Maus+A+Survivor's+Tale

Maus: A Survivor’s Tale



Art Spiegelman’s //Maus: A Survivor’s Tale// focuses on the experiences of a Holocaust survivor, Vladek, from his life before and during the Nazi invasion in 1939. Vladek’s story begins with his life before the war, married to Anja with his first son, Richieu, born. A few years later, Vladek gets a letter from the Polish Reserves army and he must leave to the frontier against Germany. He is caught by the Germans and becomes a prisoner later to be released and sent back to his family. He, then, reunites with Anja and his son. The story progresses to explore the experiences the Jews faced in Poland during the Holocaust. Slowly, the Germans take away everything from the Jews; their businesses, their homes, their furniture, their money, their hope, and their lives. The story focuses on the movement of the family from one place to another, trying to avoid being taken to the gas chambers in Auschwitz. By the end of the novel, Vladek and Anja are caught by the Nazis and all hope diminishes. At the end, Vladek says “And we came here to the concentration camp Auschwitz, and we knew that from here we will not come out anymore…We knew the stories – that they will gas us and throw us in the ovens. This was 1944… We knew everything. And here we were” (157).

a) In what grade level / course would you teach this text? Are there other courses for which it might also be appropriate?

n Grade 10, 11 or 12 Academic English courses n Grade 10 History course

The reason I chose these grade levels is because there is a lot of written and visual content to digest. There is some graphic content: guns, shooting sounds, hanging, the concentration camps, the depiction of the weak bodies, Jews dying etc. It may be a little too much for students to understand especially if they are unaware of the history of the Holocaust. It is important for students to understand who, what, where, why, when and how the Holocaust happened. This is introduced in the Grade 10 History course in more detail and thus students will have a better understanding of Vladek’s experiences during the invasion of the Nazis in Poland during WWII.

b) What are the main ideas/ issues/ teaching points which you would emphasize when teaching the text? (Consider the knowledge possibilities: Social, topic, cultural, textual.)

Textual knowledge

Social /Cultural knowledge
 * Conventions of the graphic novel
 * Distinction between written and remembered history
 * Linear time vs. remembrance
 * Multiple narratives - the text as a hybrid format: mixture of image and text, documentary photos, tape recordings, maps of Poland, diagrams of hideouts etc.
 * A graphic novel about Holocaust: blending high and low culture
 * 1st person narrative
 * Animal metaphor/ use of masks (cultural, social)
 * Classification of //Maus//: Autobiography? Fiction? History? Is it a fictional and historical narrative?
 * Storytelling through art

§ History of the Holocaust/Survival § Racial/Social Inequality, treatment of European Jews § Students will understand the psychological, social, emotional, physical changes of the Jewish people during that period of time. They will understand the perspective of survivors and their endeavours through the war, their fight for survival and their family relationships that helped them survive. § The relationship between Artie and Vladek – trying to understand and record Vladek’s experiences § Family relationships through the Holocaust (staying together, surviving together) Topical knowledge
 * Vladek provides his historical account of his experiences in the war. The students will gain an understanding of the Holocaust and some of the events that had occurred during that period. Also they will find out, not just the facts and dates of events but the personal struggles to survive. What did they do to survive? Where they go?

c) What are the issues/ challenges you might encounter in teaching the text?

Some students may not understand the effect of the Holocaust. They may be a little confused on what happened, when things happened and why things happened. Although these are not all addressed, it is important that some historical background is brought into the classroom so that the students are familiar with the war before engaging with the text. In this way, perhaps they will be less confused and more understanding toward the text. If they do not understand the history behind the text, they may be lost from the beginning. There is a lot of heavy, factual knowledge to unpack and thus it is really important that students have some prior knowledge.

The story can be very emotional to the students. It focuses on the history of traumatic events that some students may have a personal connection to. It would be important to see how your students feel about reading such a text and if they have any concerns with it. Even while they are reading, it may be important to check to see how students feel while reading perhaps having him record in a journal any thoughts or feelings they have about the characters or the events happening in the text.

d) Describe one possible assignment / activity which you could use when teaching the text.

=**__ Overall Expectations __**= Students will:

Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, informational, and graphic texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning.

Students will: texts from diverse cultures and historical periods, identifying specific purposes for reading
 * __ Specific Expectations __**__ : __
 * Variety of Texts **
 * 1.1 ** read a variety of student- and teacher-selected


 * Demonstrating Understanding of Content **
 * 1.3 ** identify the most important ideas and supporting details in texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts

other texts; and the world around them Students would create their own graphic novel piece. They would be required to write a short story focusing on a character or characters that have been discriminated against or have experienced racism. It can be focused around an event that perhaps they feel very close to or they can make up an event if they do not feel comfortable talking about it. They will not have to do a full graphic novel but will focus on one component of their short story to create a comic strip. They will be introduced to the graphic novel format before being introduced to the assignment. They will be required to show the struggles of the character and the emotions and thoughts that are going through his or her mind.
 * Extending Understanding of Texts **
 * 1.5 ** extend understanding of texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, by making appropriate and increasingly rich connections between the ideas in them and personal knowledge, experience, and insights;

Aleksandra Vujanovic