Response to Maus II

     While reading both Maus and Maus II, I felt I could better enjoy the story by the way it took "breaks" from the main story of Vladek's survival in Auschwitz to show the making of the graphic novel as well. In this way, it made the story feel more personal, almost as though we, the reader, are Art Spiegelman, and can experience his father's tale from where it starts to where it ends. Also, it better shows the emotional and mental effects the days at Auschwitz had on Vladek. Without moving back and forth between past and present, we wouldn't be able to see what Vladek's emotions may bring at the retelling of his story. For example, when Vladek has issues with spending money and holding on to material possessions, we can see a parallel between when he had to go many days without those items. Though his son continually states that his traumatic past shouldn't be so much of an influence over the way he acts, most of his actions can actually be justified.