Hey Guys, I've written up an essay draft on 'The Complete Maus', i'm not too good with English, so can you guys hit me up with some tips, and edits. Thanks.
Intro:
Through Art’s interpretations of Vladek’s story we see that The Complete Maus extensively explores the trauma suffered by Vladek during the war and the trauma Art continues to experience as a second-generations survivor of the holocaust. The text is a journey of survival for both Vladek and Art, portraying the various circumstances and actions they had to undertake to struggle for life. Through the on-going trauma of survivor’s guilt for Art and Vladek’s horrendous experience during the holocaust, both father and son suffer tremendously through the repercussions of the war.
Para 1:
Having both parents merely survive the holocaust, and a ‘ghost brother’ who did not, Art suffers continuously from the trauma as he is obliged to carry the survivor guilt. Art, being born after the war and the holocaust, ‘wishes he had been in Auschwitz with his parents so he could really know what they lived through’ after having had an ‘easier life than they did’. This sense of guilt is a burden he has to carry, after having escaped the catastrophe which was the cause to approximately 6 million Jews including his brother which he could never ‘compete against’. Similarly, Art also suffers from the trauma caused by the guilt of Anja’s death. Such an example is seen as Art is portrayed in a regretful and remorseful manner within the ‘Prisoner on the hell planet’ comic book, and is depicted saying ‘Agh!’ which expresses the frustration caused by Anja. Thus, the graphic novel explores Art’s traumas caused wholly by the holocaust, yet also delves into Vladeks ordeals.
Para 2:
After barely surviving the holocaust, Vladek suffers the permanent traumas that are explored through his experience throughout the time-frame of the story. He struggles through the horrific circumstances he has to face in order for him to survive during the war. Vladek is deeply upset when he hears about his Son’s death, as he had the chance to send him off with Ilzecki’s child somewhere safe earlier on in the story, which could have been his survival. Vladek describes his deceased son as a ‘beautiful boy when he died’, highlighting the distress caused by the tragedy and loss. Also, Vladek is not only affected through the death of his loved ones, yet he is also distressed due to the memories of both his passed on wife and son. In every conversation Vladek has with Art, memories of Anja’s death hovers over them, ‘Every-where I look I see Anja… always I’m thinking on Anja”. Thus, Art’s story expresses the constant and various traumas that Vladek undergoes as a result of his experiences in the holocaust, however, both father and son suffer from the long-term effects of the trauma. Within the graphic novel, both Art and
Para 3:
Vladek and Art are filled with agony due to the everlasting effects of the holocaust. Whilst Vladek struggles to endure through the epidemic horror, he faces the many occasions of betrayal, leaving him with an enormous problem on being able to trust others well ahead. This is portrayed in the scene where Vladek focuses on counting his pills, telling Art that ‘for my condition I must fight to save myself. Doctors they only give me ‘Junk food’”, revealing that Vladek has no trust in authority. Similarly, Vladek is also betrayed by a Jew who he stumbles upon whilst leaving his bunker in search of food. Vladek and his family ‘took on him pity’ and let him go, however the Jew was an informer and ‘the gestapo came that afternoon’. What is more, Art distances himself from his father as he views Vladek as a typical Jewish father who knows best. Vladek has a poor relationship with his son, as Art does not live up to Vladeks expectations. Vladek ridicules Art after breaking a plate, after implying that he will ‘do the dishes now’, Vladek responds abruptly saying ‘No. you can defrost out the turkey legs…you only would break me the rest of my plates”. Hence, throughout the graphic novel, both Art and Vladek go through endless hardships and pain.
Conclusion:
Thus, the Complete Maus, extensively explores the endless trauma that both Vladek and Art undergo, during war, and as a second-generation survivor. Art expresses the suffering of the survivors’ guilt he goes through, the relationship with his father and the guilt he carries for his mother’s death. Also, Vladek also endures the agony that he comes up against during the holocaust, for instance; when he hears about his son’s death, losing his wife, and being betrayed in war. Above all, the after effects of the horrendous holocaust deteriorates relationships, brings out the worst in people, and physically and mentally the human nature.
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