Terriann Daily

May 3, 2022

Instructor Watson

Art Spiegelman’s Relationship with Vladek in Maus I & II

The Holocaust, which started in 1933 and ended in 1945, affected many Jewish, Polish,

Roma (gypsies), homosexuals; physically and mentally handicapped individuals, and families.

Millions of these people were, unfortunately, killed by the Nazis, but those who had survived

were able to create new families. With as happy as it sounds, there is a downside to these new

families; the children will not fully understand what the parents had gone through, which can

lead to conflicts between sons and daughters, and mothers and fathers. In Art Spiegelman’s

graphic novel Maus, Spiegelman and his father, Vladek, are seen to have a fluctuating

relationship. Spiegelman is found to be passive-aggressive – which is indirectly being aggressive

– toward Vladek by not aiding Vladek with certain issues, getting frustrated by Vladek’s

comments, and having Vladek relive his time during the Holocaust; but Spiegelman still nurses

Vladek.

There are many different forms of trauma that survivors of the Holocaust endure after this

near extinction event had occurred. The trauma can range from having the need to hoard, or keep

everything tidy, to only having the memories of being a witness of fellow friends and family

members dying. This trauma the survivors were left with from the Holocaust can cause disputes

in the child-parent relationship if the survivors were able to recreate a family. However, children

still conquer the challenges with the need to look after their parents. Irit Felson, a graduate from

Yeshiva University’s School of Psychology, found that “concerns about [the need] to protect the
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survivor parents and to fulfill their emotional needs and expectations have been observed to be

central psychological themes for children of Holocaust survivors” (434). This is true for

Spiegelman. In beginning of chapter 4 of Maus, Vladek wanted Spiegelman to help with fixing a

leak in one of the drainpipes on the roof of Vladek’s house (Spiegelman 73). Spiegelman replied,

“but I’m no good at fixing that kind of stuff” (73). In the illustration, Vladek is seen being

irritated by the response and states, “I’ll fix it myself!” (73). Spiegelman then, goes to say that

Vladek’s belief of repairing the pipe himself “is crazy,” he “can’t climb a two-story ladder in

[his] condition” and precedes to offer to “pay for [a] handyman” (73). Although it may seem that

fixing a drainpipe from a leak is not too difficult of a task and that Spiegelman should have

assisted Vladek when the issue was first brought up, Spiegelman’s statement about Vladek not

being able to do such tasks – due to Vladek’s poor health – and the alternative of hiring a

handyman shows Spiegelman’s concerns for Vladek and his well-being. Spiegelman’s

recommendations are not the only way to show thoughtfulness.

Prisoners of the Holocaust were forced to work and live in terrible conditions. Because of

this, children who came from survivors after the Holocaust was over never suffered the same

situations. In turn, this can cause conflict to arise between the parent and child because of the

different experiences in their lives. In Henry Gonshak’s article, “Prisoners on the Hell Planet,”

there is a conversation between Spiegelman and Dr. Pavel where Spiegelman states:

No matter what I accomplish…it doesn’t seem like much compared to Auschwitz. … I

somehow wish I had been in Auschwitz with my parents so I could really know what they

lived through! … I guess it’s some kind of guilt about having an easier life than they did.

(445)
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Spiegelman said a similar statement in chapter 5 in Maus, “[Vladek] loved showing off how

handy he was…and proving that anything I did was all wrong. He made me completely neurotic

about fixing stuff” (Spiegelman 97). In Gonshak’s article, the metaphorical nature of Maus

further elaborates Spiegelman’s admissions of guilt, which shows Spiegelman is sympathetic

toward Vladek. It is also understandable, in Maus, how Spiegelman can be frustrated at his father

for saying Spiegelman always did something wrong. Spiegelman feeling bad for his father is a

way of showing he cares for Vladek. Although Spiegelman has sympathy for what Vladek went

through during the Holocaust, Spiegelman still made his father relive the Holocaust for Maus.

Maus is the story of both Vladek surviving the Holocaust and of Spiegelman’s

relationship with Vladek, which also continues into Maus II. Although there are instances where

Spiegelman nurtures his father throughout both novels, Spiegelman is doing harm to Vladek in

the making of Maus I and Maus II. In chapter 3 in Maus II, Vladek states, “all such things of the

war, I tried to put out from my mind once and for all… until you rebuild me all this from your

questions” (Spiegelman 98). Therefore, Spiegelman essentially forced Vladek to re-experience

the Holocaust. Spiegelman asking questions about everything Vladek had undergone and

witnessed had reinforced pre-existing trauma that could have lasting effect on Vladek’s physical

health. However, Spiegelman is not intentionally meaning to harm Vladek by asking questions

about the Holocaust.

Since, the children of survivors have not lived through the Holocaust, it could bring up

questions of ‘what it was like’ for the parents to answer. Thus, causing an issue for the survivors

if they choose to answer and for the children that are asking. Some may say that Spiegelman did

wrong by having Vladek recall his time during the Holocaust, bringing back more of Vladek’s

trauma; however, The Orphaned Voice in Art Spiegelman’s Maus I & II acknowledged that the
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conversations with Vladek was Spiegelman’s attempt “to [having] a relationship with [his]

father” (Bosmajian 4). Spiegelman did not do wrong by asking Vladek to share his story.

Spiegelman knew his relationship with Vladek was either nonexistent or bad, and all Spiegelman

was doing was to create a relationship or make the relationship better. Spiegelman was also

asking Vladek questions regarding the Holocaust in hopes to better understand what Vladek had

gone through. Thus, Spiegelman had good intentions toward Vladek.

In Maus, Spiegelman is seen to be rude towards Vladek at times, but Spiegelman does

love his father. Regardless of the fact that Spiegelman did not help his father, Spiegelman still

offered to assist Vladek in a different way and still showed concern for his father. Spiegelman

having compassion for Vladek shows that Spiegelman is a caring son. And finally, Spiegelman

attempting to create and improve his relationship with Vladek is thoughtful. Apart from anything

said or expressions made, children of the survivors of the Holocaust can still be loving and

caring for their parents, which is what Spiegelman has captured in Maus.
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Works Cited

Bosmajian, Hamida. “The Orphaned Voice in Art Spiegelman’s ‘Maus’ I & II.” Literature and

Psychology, vol. 44, no. 1, Literature and Psychology, 1998, pp. 4, uwf-

flvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01FALSC_UWF/1imu071/cdi_proquest_journal

s_219711205.

Felsen, Irit. “Parental Trauma and Adult Sibling Relationships in Holocaust-Survivor

Families.” Psychoanalytic Psychology, vol. 35, no. 4, Educational Publishing Foundation,

2018, pp. 434, uwf-flvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01FALSC_UWF/1imu071/

cdi_proquest_journals_2070858300 .

Gonshak, Henry. “Prisoners on the Hell Planet.” Peace Review (Palo Alto, Calif.), vol. 10, no. 3,

Taylor & Francis Group, 1998, pp. 445, uwf-flvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/

01FALSC_UWF/1imu071/cdi_informaworld_taylorfrancis_310_1080_10402659808426

182.

Spiegelman, Art. Maus I & II. New York, Pantheon Books, 1980-1992, pp. 73, 97, and 98.