Man[goes] to Auschwitz

I guess I have to go away from my usual blog style. And I seriously do not want to analyze series of panels from a comic.

(IT'S STILL BETTER THAN WRITING AN ESSAY!)

Most of us can relate to this feeling:

BUT, don't get me wrong. Maus is a very interesting book (Hats Off to the author).

Anyway, let's analyze the following panels:

 

                                                                    ↑

  This series of panels is from pg 49 of the 2nd volume of ↑ Maus.

                                                                    ↑

First I would like to point out the skinny dead bodies right ↑ here.

This is part of the motif of dead bodies we have seen throughout the book. However, in MOST panels with death, there has a been some sort of a repulsive response. On the contrary, here, the prisoners aren't weeping or horrified. Instead, they show no emotion and carry on about their business. It shows the growth and effects of all the events that have preceded this on the people.

Many times during the course of the volumes, I have seen that Spiegelman only included the outline of Vladek and himself. I noticed that this happens when there is an interruption to the past, but the conversation between Vladek and Art in the present is just adding additional detail. I also noticed that Art's drawings of the present are neater those of the past. So, I thought that by only including the outline of Vladek and himself, Art is trying to continue the flow of the past, taking away attention from the present figures. In general, the past is drawn darker (I think).

I also noticed something about the rat on pg 147 of the 1st Volume of Maus.

The rat seems to be bending its tail so the light from the present doesn't hit it. It is like the mice (Jews) in the book that trying their best to hid and not be found. It's like they are hiding in the dark from the darkness of the Nazi Regime. But a part of the rat's tail's shadow falls on the light side. This kind of represents how even a lit wrong step could mean being found / death for the mice / Jews.

This could have all been intended by Art Spiegelman or maybe I am just overstretching connections.

Now, enjoy some illustrated scenery:

THE END