A unique, insightful, and inspiring tale of exile

Having completed Volume I of Art Spiegelman's Maus: A Survivor's Tale, I must say that this was one of the most enriching works I've read in a while. Spiegelman offers a completely unique approach with the comic strip format. The symbolism provided by the design of the central characters (mice, cats, pigs, etc.) is fascinating. What I enjoyed most about Spiegelman's account of his father's story is the pure human emotion that is involved. Vladek's story gives insight not only towards what he had to deal with being a Jew during WWII -- he had to deal with the same issues of relationships, friendships, family, etc. that people do today. Even in his old age Vladek is a complex character with many issues -- his inability to truly cope with Anja's tragedy, his misguided remarriage towards Mala, his seeming inability to come to terms with his old age, and the sometimes strained relationship he has with his own son. As his story unfolds, one must wonder exactly what kind of effect his prior experiences during WWII have had on the rest of his life.



I really like how Spiegelman includes just enough present interaction so we are not merely presented with a typical account of what happened. Art's subtle interpretations of his father's story add another dimension to this already rich story.



The "cat and mouse" element of A Survivor's Tale is intriguing. Vladek and Anja are somehow able to continously evade capture at the hands of the Nazis. They witness and find about close friends, relatives, even their own parents and their child get captured, and must still struggle for survival. The sheer fear that they must have endured is astonishing. When they are finally brought to Auschwitz, I began to get curious. It will be interesting to see how things play out in Volume II, as danger is imminent.