Throughout the graphic novel Maus, we see many different forms of exile. We get to explore mostly the exile of the Jews during World War II through the eyes of Artie's father. His father goes through the exile from his home, country, and humanity. It is no coincidence that Artie draws them all as different animals, when the Jews are treated below human from the Germans (represented as Cats which chase mice). This is to show Vladek's constant struggle in which he says he feels less human. Because of this struggle in World War II, Vladek becomes very "unconventional" with how he lives, always saving the most ridiculous things because he didn't have them or was scarce during the War.
Besides Vladek's struggle Artie has his own struggle, throughout the graphic novel multiple times we see Artie's struggle with his own father, feeling inadequate in comparison to Vladek's first son... (who could have been a lawyer or doctor) while Artie is just a struggling Artist. Artie also constantly mentions how his father embarrasses him, because of Vladek's "unconventional" way of keeping every little thing. Further more in part II Artie says he has a problem with being unable to know fully the struggle that happened during World War II for his father, and feels guilty for not fully understanding the struggle. Artie's exile is the exile he feels from not being fully understanding of his father as well as not being fully understood by his father.
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