Essay Example on Maus: A Breakthrough in Holocaust Literature Analysis

Spiegelman represents animal figures in his comic book an unprecedented reconstruction in literary works. The book is an animal metaphor that opens up various dimensions for literature analysis and interpretation. Maus is an essential addition to the Holocaust since it uses literary boundaries and expectations that opens up a debate for discussion. The comic books indicate the value of Maus ambiguity and at the same time how different forms of animal metaphor are evident. Despite the fact that the book highlights the use of animals in literature, there is a further explanation of the function and significance of animals to human behavior. The so-called Maus metaphor is an explanation of animated cartoons, which hold convection to humans.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Use of animal characters in literature is an old fashion in which literary works are recorded. Animals serve as protagonists who take the characters of fables and fairytales as they appear in comic books. In fact, it is true to say that they are used as literary devices since animal characters attain human traits (Kolar 90-91). At the same time, animals contain a brief moral lesson, for example, issues that affect animals and human beings that is failure and honesty virtues. Another use of animal characters in comic books is that they contain proverbs, which are translated into the world of literary works to give a promotion to how humans should conduct themselves wisely in life. The characters of funny animals act more human than animals since they combine animal faces, behaviors and human properties including intelligence.

In the Maus, comic book animals are metaphorically used to show different nationalities, religions, and Religions (Kolar 90-91). Cats exemplify aggressive perpetrators such as Germans. Mice embody vulnerable victims such as the Jews. Pigs are associated with laziness, filthiness, and indifference such as poles (Baccolini 105). Spiegelman uses different animals to represent different nations. The main enemies of the Nazi's, the Americans are depicted as dogs. The fish are used to represent the British, who are the Naval experts, and the frogs embody the French due to their love for frog legs and romance.

The worries of the author are deemed pointless since he uses animals to act like human beings, and with all the elements to draw the young audience to read the book. The association between the animal affects the story, to display the holocaust in an exemplary way (Ravelo 12-13). The "Jewish person" depicted as mice sends a notion of different attitudes towards other Jews reiterating that they were harmless, small, and vermin. The Germans who are portrayed as Cats in the essay shows the elements of power and hatred of the whole Holocaust experience. Nazi's kill the Jews without reason and conscience, just like how a cat attacks, tortures, and kills a mouse.

The reason why Spiegelman represented the Polish as pigs is because they betrayed the "Jewish people" to the Nazis in several instances (Ravelo 12). Hence, they were equated to be selfish and filthy as pigs (Kolar 90-91). For example, "when Vladek and his household were living at Kawka's farm. They may come to search for you here any minute! You have got to escape!" In that scene, Kawka was lying with the aim of trying to defend herself (Kolar 90-91). The representation of pigs in the story also depicts the conventional polish culture. The Americans were viewed as dogs. This representation postulates control, loyalty, and other optimistic aspects of the essay. The hackneyed dog often does not like cats and it always retaliates back.

The decision by the author to use Americans as dogs may have emanated from the term "dogface" which is a common nickname for the American G.I during the WW11. The Maus is also similar to the "Tom and Jerry" cartoon where the dog safeguards the mouse, from a cat (Ravelo 10). The main motif that the author tries to convey to his audience is to show how animals can represent people of different races and nationalities. The other reason is to show concern and explain the events that occurred during the Holocaust even though he was not physically involved. The animals take up the characteristics of humans such a speaking, walking upright instead of crawling. Finally, the use of animals has made Spiegelman explain the Holocaust event in a splendid manner.

The most striking feature of the Maus is used the historic combination to account for personal experiences, for instance, the featuring of Art's life with his father to portray the Holocaust experiences (Baccolini 110-111). This makes it easy for researchers to examine ethnographic features that are portrayed in contemporary Jewish culture. At the same time, the funny animal comics are characterization and use of animals in the beast fable. There are questions whether there are animal characters who act like human beings or whether there are human characters who can act like animals. However, the species are subordinate to human relation since the human typology transcends to embody the correspondence of traits in culture and literature.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Maus in animal metaphor incorporates different forms of genres and traditions to explain the role of animal characters in literature. Maus is just a convectional representation that combines animal comics with a horrible reality. Its purpose is satire and moral direction especially with the reconciliation of humans.

Works Cited

Kolar, Stanislav. "Animal Imagery in Kosinski's The Painted Bird and Spiegelman's Maus"." University of Ostrava: 87-92. Retrieved from: http://www.phil.muni.cz/angl/thepes/thepes_02_12.pdf

Ravelo, Livia Carolina. "Semiotic analysis of Art Spiegelman's Maus: A war comic with an open ending." AJAL (2013): 7. Retrieved from: http://www.faapi.org.ar/ajal/issues/102/AJALVol1(2).pdf#page=8

Broccolini, Rafaella, and Federico Zanettin. "'The Language of Trauma: Art Spiegelman's Maus and its Translations.''." Comics in translation (2008): 99-132. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305488936_The_Language_of_Trauma_Art_Spiegelman's_Maus_and_its_Translations