Entry#1

CJHines
Pg553
41416

ThestoryhasbeenfairlylightheartedsofarandImonlyexpectingittogetworsefor
Vladekfromhere.Vladekhasjustbeentakentoanazicampand,well,thosedonthavegood
yelpreviews.ThefathersonrelationshipbetweenArtandVladekkeepsthestoryuniqueand
grounded.Thetransitionsaresoseamless,whenweswitchpointofviewsfromArtsrelaxed
banterwithhisfathertodivingintoVladeksroughlifeexperiences.Ilikehowitsnotjusta
holocauststoryaboutthehorrorsofHitler,butitsalsosoalovestory,asadstory,astory
aboutfamily.ItsVladekslifestoryandthewaythestoryswrittenmakesitfeelpersonal.

Icantellyouotherstories,butsuchprivatethings,Idontwantyoushouldmention.
Okay,okayIpromise.
ThisisapromisethatArtobviouslybreaks.IlikehowArtkeptthatpartin,itsasimple
waytomakethestoryfeelintimatesincewegettoreadconfidentialstories.Iwonderhow
Vladekfeltaboutthatoncehereadthefinishedbook.Ipredictthatthestorieswillfeelmuch
moreintimateinthecomingchaptersandwillsomehowmoldorshapeArtandVladeks
relationshipinthepresenttensestorytellingpartofthebook.

Entry#2

CJHines
Pg53117
42116

Oneofthemainthemesformeinthispartofthestoryisdeath.Deathwastobe
expectedinastoryabouttheholocaust,buttheauthorpresentedthestoriesinsuchawaythat
thedeathsaresubtle,butstillshockinganduncomfortable.Hetakeshorrifyingstoriesthatyou
couldstretchoutfor3pagesandfitsintohalfapagethankstoVladeksblasestorytelling(ex.
Theladypoisoningherselfandthreechildren,thestoriesaboutAuschwitz,thehangings.)One
ofthedeaths,though,wasclearlydifferentfromtherestandthatwasthestoryofAnjasdeath.
ItwasaveryinterestingwaytorevealhowAnjadied(aquestionIvehadsincethebeginningof
thestory.)ThecomicaboutAnjasdeathwassodarkanddetailed,asharpcontrasttoMaus
(whichIthinkalsohelpsshowthedifferenceinArtandVladeksstorytelling.)Theillustrations
wereroughanduglyand,Ithink,itrepresentedhowArthurfeltabouthismothersdeathatthe
time.Inpresenttime,VladekisremarriedtoMala,andtheyhaveaverydifferentrelationship
fromVladekandAnjas.WhenVladekspokeaboutAnja,theillustration,thedialogue,itjust
soundedhappy,andhesnever(sofarinthestory)spokenaboutMalalikethat.Thatbringsup
twoofmyrecurringquestionsforthestory:Whydidthey(VladekandMala)getmarriedinthe
firstplace?Werethey(VladekandMala)everhappy?

IcanconnectVladekandMalasrelationshiptomyparentsrelationship.Myfatheralso
hadawifebeforemarryingmymother.Theyhaddivorcedlongbeforeshedied,butshedidalso
die,Iattendedthefuneral.MyparentsalsoarguelikeVladekandMala,theybothseem
miserableintherelationshipasVladekandMalado.Imsuretheywerehappyatonepoint,I
justhavealotoftroublepicturingit.Imprettysuretheonlyreasontheyhaventdivorcedyetis
forthefinancialreasonsofsupportingmeandmysister(whichwasanexcuseIhadusedto
reasonwiththemtonotdivorcewhenIwasyounger.)ButInowseehowselfishthatwas,and
nooneshouldbestuckinanunhealthyrelationship.IminterestedinhowVladekandMalas
relationshipwillchangeforbetterorforworseasthestorycontinues.

Entry#3
CJHines
Pg117149
42916

IdontthinkImreallylikeanyoneinthebook.Itshardtocomparemyselftoanyone
becausewedontreallygettoknowanyoneverypersonally.Eventhemaincharacters,Vladek
andArtie,arestillabitofamysterytome.Inaway,though,Icouldalsobeamixofthe
characters.ImmoneyconsciouslikeVladek.IminsensitivesometimeslikeArtie.Imeasily
frustratedlikemostofthecharacters.

TherearemanywaysinwhichImnotlikethecharacters.Vladeksconstantlyrudeand
hethrewoutaperfectlygoodcoat.MalaandVladekarebothclosemindedandpretty
inconsiderate.Artiesabitofapushoversometimes.Anjawaskindamentallyweak(butthat
wasclearlybecauseofeverythingshewentthrough.)

Entry#4
CJHines
Pg150inMaus114inMaus2
5416

WhenIwasakidIusedtothinkaboutwhichofmyparentsIdletthenazistaketothe
ovensifIcouldonlysaveoneofthem.UsuallyIsavedmymother.Doyouthinkthatsnormal?
Nobodysnormal.IthinkArtjustwisheshecouldsaysorryorIloveyoutohismom,whichis
whyhedsavehismom.Hisanswerisguidedbytheguiltofhismotherssuicide.Ithinkifhis
fatherdiedwhilehewaswritingthisbookhewouldvefeltevenguiltierthanfromAnjasdeath.
Hehadtimetoimprovehisrelationshipwithhisfather,whichiswhyitwouldbemore
traumatizingifhisdaddied.

Arthasaveryinterestingrelationshipwithbothofhisparents.Hefeelsguiltytobothof
them.GuiltandregretforAnja,becausehethinksthathesthecauseofhersuicideandnow
shesdeadandhecantdoanythingaboutit.GuiltandfrustrationforVladek,becausehethinks
thathesnotagoodson(likewhenherefusedtohelpwiththeroof,butlaterfeltguiltierand
askedifVladneededhelponanythingelse)andhewantstobeagoodson,butVladeks
stubbornnessandsetinmywaysmentalityfrustrateArt.IpredictArtandVladeksrelationship
isgoingtochangeforthebetterinMaus2.Theyllcommunicatebetterandbemoreopenabout
theirpersonalproblemswitheachother.

Entry#5
CJHines
Maus2Pg1446
51116

Vladekdied.Thethemeofdeathhitreallyhardonthoselastfewpages,youcouldfeelit
intheillustrations.Artsdescriptionofhowhefeltjustoozedlossandguilt,andyoucouldnt
helpbutjustfeelsympathyforhim.Thelastfewpagesalsoshowedthathappinessand
sadnessareweirdthings,hiscareerissuccessfulandhesabouttobeafather,thosethings
typicallymakeapersonhappy,butwithallofthedarkthemesthatarehighlightedinhislifeat
themoment(death,loss,guilt,regret,remorse,etc.)hessad.Helosthisbrother(eventhough
theyneverkneweachotheritsstillanimportantloss),hismother,hisfather,andhefeltguiltyin
awaytoeachofthem.

NowArtisseeingashrink,andhesfinallytalkingabouthowhefeels.Ilikedthepart
wheretheyweretalkingaboutsurviving.Againthethemeofguiltwasbroughtup(Artfeels
guiltylike25hoursaday,heneedstochill),thistimeitwasaboutVladekbeingguilty(like
father,likeson.)IwrotelastweekaboutArtbeingguilty,butInevereventhoughtaboutVlad
beingguilty,anditmakesalotofsensethathewouldbeguiltyaftereverythingthathappened
inhislife.Theideathatsurvivingiswinningatlifewasalsointeresting,itwasasiftoArt,
Vladekhadthisbadgeonhimthatread
holocaustsurvivor
andhecouldntandwouldnttop
that.

IthinkArt,beforethebooksweremade,probablydidntthinkhisstorywasworthtelling,
whichiswhyhewantedtowriteabouthisfather.Itconnectstohisadmirationforhis
holocaust
survivor
father,hisfathersurvivedandthatwasastoryworthtelling,notthestoryofsome
jewishnewyorkerwhodrawscomicsaboutanimalswithaholocaustsurvivorfather.ButIthink
atsomepointherealizedthathewasalsoasurvivor,justinadifferentway.Theresaquote
fromVladekatthebeginningofthefirstbook,Itwouldtakemanybooks,mylife,andnoone
wantstohearsuchstories.Thequoteembodiestheirrelationshipandtheirlivessowell.Ittook
twobooks,bothoftheirlives,anditwasbeautifullydone,suchstories.

Entry#6

CJHines
Maus2Pg4678
51916

ThispartofthebookwasmainlyaboutVladekstimeinAuschwitz.Consideringhowbad
itcouldhavebeen,Vladekwasprettylucky.Hehadmultiplejobsandwasfedbetterthan
others.Heandhiswifewerebothalive.Hehadawaytocommunicatetohiswife.AndIthink
AnjaandVladekkepteachotheraliveduringthistime,theywererepresentationsofhopefor
eachother.

IthinkthatifoneofthemhaddiedinAuschwitz,theotherwould'vesuicided.Eachother
wasalltheyhad.Ithinkthat'sthethemeItookoutofthisweek,love.Inthemidstofallthe
deathandsuffering,theyfoundsolaceineachother.Theyhadhopethattheywouldsurvive
together.Andiftheydidn'tsurvivetogetherthenthehopewaslost.

Entry#7

CJHines
Maus2Pg78136
52516

Thebookended.Ilikedit,Idgiveitasolid8.3/10.Iwasntreallysurewhattoexpect
withthisbook(cuzwhatareyousupposetoexpectwithmousecomicsabouttheholocaust),all
Iknewwasthatitwassupposedtobeagoodbook,anditdidntdisappoint.Thebookswere
undoubtedlyuniqueandcaptivating.Artsabilitytokeepusengagedduringboththepresent
andpaststorieswasimpressive.Ifgiventhechance,Iwouldreadthebookagain,tocatch
thingsImissed.

WhenIhadfirststartedreading,Ifoundthepresentstories(ArtandVladeks
conversations)tediousanduninteresting.Butasthebookprogressed,Ibegantopayattention
totheirstoryandslowlybecameascaptivatedtoArtandVladeksrelationshipasIwastothe
holocauststories.ThisbecameclearerwhenIwasreadingthesecondbook.Vladeksdeath
wasagoodexample,itwasashockthatcameoutofnowhereandmyreactionmademe
realizehowmuchIhadstartedtocareaboutthesecharacters.Sincethisisthelastbook
journal,hereareallofthethemesInoticedinMausandMaus2:love,hate,loss,family,guilt,
hope,pain,death,life,thepast,posterity,andsympathy.NotonlydidIgettoreadagreatbook,
Ilearnedalotabouttheholocaustanditencouragedmetolearnmore.