When I heard that we were going to be reading a comic in class, I was pretty stoked. I myself have fallen into the general assumption that comics are kiddish and full of humor. Boy was I wrong about this. Maus by Art Spiegelman demonstrates the power of using words and pictures together to deliver the tragic and brutal journey of Vladek Spiegelman. Maus effectively merges the past with the present (as seen by page 45 in Volume 1 where Art's body represents the connection between the past and present) and creates the contrast of past and present through the non-linear form. The story is full of symbols and motifs (such as the smoke, swastika, jail cells) which show readers the depth and magnitude of horrific Holocaust.While reading Volume 2, page 28 (below) really jumped out at me. Within this page we see a huge change in the tone of the piece. It begins with a very gloomy and depressed tone seen with the dejected nature of Vladek who is "worn and shivering and crying a little". Then in box three we see a sense of sarcasm from Vladek as he shows his anger and disappointment for being in such a horrid place. Finally, the last five boxes show hope. Hope and optimism are two words that probably don't come to mind while placed in a such a situation. However, Vladek's inspiration to grind and stay alive was sparked by something as simple as superstition. Vladek from this moment "started to believe" as the "saint" "put another life" into Vladek. This major shift just within one page shows the ability and effectiveness of comics and how Spiegelman is able to use this to convey his dad's story. Another thing that I noticed was how even after the Nazi's had taken everything from Vladek, even his name, giving him a number instead, he still learned how to find hope and believe. The shading on the page helps to trace the motif of order and jail cells as we see the uniform they are all wearing and also the lines in the background. I also found the very first box symbolic. The reference to the chimney traces the motif of smoke for which the ingrained memory in Vladek is the burning of people, while to Artie it is simply just something coming of his cigarette.
Reading Maus has been really enjoyable. Seeing and living the Holocaust in the perspective of a mouse was really interesting. It has also opened my eyes and has shown me the that not all comics are funny and for children. I'm looking forward to reading more of Spiegelman's work.
This was quite an interesting analysis! I really liked how you analyzed the shift in the tone on page 28 of volume 2. I also thought your analysis of the shading was well conveyed. I also appreciated your introduction because it actually helped me become more engaged in your blog.
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis of the tone shifts and motifs used in this book. I especially enjoyed your analysis of the motif of smoke and the fact that you were able to trace it throughout the story.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post! I totally thought that comics were just for childish topics but this book totally went above and beyond my expectations. There is so many things the Art does with his drawings that just adds more layers to the meaning and experience of holocaust. Nice!
ReplyDeleteI really liked your analysis! I too believed that comics were simply meant to be funny and reading Maus completely changed my perspective. I found your analysis of the tone shift on page 28 of volume 2 very interesting, and I liked that you were able to find a positive message in such a sad part of the book!
ReplyDeleteHey Vibhi,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your post this week. Your analysis was outstanding! I like how you compared the tones within the page. I found it very intriguing to see that there were so many shifts in tone in just one page. Also, your comments about the motifs of jail cells and smoke were well-written. Great post this week and I look forward to reading your future posts!
Hi Vibhi, nice post! I really like your comparison at the end. It really shows the differences between Artie's and Vladek's lives. And because of this, Artie isn't able to fully connect with Vladek. I also agree, that this comic sure isn't a Marvel comic!
ReplyDeleteVaibhav!
ReplyDeleteI totally thought the same when Mrs. Valentino told us we are going to read comics. Your analysis of shades and shifts was great. I never thought the shades would have such impact on motifs.