Maus Vladek Analysis

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New Bonds Created From the Past Throughout Maus Vladek is able to reflect on his past, by revealing the events he experienced to Art he finds closure and a closer relationship with his son. From the beginning of the book it becomes obvious that Vladek hasn’t spent much time talking about the Holocaust. He hasn’t gotten much time to come to terms with what he experienced. At the beginning of the book Art asks him to talk about the Holocaust and he says, “It would take many books, my life, and no one wants anyway to hear such stories” (12). Vladek thinks that discussing his life would not be of any value to those listening. He does not realize the impact telling his stories can have on himself and those who hear them. As Art presses on Vladek…show more content…
Instead of writing a book or just adding pictures for interest Art uses his drawings to communicate the unspeakable. There are two moments in Maus that I think articulate this well. There is first the swastika acting almost as a sun and as something inevitable to Vladek’s life. When Vladek first sees the swastika he is on a train from Poland to Germany. “Here was the first time I saw, with my own eyes, the swastika” (32). The images illustrate what Vladek and Anja hear from people in the town about the treatment given to the Jews. Art illustrates the moments each with a large swastika in the background. It appears as though the swastika is the sun and as though it is taking over the lives of everyone in the town. There is another moment on page 125 that shows Vladek and Anja trying to escape the ghetto. They search hopelessly for somewhere to stay. The image shows the paths they could take forming together to make a swastika. Again this symbol and its meaning has taken over their lives and prevents their escape. When things start to get bad for Vladek and his family he resorts to dealing in illegal food trade to make money. He works with Nahum Cohn and his son while trading foods without the coupons required. They are found out by the Nazis and arrested. They are sentenced to death and as Vladek describes it, “They hanged there one full week” (83). This moment is definitely an
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