In our ASTU class, we have been examining novels about the trauma and memories that came from World War II as a continuation of what we have learned from psychologists. One of the literary works we have recently read is Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman. Published in 1991, this graphic novel illustrates Spiegelman’s father’s experience during the Holocaust and the war. This is done through a continuous interview between Art and his father Vladek, while the storyline jumps through present and past, and are depicted as mice. Even though the novel is black and white, I think Spiegelman effectively transitions between space and time separation by chapters, iconic images and through the use of comic strip structure.
The story of Maus is separated in six chapters, which add a story-like vibe to the graphic novel. I noticed that right before the chapter ends, the interview of the past suddenly pulls away and the chapters start and end in the present. In terms of Spiegelman’s narrative style, I noticed that he is able to connect the past and present storylines with the use of chapter separation. Spiegelman uses the chapter to switch back to the present so he can control time and when certain events are told.
Each page of Maus has an immense amount of care and detail taken into account. Spiegelman uses two different techniques to convey time through playing with the comic strip structure. Conventionally, Spiegelman uses the gutter to provide closure to the reader. This moment in between panels allows the reader to connect both images in their mind. The break in time has a certain idea that the author wants the reader to see and if done effectively, the reader can relate both panels together, even if they are moments apart. Spiegelman uses the gutter – a unique element to storytelling for comics, as a way for the reader to have closure and fill in the space between panels. The other method is when Artie is interviewing Vladek and the reader is seeing the past, the moments of present which interrupt the past are drawn in without borders. For example, on page 14, the frames in the present have no borders, which show a contrast between two storylines.
The graphic novel is illustrated with iconic images like mice and cat characters. Throughout the novel, we can see how the characters are illustrated with little visible changes in age throughout time. For Vladek’s character, the difference between the past and the present are slight changes in appearance with the addition of glasses. The importance of these iconic images in the novel demonstrate that there is a link between the past during the war and in the interview between Artie and Vladek. In doing so, it conveys the message that the issues concerned with the Holocaust are still relevant and can be observe in the present. The use of iconic image allow the Spiegelman to switch smoothly between the past and present storylines while changing perspectives as well. In a way, the iconic images allow Spiegelman to defy time and fuse both storylines together.
I personally enjoyed and appreciated reading Maus because I got to read about the Holocaust, but in a more light-hearted way on the surface with the comic style, but upon further analysis, there are more details hidden within each page and image. I thought it was interesting how even though the graphic novel is in black and white, Spiegelman is still able to convey the flow of time through this medium. With the constant fluctuation of time, I think this can be related back to our central theme of memory. The breaks between past and present demonstrate how memory is not always fluid, however with the iconic images, these issues associated with the past or our memories may be relevant to the present.