Why does Spiegelman use animal symbolism?

For Spiegelman himself the use of animal characters “was a way to keep distance to the very personal story”. On the one hand he describes the story of his father and not his own story, so he cannot reach an authentic, realistic drawing, because he did not see the happenings for himself.

Why does Art Spiegelman wear a mask?

Characters in both Maus I and II use masks to hide their identity: in the first book, Art’s parents attempt to escape from Nazi authorities by disguising their mouse/Jewish identity; in the second, Spiegelman and several other humans don animal masks to project different national and ethnic identities.

What is the message behind Maus?

‍Guilt. Although survival is a key theme, the graphic novel explores how Holocaust survivors in The Complete Maus grapple with their deep psychological scars. Many of those who survived the war suffered from depression and was burdened with ‘survivor’s guilt’.

Who do the pigs represent?

Jones, the original human owner of the farm, represents the ineffective and incompetent Czar Nicholas II. The pigs represent key members of Bolshevik leadership: Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin, Snowball represents Leon Trotsky, and Squealer represents Vyacheslav Molotov.

What do rats represent in Maus?

What Animal Allegory? Perhaps the most obvious feature of Maus is its use of animals to represent different races and nationalities. In representing the Jews as mice, Spiegelman is playing off the anti-Semitic stereotype of Jews as vermin or pests, as less than human.

Why does Vladek wear a pig mask?

If Vladek or other Jews revealed their religious identity, it would have spelled certain imprisonment or death. The reader is presented with Vladek wearing a pig mask, signifying he is masking his Jewish identity and presenting himself purely as a Pole.

What happened to Artie’s mother?

What is the first thing we learn about Artie’s mother? She committed suicide.

What age should read Maus?

For Most Teens: 13+ One of the most graphic parts is showing the author’s mother about to slit her wrists and then dead in the tub shown from the side view.

Who is the Donkey in Animal Farm?

Benjamin
Benjamin is an old and pessimistic donkey. No one on the farm knows exactly how old he is but it is hinted that he has been around for a very long time.