Hellllo my lovely class,
Maus was the first graphic novel I have ever read. Prisoner on the Hell Planet shocked me greatly when I read it. I had to re read over it because it was a lot to take in at one time. The first connection I made after reading it was the title. I realized that in so many words Artie was saying that he was living in his own hell. Even though he was not techincally a "prisoner" (not being in jail) he IS because his own mental issues/past/mother's sucide kept him from living a happy life. The title really gave the whole story it's meaning.
Another thing I thought interesting was people were actually drawn in this comic. No animals were being used. I believe that this was done because Art wanted the reader to take this part more personal. Instead of listening to his father's story (which of course is tragic) he was giving the reader an idea of HOW he has felt over the issues first hand. By using people it made it more relateable. The reader can actually look at the people in the comic and relate to the emotions on their face. When using animals it is more difficult. I also believe that he wanted the reader to remember the "humanistic" side to it. With his father's story using the animals make the novel a bit lighter. But when you get to the comic in the middle of the story it sends a shock back into the novel.
I understand in ways that Artie felt responsible for his mother's death because he might have felt by brushing her off when she came into his room was a "breaking point" but I never really understood WHY she did. What really set her off? Was it her past? Was Vladek not able to get over what had happened during the Holocaust? It also shows that Artie was labeled at the "stronger one" in the novel rather than his father. In the end it was Artie giving his shoulder up for his father to cry on, not vice versa.
I thought this part of the novel was very powerful and got my attention quickly :)
- Nora
Maus was the first graphic novel i read as well. I was also very shocked when i read the Prisoner on the Hell Planet. I read it three times through because of how shocked it made me. I made me really want to look deeper into Artie's life. I also feel that the author used the pictures he did because he wanted the reader to be able to have a better understanding on how Jews and Germans ranked. Using a mouse for the Jewish people showed the their status was a lot lower than a pigs (German). That was the biggest thing that bothered me the most about this story was we never really have a clear cut answer of why Artie's mother committed suicide. I had that question since the very beginnning of the book and was a little disappointed when it was never answered.
ReplyDeleteI like how you said something about how animals werent used in the pictures. It was all people. I never thought of it this way while I was reading this story. I agree it definately did lighten up the mood of the story but all in all this was still very serious. I agree when you say that Artie is viewed to be the stronger one out of him and his father. I can definately see that now that you mentioned it.
ReplyDeleteYou made a very interesting point about the people being used in Artie's comic that I never thought of before. It definitely put more of a shock back into the story and made it feel more depressing because we can relate to the people more than we can with the mice. I also asked a lot of the same questions. I never really understood what happened to Anja or why she did what she did. I think it was meant to be this way so the reader can let their mind wonder and try to imagine what may have happened.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you were shocked too! The Prisoner of Hell completely took me by surprise of how dark and eerie the comic was in relation to the rest of the novel. I definately agree that using human images made for a real "hit-home" feeling and making things more real for readers. What you said that I found extremely interesting of your mentioning of the prisoner (but didn't actually go to prison). I took it literally that he had gone to prison, but your view makes much more sense. Very clear and concise response. AWESOME :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure we should expect any answers from the Prisoner on Hell Planet section of the novel...or from the novel as a whole. What answers can we give for events like the Holocaust? How do survivors "answer" for their survival? How do you reconcile a suicide? I think Speigelman wants us to ask, rather than to answer. He wants us to feel the tragedy, the pain, and the loss, of never knowing.
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