(I think this goes here. xP)

We read this in History last year. I did enjoy it, though I think I may have preferred it as a novel-- but that's just the sort of person I am. I think it's a good idea to use it as a teaching tool, because a lot of people who normally don't care at all about wars and reading and assignments got really into it.

If you haven't read it: Maus tells the story of the author's father's experiences during WWII (He's Jewish and went to various concentration camps) He uses animals to represent all of the different races of people. The illustrations can get sort of brutal, almost gory, but I think they managed to get the message across very well. There's also a slight sub-plot of the author's problems and such with his father, but it's nowhere near as prevalent as the actual story. P:

If you have read it: what were your thoughts on it? Do you think the story was more effective in this medium or could it have been conveyed better as a regular novel (or something else)? What sort of effect did the story itself have on you?

I think the author conveyed the story in the most powerful medium he knew how. There are no small number of regular 'novels' about the Holocaust and it's survivors, but only one comic of which I'm aware. Even Marvel, who's "Magneto" is supposed to have been a Holocaust survivor, handles the affair with uninformative, glazing, lots of padding, and kid gloves. Maus cuts straight to the punch and makes no apologies for it. I think it was the best medium he could have chosen to reach as many people as he did. There are no small number of people who I think probably would never have read any deeper than their history book if Maus didn't exist, but thats my two cents.

@Nightgaunt: I definitely agree that it cuts straight to the punch, heh-- it gave one of my friends a nightmare one night. P: But she's really scared of WWII, anyway.

Yeah, very true. It's very effective to get people interested and educate them about the holocaust.

Great post, thanks for sharing your point-of-view. :3

*wanders into thread*

Yumeh was very disappointed to find no mice to hunt. After looking patiently at those already within the thread, demanding silently that they produce mice... he gives up and moves along.

I thought that Maus was amazing, sure there was like laser ink-jet coloring or amazing pencils and inks, but it didn't need that. The story was great, the author choosing animals to depict the different races of people was ingenious.

And the story was moving, and enthralling, and I personally think that it conveyed the holocaust correctly and right to the point.

All the freshmen at my school read that book for some class. It's really amazing. I loved the way he juxtaposed his life and his father's story and it was just really fucking amazing.

Originally Posted by Wynna

... the author choosing animals to depict the different races of people was ingenious.

I agree, that was one of the most appealing aspects of it for me. o:

Robot Jane: Yeah, I read it in grade ten history. It was fucking amazing, I agree xB