Maus II: A Survivor's Tale

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In Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel, Maus II: A Survivor’s Tale, he uses his artistic talents to paint a picture of the horrific events of the Holocaust as seen through his father, Vladek’s eyes. Spiegelman often depicts his father in a somewhat negative light in this story. Though Vladek’s actions sometime appear selfish or unreasonable, a case can be made that the atrocities he endured while living through the Holocaust have inexorably altered him. His actions can be viewed through the lens of someone who is suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder. In order to survive the brutal conditions that the Nazis subjected him and millions of other Jewish people to, Vladek learned to adapt in any way he could, by any means necessary. Spiegelman did not live through the Holocaust personally and therefore he frequently has difficulty truly empathizing with his father or understanding his father’s behavior. Spiegelman …show more content…
They accuse Vladek of not being understanding of their needs, yet they do not attempt to walk a mile in his shoes to better comprehend why he exhibits many of the behaviors that irk them. It is oftentimes difficult for people to understand the traumatic experiences of others. If someone does not have a personal understanding of a situation, it is hard to sympathize or empathize with others who have gone through the event. Spiegelman appears to harbor some resentment toward his father, Vladek. He feels that his childhood was marred by his father’s ghosts of the past. Spiegelman cannot see that his behavior is more than a little self-absorbed. Whereas a vast majority of Vladek’s conduct is a direct result of the post-traumatic stress disorder he undoubtedly developed from his time in the Nazi concentration camp, his son’s attitude stems more from a place of resentment from feeling somewhat neglected throughout his
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