The Diary of Anne Frank

Personal thoughts
As many tweens are encouraged to read The Diary of Anne Frank, I felt that this would be an alternative, but just as effective graphic novel of the horrors of the Concentration Camps.

Subjects/themes
World War II
Concentration Camps
Judaism
Family Life
Suicide
Death
Isolation

Awards
Pulitzer Price

Series information
Maus II

Character names/descriptions
Artie: Vladek’s son and creator of the story. He is the impetus which encourages his father to tell his story.

Vladek: Art’s father, accounts his story during World War II and his life with his first wife, Anja. Cannot stand his second wife, Mala.

Anja: Vladek’s first wife who committed suicide when Artie was 20 years old. She is an anxious person, however Artie knows little about her experiences during World War II and has yet to understand why she took her life.

Mala: Vladek’s second wife, which at this time appears to be a marriage of convenience, perhaps due to the fact that they are both survivors of the Holocaust.

Annotation
A moving account of one man’s experiences during World War I as told to his son.