Maus I: Chapters 5 & 6

As my readings in Maus I: My Father Bleeds History came to a close, I had more of a desire to begin reading the second book. Before I could do that, however, I needed to address certain aspects of the last two chapters that had me puzzled and even outraged. To keep with my previous organization, I'm going to set this blog post up just as my last one; by chapters.

Chapter 5, titled Mouse Holes, holds a section within it that is a previous comic strip done by Art many years ago about his mother's suicide. I found this to be very interesting because it sheds some light onto the Spiegelman family as a whole. It also gives the reader some insight into the mental turmoil that still follows these Holocaust survivors around even once they are out of the camps. Another thing I came across while reading this chapter was on page 125 when Art and his father go into the bank so that Vladek can make a key to his safety deposit box for his son. The teller behind the desk looks like he could be a dog instead of a pig which is what everyone who wasn't a jew or a nazi is portrayed as throughout the book. I could be wrong but it caught my attention so I figured it was worth sharing. Below I've attached a picture of the strip that I am referring to. This leads me to the end of the chapter where the reader finds out how much of a gold digger Mala truly is. It is hard to believe Vladek when he complains about her frivolous spending because of his reputation as a frugal person. He may be exaggerating but that was something I just had to wait until the next chapter to find out.

In chapter 6, Mouse Trap, Spiegelman gives the reader a visual of how bad the conditions were for those who were constantly in hiding. Being in a cellar with no light, no food, and no direct path to fresh air took a toll on those experiencing it. I tried to imagine being placed in the same situation, and wondering if I would have the strength to endure those types of hardships and I don't think I would be able to. In fact, I know that the first time a rat brushed up next to me, I would scream and give myself away immediately. The bravery and courage that the jewish people had to put forth during WWII is really what struck me the most in this chapter. I have a new found respect for those men, women, and children who were lucky enough to be hidden by their neighbors in hopes of evading the concentration camps. In terms of the plot, when Vladek tells Art that he has burned the journals that his mother kept during their time in hiding, I had to pause and reread to make sure I didn't misunderstand something. I can see why Vladek did that, but on the other hand, I was deeply upset by the thought of never knowing what she was truly feeling during those trying times.