Maus+A+Survivor's+Tale



=__ Maus: A Survivor’s Tale __=

Anthony Cuccione EN 3051 Alyson van Beinum November 15 2010

** Introduction **

The graphic novel, //Maus: A Survivor’s Tale// by Art Spiegelman provides a chilling portrayal of the Holocaust from the perspective of his father, Vladek Spiegelman, a Polish Jew, and Holocaust survivor. In preparation for a graphic novel-based biography of his father’s time in a concentration camp, Art Spiegelman tape records the oral testimony of Vladek, which encompasses the many trials and tribulations he endured throughout the war (including the loss of his immediate family, separation from his first wife Anja, and the loss of his first born son, Richieu). In contrast to this portrayal of Vladek, the author constantly argues with his increasingly paranoid and anxiety-ridden father over his health, living arrangements and relationship with his second wife Mala. As a result, //Maus// jumps back and forth between the past and the present, showing two sides of Vladek Spiegelman’s life; one that journeys him from wartime Europe to Rego Park, a suburb in New York City. Vladek’s story not only provides a window into his own life, but also what other Jews like himself had to undergo as a result of Nazi persecution. Separation from family members, loss of personal possessions, and little food or shelter were commonplace throughout the Holocaust for the majority of Jews. Vladek’s story via Art Spiegelman’s //Maus//, illustrates the perseverance of Holocaust survivors and their struggle to make a new life for themselves.

I first read //Maus: A Survivor’s Tale// this past summer based on the recommendation of a friend. I have read a variety of graphic novels based on Batman and other superheroes, but never on something historically-based. I enjoyed this graphic novel thoroughly as it provided the most detailed and accurate account of the Holocaust I have ever read. After reading it, I immediately thought I would like to use it as a teaching text in my history class once I became a certified teacher. However, this text can also be very beneficial in an English class as well due to the many themes woven throughout its commentary. The strained relationship between the author, Art, and his father Vladek, provide a secondary plot that demonstrates how Art sympathizes more with the Vladek who lived before he was born rather than the father he grew up with. I believe //Maus: A Survivor’s Tale// is a graphic novel that should be a mandatory text for secondary students in either English or History. Students will greatly benefit from its writing style and accompanying pictures as learning through visuals provides a better way to strengthen memory in students (it works as an aid to texts).

** In what grade level / course would you teach this text? Are there other courses for which it might also be appropriate? **


 * Grade 11 Academic English


 * Grade 12 Academic West and the World History

I chose Grade 11 Academic English as the grade level and course I would teach this text because //Maus: A Survivor’s Tale// is a very detailed graphic novel with many themes that a student preparing to enter university should be able to understand. I would assume (maybe incorrectly) that my students will have studied a graphic novel in an earlier secondary level English class and will be familiar with reading a graphic novel (however, this is not a prerequisite for this text, but would be a bonus nonetheless). Furthermore, the main plot of this particular graphic novel involves the Holocaust and World War Two. This is a topic students would have learned a year prior in grade 10 Canadian History. So teaching this text in grade 9 or grade 10 would not make much sense. In addition, I believe this text would pose a challenge to intermediate grades anyway due to its complexities (frequent flashbacks to the 1940s and then back to present day which is sometimes hard to follow, its realistic and striking account of the Holocaust, etc.)

I chose grade 12 Academic West and the World History as another course for which it would be appropriate to teach this text as its content suits a senior level course such as this one. It gives not only a truthful account of the Holocaust, but also its effect on Art Spiegelman, a Jewish author born in New York City, son to a Holocaust survivor. The Holocaust did not just affect Europe, but the Western World as a whole, including the United States and Canada due to the many immigrants who arrived after the war. This particular aspect of //Maus: A Survivor Tale// correlates perfectly with the main expectations of the West and the World course.

** What are the main ideas/ issues/ teaching points which you would emphasize when teaching the text? (Consider the knowledge possibilities: Social, topic, cultural, textual.) **

** Textual Knowledge **
 * The graphic novel (visuals that co-exist with text)
 * Biography
 * 1st person narrative
 * Morally challenging narrative
 * Satire (Jews = Mice, Cats = Nazis)
 * Anthropomorphism (giving human characteristics to animals)
 * Oral testimony (Vladek) to written narrative (Art Spiegelman)

** Social Knowledge **
 * Personal Memory (Vladek)
 * Family relationships (Artie and Vladek, Artie and Francoise, Vladek and Anja/Mala)
 * Survival/Perseverance
 * Racism (Vladek does not learn from his Holocaust experience, as he scolds Francoise for picking up a Black hitchhiker à see pages 258-259)

** Cultural Knowledge **
 * Identity (Vladek wears a pig mask to hide the fact that he is Jewish from Polish Nazi sympathizers à Is he Jewish or is he Polish when wearing the mask? In reality, he is actually a Polish Jew. His identity is shaped throughout the text)
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt;">Traumatic Events/Death
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt;">Suicide (Anja)
 * English as a survivor tool (Vladek uses English to better himself in the concentration camp by working as an English tutor for a Nazi officer. He receives better food and clothing as a result à see pages 191-192)

** Topic Knowledge **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt;">History of the Holocaust
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt;">The role of many nationalities throughout World War Two/The Holocaust
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tabstops: list 72.0pt;">Jews, Germans, Poles, Americans, etc
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt;">The use of gas in the extermination of the Jews
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tabstops: list 36.0pt;">Immigrating to the United States after the war

** What are the issues/ challenges you might encounter in teaching the text? **

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Students need a firm grasp of the Holocaust in order to understand the main theme of this particular graphic novel. Students should have prior knowledge of the Holocaust and World War Two from studying History in grade 8 as well as in grade 10 Canadian History. Without such prior knowledge, this text would pose an almost insurmountable obstacle in an English class. Another challenge I could face in teaching this text is that students may be unfamiliar with graphic novels as a whole and thus their usefulness. Graphic novels can inhibit literacy, as some students may read the left-hand page only, or ignore the text and just concentrate on the pictures. Furthermore, graphic novels can also alienate students who are not creative. Teaching through graphic novels is a new approach, but it is one that myself, nor students are familiar with. I would need to familiarize myself with teaching graphic novels, as well as providing background information on the use of graphic novels for my students.

** Describe one possible assignment / activity which you could use when teaching the text. How does it connect to the curriculum expectations of the course you are teaching? **

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Write a short essay (2-3 pages) about the advantages of using graphic novels instead of more traditional forms of literature (or vice versa) in the study of English. Students will be given background information on the benefits of learning through a graphic novel in addition to their studying of //Maus//. This would be an argumentative/persuasive writing piece. Students will have to provide arguments/evidence to support why they believe graphic novels or traditional forms of literature are more suited for the study of English and make a connection between visual and text. Students will be evaluated using the achievement chart for English that includes Knowledge and Understanding, Thinking, Communication and Understanding using such criteria as writing style, punctuation/format, spelling and grammar.

**__ OVERALL EXPECTATIONS __**

** Writing//:// ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">1. //Developing and Organizing Content//: generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">2. //Using Knowledge of Form and Style//: draft and revise their writing, using a variety of literary, informational, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience

**__ SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS __**

** Writing: ** 1.1 // Identifying Topic, Purpose and Audience // : identify the topic, purpose and audience for a variety of writing tasks.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">2.1 //Form:// write for different purposes and audiences using a variety of literary, informational, and graphic forms.

Maus A Survivor's Tale