an aging maus

In the graphic novel Maus, by Art Spiegelman , the panels transition almost like a movie and have many traits that a movie might also have. These include voice over, commentary on what’s happening, focusing in on different objects, over lapping pictures, switching back and forth between 1935-1973. I think all these different cinematic devices are used to show a difference in time, and more importantly the contrast in age of Vladek Spiegelman.

            When Art and Vladek go into Arts old room to talk about Vladeks life, Vladek say it would take many books to cover the story of life in Poland and the war. While he is saying this it shows his arm on a spin bike showing his tattooed Auschwitz prisoner number. This would help me infer that Vladek has survived Auschwitz but was a prisoner there. Another thing is that the story takes place in 1973 but is a story about 1939. There are frames of older Vladek talking and the back round is 1939. This helps show contrast in the age of Vladek and how much younger he was and how much he and the world has changed. Another thing that helps see the age in Vladek is the commentary from Art. There are text boxes that are meant to be said like voice-overs in a movie. In the very beginning Mala and Vladek are arguing and there is commentary that was not said by art then but is said by him as he rights the book giving us the opinion of the younger generation.

            I like to look at this because I am interested in what the meaning of a change in generation means. In Maus, Vladek is always talking about “the youth now,” or “this younger generation,” but where does one generation start and another stop. If people are born every year then you wouldn’t say that someone a year younger than you is a different generation than you. there are your family generations, but if we are talking about the world population then how do we tell one generation from another.