Characterization and symbolism in Maus

Seminar paper from the year 2010 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature grade: 23 Martin Luther University language: English abstract: This seminar paper deals with the graphic novel Maus by Art Spiegelman. The book waspublished in two volumes. The first volume with the subtitle: My Father BleedsHistory(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 theHolocaust survivor Vladek Spiegelman who was imprisoned in Auschwitz. His son ArtSpiegelman reconstructs the story of his father by interviewing him and taking notes. Duringthe novel the author Art Spiegelman informs the reader also about his mother Anja andhimself. First of all there is the question of how to deal with the medium comic becausecomics represent actually funny stories but the Holocaust is anything but funny thus they areextreme opposites. However Spiegelman started a new era of comics because he showedwhich opportunities exist in this medium and introduced the genre to a mass audience. Hewas able to do this because he does not want to tell the complete history of the Holocaust butonly a story of a survivor. The book includes three different time levels. The first one is thetale of woe of his father who survives the Holocaust the second one is where Art interviewshis father about his experiences and memories and the third time level acts after Vladek'sdeath and shows Art working on the second volume of Maus. Due to the jumping betweenthe time levels emerges close connection between present and past thereby the story appearstruer. The exact title of this seminar paper is Characterization and symbolism in Maus andwill deal with the question of what happens with stereotypes of nationalism and howSpiegelman reflect personalities. First the genre of the book will be examined bycharacteristics of fables and allegories. Furthermore