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Cid-Vicious — Maus - 1 by-nc-nd

Published: 2012-06-13 02:51:29 +0000 UTC; Views: 2421; Favourites: 28; Downloads: 0
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Description Sketches of "Maus" by Art Spiegelman. The story, like all who read or at least saw the cover, portrays Jews as mice and Germans as cats - and every other nationality is also represented by an animal. But yet, while reading, I could imagine them as humans because, frankly, the use of animals worked nicely, because it shows a bias more clearly than I'm used to. Because, honestly, what was the basic difference between Jews and Germans, only looking at both? Besides religion? As the prisoner who begged the guards of the camp to release him out saying that he was not only German but "the Kaiser gave me medals" in the Great War. In a panel, he's a rat, and the other, he is a cat, showing the conflict in the situation, and the vision of prejudice. In fact, the First World War was greeted with enthusiasm by German Jews for two reasons: they could finally prove that they were Germans fighting for their homeland like their gentile comrades, and because the German Empire was at war with Tsarist Russia, which until the Revolution of 1917 promoted some of the worst pogroms ever (that one of 1905, for example). The Army census of 1916 summoned by Marshal Hindenburg to find a scapegoat for the German defeats that year (read, "unpatriotic Jews") was not released because it proved the contrary: almost every able-bodied German Jew was in the Imperial Army, and 100,000 of them died in combat. They fought, killed and died for the Kaiser like any other German men. So, what’s the difference?

Here, the characters as humans:

Vladek Spiegelman and his son Art in the street. Vladek just found an old telephone wire near a dumpster and decided to pick it up, because "it's cheaper than buying a new one and they don’t make more of this kind. See? It's good to tie things up, and our phone is that type. I’ll give you some". Art just wants his father to stop being a walking Jewish stereotype.

Vladek, still young and handsome, on the phone.

Vladek and Anja, his future wife. Although not as pretty as the rest of the girls Vladek left, he really loved her because she is one of those people you love more and more when you get to know better.... And the Zylberberg family is $$$$$$$$$$$$$!

The Zylberbergs, Anja’s parents. Father owns a socks factory, and Mother just wants her daughter to marry before turning 25.

Vladek marching to the front on September 1, 1939.

Vladek on the verge of another heart attack. Taking or not taking the pills, tough decision... You know how much these Nitrostat pills cost?! And what if it's just another non-fatal heart attack like the other two, huh? Do you think I'm made of money?!
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Comments: 14

Kraut007 [2014-04-04 22:18:33 +0000 UTC]

While the "Maus" comic depicts the horrors of the holocaust in a very graphic and disturbing way, I think this whole animal analogy is very unfortunate, too. The cat-mouse thing seems to say that Germans and Jews are supposed to be natural enemies. While in reality many Jews were pretty well integrated in German society at that time and more than a few were even married to "real" Germans. 
Also, Poles as pigs and French as frogs? Very bad ideas for a comic against racism. And the US Americans, a mixture of many different peoples, as dogs? So they are supposed to be Germanys natural enemies? 
Sorry, Art, but this animal comparison was not a good idea. 

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Creepypastajoe [2014-01-10 01:17:09 +0000 UTC]

cool image

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Cid-Vicious In reply to Creepypastajoe [2014-01-10 19:55:10 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much

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Creepypastajoe In reply to Cid-Vicious [2014-01-10 20:41:34 +0000 UTC]

Your welelcome

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HeartlessSlayer [2012-06-13 18:29:49 +0000 UTC]

Its funny too how this would've almost clashed with "An American Tail" by the time of its release.

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Cid-Vicious In reply to HeartlessSlayer [2012-06-15 04:43:36 +0000 UTC]

Indeed, Spiegelman said he thinks "An American Tail" was inspired by "Maus", just switching Second World War for Imperial Russia. I remember a scene where Jews – humans – are fleeing in terror while Cossacks charge against them and set fire to their huts. Does that ring any bell?

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HeartlessSlayer In reply to Cid-Vicious [2012-06-15 20:12:27 +0000 UTC]

Would you honestly believe that I never watched the movie all the way through? XD;

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Cid-Vicious In reply to HeartlessSlayer [2012-06-15 20:14:24 +0000 UTC]

Yes, I would

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HeartlessSlayer In reply to Cid-Vicious [2012-06-15 20:17:06 +0000 UTC]

Its weird considering I'm a fan of the man's animation XD. Though I do have my own copy of Maus, great read ^^

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Cid-Vicious In reply to HeartlessSlayer [2012-06-16 04:45:15 +0000 UTC]

Oh, Don Bluth... He made really good films. I loved the detailed and beautiful look he gave to "Anastasia" and "Bartok, the Magnificent".
Indeed. As simple as good. I think one would never guess Spiegelmand did a serious research job for this book considering the style.

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DecaffeinatedGeorgie [2012-06-13 08:45:50 +0000 UTC]

You drew it~ Yay!

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Cid-Vicious In reply to DecaffeinatedGeorgie [2012-06-15 04:43:24 +0000 UTC]

I had to draw this! Such a powerful story deserves some sketches... Besides, it keeps me sane at work

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minako25 [2012-06-13 03:22:28 +0000 UTC]

neat. i was curious by the title, because i remember reading about Maus long ago... i was like... hey they should be mice... and than i read and was like... oh okay.

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Cid-Vicious In reply to minako25 [2012-06-13 03:28:51 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, they should be mice, but I thought of a different approach. And I was curious to see how the human appearances I suppose they had would look like in a picture.

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