Cats, Mice, and Pigs

The book "MAUS" by Art Spiegelman is a graphic novel of his father's account of World War II and the Holocaust. The book takes place in early 1940s Poland, right before, and in the beginning of the war. It is drawn in simple black and white pictures. The book takes us from the meeting of two Jews, into the time they are captured and taken into Auschwitz. The book takes us through the Germans taking control of Poland, to Vladek hiding with his wife in an abandoned barn, and eventually to them being captured and sent into the Concentration camp Auschwitz. The book also includes some of Art Spiegelman's interactions with his father, and shows the reader how the war changed him, from how cheap he is, to how he feels like everyone is against the Jews.

In the book the Jews are drawn as mice, the Germans are drawn as cats, and the Poles are drawn as pigs. These animals all are used as symbolism for the people they represent. The Jews are mice, this is to convey the point that they are small and weak. The are the prey, and they are defenseless. The Germans are cats, this is to portray them as strong and powerful. But cats are also intelligent, and capable. The Jews and Germans are also the animals they are to show their relationship. Cats hunt and eat mice, cats are the natural predators, and are at the top of the food chain.The Poles are drawn as pigs to convey that they pick up the scraps of what the Jews left behind, just the way pigs eat the leftovers of the rest of the farm. The poles are happy to take advantage of the Jews misfortune, and are happy to take up what is left behind.

Although the use of animals is to show inner meaning, I also think it is used to show another purpose. The Holocaust was such a horrific event in history, that it is hard to think that humans could be capable of participating in it. As "MAUS" is a young adult book I believe that Art Spiegelman uses animals so the book is easier to read. While reading the book you can pretend that it was actually cats, mice, and pigs partaking in World War II, instead of humans. I think Art Spiegelman uses animals to make the book easier to read, and more enjoyable.

When my great grandmother was in eighth grade, she was kicked out of class on Polish National Day. She was a Jew living in Poland in the early 1900's. To some, World War II and the Holocaust seem like it was such a long time ago, but to me it seems like it happened almost recently. My family fled Eastern Europe to escape the persecution of Jews. My ancestors said that they felt the effects of the war all the way in America. They have told me that in America, although the Germans were blamed for starting the war, the Jews were blamed for being the reason of the war. They have told me that they felt like it was not safe to leave their houses, not safe for their kids to go to school, or not safe for them to operate their businesses. In a way they faced the same thing as Vladek, and Anja. And the remains of that period is still a very big influence on their lives.