Art Spiegelmans Maus an EthnoGraphic Mem

7/26/2019 Art Spiegelmans Maus an EthnoGraphic Mem

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Thomas Johanesson

Dr. Irma Maini

Capstone Symposium

4/15/15

Art SpiegelmansMaus: A ostmo!ern "thno#raphi$ Memoir

Art SpiegelmansMausis a literary %or& that $hroni$les Spiegelmans tur'ulent

relationship %ith his (ather )la!e&* %hile trying to pie$e together )la!e&s personal

struggle through the +olo$aust !uring ,orl! ,ar II. The +olo$aust %as an e((ort 'y

A!ol( +itler an! his Thir! -ei$h to era!i$ate %hat +itler $alle! a ra$etu'er$ulosis o(

the peoples.0 y 1233* %hen the Thir! -ei$h rose to po%er* #ermany 'e$ame a $ountry

in %hi$h $itiens ha! no guarantee! 'asi$ rights0 6S+MM7.This postmo!ern* non

(i$tion histori$al narrati8e progresses through the me!ium o( graphi$ narrati8e 'y %ay

o( interse$ting genres* ethnography an! memoir. Spiegelman $reate! 'oth 8olumes o(

Mausthrough )la!e&s narrati8e 'e(ore ,orl! ,ar 9 an! !uring the +olo$aust. +e

!oes this %hile re$onstru$ting his o%n eperien$e o( inter8ie%ing )la!e& an!

re$onstru$ting )la!e&s story. 6sing postmo!ern te$hni;ues* Spiegelmans e((orts o(

storytelling through the 8isual me!ium o( a graphi$ narrati8e %ith the interse$ting

genres o( memoir an! ethnography primarily ha8e $hallenge! preeisting i!eas a'out

genre $ategoriation* as %ell as literary 8alue.

Spiegelman* the artist* eplores his (athers +olo$aust testimony through the

me!ium o( $omi$s. As S$ott M$Clou!* author o( Understanding Comics: The Invisible

Art,eplains* Comi$s %ere those 'right* $olor(ul magaines %ith 'a! art* stupi! stories*

an! guys in tights0 97. This i!ea that $omi$s are not a literary art (orm an! !o not ha8e

literary 8alue stems (rom this $ommon mis$on$eption.Maus* ho%e8er is o(ten i!enti(ie!


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Johanesson 9as a graphi$ Martin 1?@7. The images are tie!

together %ith %or!s to sho% a mo8ing* (lo%ing story that progresses %ith ea$h panel.

The %ay the gutters o( the me!ium are use! 'y Spiegelman (urther ma&es this tet so

a$$essi'le to all people 'y allo%ing a 'roa!er interpretation o( %hat happens 'et%een

these $hanging images. or eample inMaus8olume one* the s$ene o( the present !ay

(rame narrati8e %here Art* the author represente! as a $hara$ter* inter8ie%s his (ather

)la!e& are set 'a$& into the page* %hile the panels representing )la!e&s past appear to

'e paste! o8er this (rame narrati8e 1:147. This represents the 8isual re$onstru$tion o(

the %or& that most !emonstrates that this %or& is a re$onstru$tion o( %hat has

happene!. The popular mis$on$eption o( $omi$s as a nonserious me!ium is %hy some

may not seeMausas literature. Spiegelmans use o( this me!ium (or a serious topi$ li&e

the +olo$aust %as in!ee! !aring yet the me!ium o( $omi$s/graphi$ narrati8e pro8i!e!

him %ith a uni;ue opportunity. Spiegelman usesMausepress the unrepresenta'le pain

o( trauma an! the a(tersho$&s o( that trauma. As "lm%oo! points out* Spiegelman

'ene(ite! (rom his use o( Bthe me!ium in su$h a %ay that o((i$ial* histori$al a$$ounts o(

the +olo$aust


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Johanesson 3someone %ho !i! not li8e the eperien$e* 'ut is 'eing tol! a'out it through inter8ie%s

+atha%ay 9597. ,e see the %riter as a $hara$ter $onsi!ering ho% to represent the

$hara$ters. ,e see the %ay the metaphor (alls apart in 8olume 9. ,e see the %ay that

eing $ogniant o( these this element ma&e ,hile some $omi$s may (o$us on the

!epi$te! $on(li$ts o( superheroes in tights*Mausas a $omi$ (o$uses on telling the story

o( the tragi$ally etraor!inary $ir$umstan$es o( sur8i8ors o( the +olo$aust. Comi$s are

re$ognie! a me!ium* %hi$h ma&es genre an entirely !i((erent matter.

Another pro'lemati$ o(Maus'eing $onsi!ere! literature is its taonomy* (or

-osemary +atha%ay a((irms Maus eists in a spa$e 'et%een genres0 9597. It $oul! 'e

a $omi$ 'oo&* a 'iography* or a histori$al narrati8e. Initially*Maus II%as liste! as a

Ee% For& Times 'estseller un!er i$tion an! this lea! to Spiegelman respon!ing %ith a

letter title! A ro'lem o( Taonomy0 in %hi$h he a$&no%le!ge! that 'y


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Johanesson 4other narrati8e %or&


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Johanesson 5(ame* memoir narro%s the lens* (o$using on a time in the %riters li(e that %as unusually

8i8i!


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Johanesson Through this $ompoun! genre an! me!ium o( postmo!ern "thno#raphi$

Memoir* Spiegelman uses three !i((erent le8els o( narration to tell his story. Alan erger

!etails these le8els as inner* mi!!le* an! outer. The inner le8el is )la!e&s +olo$aust

eperien$e %hi$h re8eals him as a resour$e(ul in!i8i!ual0 erger7. or eample* in the

se$on! 8olume o(Maus)la!e& is sho%n using "nglish to $ommuni$ate %ith a ren$h

prisoner* %ho gi8es )la!e& (oo! an! %ho helps him sur8i8e the $amps. )la!e& $re!its

this ren$h prisoner (or his sur8i8al* 'ut in a$tuality it is )la!e&s use o( 'asi$ "nglish

that ena'les the e$hange to happen Spiegelman 9:237. It is re$onstru$te! through

)la!e& telling the story to Art* %ho are 'oth represente! as a $hara$ters that (rame this

story. The signi(i$an$e o( this layer is its 8isual representation o( histori$al e8ents

through the lens o( the in!i8i!ual an! his $ommunity. The mi!!le le8el are the s$enes

o( )la!e&s testimony0 to the horrors o( the +olo$aust. erger spe$i(i$ally loo&s to the

moment %here the three Je%ish store o%ners are hange! to !eath. Spiegelman sho%s

)la!e& $rying 1:K47 to emphasie the horror o( ho% the Eais le(t these people hanging

in the to%n s;uare (or a %ee& (or !ealing goo!s %ithout $oupons0 Spiegelman 1:K37.

This layer is signi(i$ant in its (un$tion in ho% it narro%s the narrati8e (o$us to )la!e&s

story spe$i(i$ally* rather than the larger $ommunity response. The (inal* outer layer is

memory an! representation*0 or the sur(a$e layer. At the sur(a$e o( the %or& is %here

%e see the %ay $hara$ters are !epi$te!. This is ma!e most $lear 'y the entire

$onstru$tion o( the %or& an! this $omes through o8ertly at the 8isual le8el %here Je%s

are represente! as mi$e.

The representation o( Je%s as mi$e an! #ermans as $ats is an apt 8isual

metaphor o( the geno$i!al relationship 'et%een these t%o people !uring the +olo$aust.


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Johanesson ?ha8e $ommente! on Spiegelmans animal metaphor o( Je%s as Mi$e an! Eais as Cats to

'e !ehumaniing*0 other s$holars li&e #eo((rey +artman applau! the use o( animal

imagery.0 ;t!. in erger7. Spiegelman e((e$ti8ely appropriates Eai propagan!a 'y

representing Je%s as Mi$e in $omi$ 'oo& (orm MetaMaus11511 > Josyph7. In

MetaMaus* Spiegelman a!!resses the use o( the metaphor 'y saying that +itler %as his

'iggest $olla'orator. In the $hapter ,hy Mi$eL0 there are three eamples o( anti

semiti$ propagan!a. irst theres a poster (or the !o$umentary (or The Eternal Jewa

sinister mans (a$e %ith a star o( Da8i! on the (orehea! is sho%n sneering at the 8ie%er.

Its unli&ely that this is a (lattering !epi$tion o( Je%ish people 'ase! on the !ar& sha!ing

in his (a$e. +e loo&s li&e Satan 1157. Se$on!ly* there is a $hil!rens 'oo& $alle!The

Poisonous Mushroomsho%ing a personi(ie! mushroom grima$ing %ith a star o( Da8i!

on its stem. #i8en that the su'He$t o( the 'oo& is $learly a metaphori$al Je%ish

mushroom that ispoisonous* this (urther rein(or$es the negati8e aspe$ts o( the Je%ish

people. inally* a poster !epi$ting a rat %ith eaggerate! (eatures o( a large nose* rea!s

-ats* Destroy Them.0 The impli$ation is to $on(late Je%s %ith 8ermin. A!!itionally*

another poster %ith rats* %ho ea$h ha8e the star o( Da8i! on their 'a$&* are !epi$te! as

(easting upon a sa$& o( (oo! la'ele! roperty o( the eople Eot (or Je%s0 The image

o( Je%ish people as 8ermin is $lear 11?7. It is $lear that Spiegelman is reappropriating

the the negati8e stereotype o( this propagan!a an! using it to the en! o( epressing this

%or& in a %ay that is more a$$essi'le to rea!ers. In!ee!* this ta&ing 'a$& o( a negati8e

!epi$tion o( Je%ish people is meant to !emonstrate ho% Je%ish people %ere !emonie!

un!er Eai reign. ,hile this 8isual representation o( so$ial attitu!es (un$tions %ith

imme!ia$y* it is not (oolproo(. This is $learest %hen the re$onstru$te! representation

$ollapses %hen a prisoner* %ho is !ra%n initially as a mouse* approa$hes a #erman


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Johanesson Ksol!ier* %ho is !ra%n as a $at $laiming* an! the (ormer is $laims to 'e #erman. This

$auses Spiegelman to as& )la!e& to 8eri(y this* 'ut )la!e& respon!s ,ho &no%s...It

was#erman prisoners as %ell...'ut (or the #ermans this guy %as Jewish0 6ltimately*

Spiegelman represents this $hara$ter in 'oth $at (orm an! mouse (orm in t%o panels

si!e 'y si!e Spiegelman 9:5@7. This instan$e %here the metaphor $ollapses sho%s most

$learly %hat +atha%ay re(ers to as the postmo!ern ;uestion o( representation.


9/16

Johanesson 2the pu'lishing houses !oors to protest this un(lattering !epi$tion MetaMaus1991937.

This is the same le8el %here rea!ers see Art* the $hara$ter* $onsi!er the re$onstru$tion

o( Maus in the pie$e. A li'el la%suit %as lo!ge! against Spiegelman 'y a sur8i8ing

Spiegelman relati8e %ho li8es in Israel. The sur8i8ing relati8e asserte! that the a$tual

person esa$h Spiegelman %ho %as represente! inMaus%as not part o( the Je%ish

poli$e !uring the +olo$aust an! that %as !e(aming his memory* so Spiegelman $hange!

esa$hs hat (rom a Je%ish poli$e hat to a (e!ora (or the Israeli pu'li$ation MetaMaus

1547. A!!itionally the e!itor o( -o%ohlt pu'lishing*Maus#erman pu'lishing house*

ha! to get permission (rom the #erman go8ernment (or #erman pu'li$ation to &eep the

s%asti&a on the $o8er o(Maus8olume 1. It is against #erman la% to !isplay a s%asti&a

on anything e$ept serious s$holarly resear$h0 #raphi$ Eo8el07 an! gi8en Spiegelman

ha! !one (iel! resear$h* Spiegelman an! -o%ohlt pu'lishing%ere allo%e! to &eep the

s%asti&a on the $o8er MetaMaus155* 1527. This len!s itsel( to the i!ea that #ermany

re$ogniesMausas a %or& o( histori$al 8alue an! it is %orth noting that the e!itor o(

-o%ohlt pu'lishing %ent on to 'e$ome the minister o( $ulture. These are some o( the

larger $on(li$tsMaushas ha! %ith $ensorship in international translations*

pu'li$ations* an! !istri'utions o( Art SpiegelmansMaus%hen it %as initially

pu'lishe!. The $ontro8ersy o( Spiegelman sho%ing the s%asti&a on the $o8er o(Maus

%as reopene! in Mos$o%* -ussia this past month* April 9@15. )la!imir utins

a!ministration put out an or!er to remo8e all Eai propagan!a (rom Mos$o% (or the

politi$al holi!ay* )i$tory Day*0 %hi$h $ele'rates the -ussian !e(eat o( the Eais on the

eastern (ront -oth7.


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Johanesson 1@'e on the shel8es on )i$tory Day0 ;t!. in #am'ino7. Spiegelman himsel( is ;uote! as

saying I !ont thin& Maus %as the inten!e! target (or this* o'8iously* 'ut I thin&


11/16

Johanesson 11%ho %ant to &eep the 6. S. literary $anon $lose!* parti$ularly aroun! the li'eral push to

open the 6. S. literary $anon #uilory 9357. ,here the $onser8ati8e%ortons Antholog"

&eeps the $anon representationally $lose!* The !eath Antholog" o# American

$iteratureis the most $lear li'eral e((ort to representationally open the $anon. This

$on(li$t ultimately happene! %hen the e!itions o( The !eath Antholog"that %ere

pu'lishe! in the 122@s in$lu!e! %omen an! people o( $olor in the se$tion on the

nineteenth$entury* %here they %ere not represente! in the%orton Antholog"Cain ?7.

Consi!ering the in$lusion o(Mausin the ?th e!ition o( The !eath Antholog"* it is $lear

that there is an a((irmation o( literary 8alue in a li'eral au!ien$e o( the 6. S. literary

$anon. It is important


12/16

Johanesson 19me!ia rea!ing lessons0 -an&er 9227. A!!itionally* the 'oo& has 'een use! to

$ommuni$ate i!entity narrati8es o( immigrant mi!!le s$hool "SO stu!ents in %estern

lori!a Dana& 1K?7. To $on$eptualie the pe!agogy o( %hat Dana& $alls

multilitera$ies is to re$ognie the epan!ing mo!es o( $ommuni$ation0 an! to

re$ognie the gro%ing importan$e o( $ultural an! linguisti$ !i8ersity in our

$ommunities.0 This litera$y pe!agogy is in opposition %ith the page'oun! pra$ti$e

restri$te! to


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Johanesson 13o(Mausas a literary %or& streamline! 'y a resear$hing authorillustrator* rather than

'y the narrator %ho !ire$tly li8e! the pain o( the +olo$aust. urthermore* !espite the

initial $ontro8ersy in #ermany*Maushas 'een re$ognie! as a serious s$holarly %or&

#raphi$ Eo8el07. The 8olumes o( this %or& ha8e 'een honore! 'oth internationally

an! !omesti$ally* as %ell as 'eing (eature! in a li'eral anthology o( Ameri$an %or&s*

thus a$&no%le!ging the literary 8alue o( this %or&. ersonally* I must stan! 'yMaus

in$lusion gi8en the %ay it represents the unrepresenta'le pain o( the pre8ious

generation through an unusual me!ium. urthermore as a tea$her in training* I ha8e to

stan! 'y the use o( multilitera$ies to a$$omplish the goal o( in$lusi8e pe!agogy*

parti$ularly 'e$ause some tea$hers %or& %ith populations that house in$re!i'le

!i8ersity.


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Johanesson 14

,or&s Cite!

erger* Alan O. BMaus I and II.B In Cronin* #loria O.* an! Alan O. erger* e!s.

Enc"clopedia o# Jewish&American $iterature'Ee% For&* 9@@2.(loom)s

$iterature. a$ts n ile* In$. ,e'. 9? e'. 9@15.

ona* Mary Jo > Irma Maini. BMultiethni$ Oiterature in the Millenium.B

Multiethnic $iterature and Canon *ebates. "!. Mary Jo. ona an! Irma Maini.

Al'any: State 6 o( Ee% For&* 9@@. rint.

Cain* ,illiam ". Bpening the Ameri$an Min!.B "!. Jan #ora&. Canon +s'

Culture. 9@@1: 315. rint.

Dana&* -o'in O. BDe(ining I!entities Through Multilitera$ies: "O Teens Earrate

Their Immigration "perien$es As #raphi$ Stories.BJournal # Adolescent -

Adult $iterac"55.3 9@117: 1K?12.Academic .earch Premier. ,e'. 11 May

9@15.

"lm%oo!* )i$toria A. B+appy* +appy "8er A(terB: The Trans(ormation ( Trauma

et%een The #enerations In Art SpiegelmanGs Maus: A Sur8i8orGs Tale.B

#am'ino* Oauren. BArt Spiegelman ,arns o( G!angerousG ut$ome as -ussian

Shops an Maus.B The /uardian. 9K Apr. 9@15. ,e'. 9K Apr. 9@15.

#opinath* Manu. BA'out Art Spiegelman.B -e$eption an! -e8ie%s o( the ,or&

art I. 11 De$. 9@11. ,e'. 11 May 9@15.

#raphi$ Eo8el A'out +olo$aust GMausG anne! In -ussia or Its Co8er.0 Earr. -o'ert

Siegel. E-. ,EFC* Ee% For&. 9K Apr. 9@15. -a!io.

#uillory* John. BCanon.B Criti$al Terms (or Oiterary Stu!y. Chi$ago: 6 o( Chi$ago* 122@.

rint.


15/16

Johanesson 15+atha%ay* -osemary ). B-ea!ing Art SpiegelmanGs BMausB As ostmo!ern

"thnography.BJournal # 0ol1lore 2esearch4K.3 9@117: 9429?. Oiterary

-e(eren$e Center. ,e'. 9? e'. 9@15.

Josyph* eter. BMaus I and II.B In ,erlo$&* A''y +. .* e!. The 0acts n 0ile

Companion to the American %ovel. Ee% For&* 9@@.(loom)s $iterature. a$ts

n ile* In$. ,e'. 9? e'. 9@15

Martin* "laine. B#raphi$ Eo8els r Eo8el #raphi$sL.B Comparatist35.9@117:

1?@1K1.$iterar" 2e#erence Center. ,e'. 9? e'. 9@15.

M$Clou!* S$ott. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. Ee% For&:

+arpererennial* 1224. rint.

Men!elsohn* Daniel* an! Jenni(er Salai. B,hom or ,hat Are Oiterary ries

orLB The %ew 3or1 Times. The Ee% For& Times* 93 Eo8. 9@13. ,e'. 9@ Mar.

9@15.

-an&er* Jason. B6sing Comi$ oo&s As -ea!Alou!s: Insights n -ea!ing

Instru$tion rom An "nglish As A Se$on! Oanguage Classroom.B2eading

Teacher1.4 9@@?7: [email protected] .earch Premier. ,e'. 11 May 9@15.

-oth* An!re%. BThe Ee% For& Times.B )Maus) (oo1 About !olocaust Is 2emoved

in 2ussia. 9? Apr. 9@15. ,e'. 9K Apr. 9@15.

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Johanesson 1Spiegelman* Art.MetaMaus. Ee% For&: antheon* 9@11. rint.

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Documents

Art Spiegelmans Maus an EthnoGraphic Mem