1. To what extent is Vladek’s story typical of what Jews experienced during the Holocaust? In what ways is it not typical?
2. Why did Vladek survive Nazi occupation and the camps, while so many others did not? What do you think it took to survive as a Polish Jew in German-occupied Poland and in camps such as Auschwitz?
3. At various times throughout Book II, Art openly doubts whether drawing a comic book is an effective way to try to commemorate his parents’ efforts to survive the Holocaust. Do you think it is an effective way of doing so? Why or why not?
4. Throughout Maus, Art depicts a range of peoples that Vladek encountered during the Holocaust, ranging from Nazi authorities, to collaborators, to resisters, to bystanders. Discuss this range of participation in, and reaction to, Nazi occupation. Is there a clear line that distinguishes Nazi perpetrators from blameless victims of the regime?
Paper Requirements
I. Your essay must be a minimum of 600 words and a maximum of 850 words. II. Your essay must be double-spaced, in 12 point font, with standard 1” margins. III. No outside sources are allowed. Only use the assigned text. You may also supplement your essay with material from the course textbook & assigned readings/viewings. IV. Your essay must have a thesis—an argument—in the opening paragraph, stated in one to two sentences, that answers the assignment question(s). V. You must support generalizations with specific evidence drawn from course materials. VI. Your essay must identify the page number(s) of every quotation or specific example drawn from the readings. The author’s last name and page number(s) should be cited in parentheses at the end of each quotation/example. VII. You are to end your essay with a concluding paragraph, in which you summarize the points you have made in the body of the paper. VIII. Proofread your paper, carefully editing any grammatical or spelling mistakes.
