A Deeper Meaning to Comics



As a little kid, I used to read many comic books and I never thought much about them. As I grew older, I believed them to be immature for my age. I just considered them to have no significant meaning. However, after reading Maus, I have realized that comics are more than words and pictures; they carry deeper meaning. In Maus, for example, almost every single detail holds significance. Specifically, on panel 6 on page 23, Spiegelman uses the interdependence of words and pictures to illustrate how people who experienced war have extreme stories; ones that are too sensitive to even be shared. First, he completely darkness Art and Vladek. This shows how Vladek’s stories are too dark to be told publically. He also bolds the word “private”, which emphasizes the sensitivity behind some stories. Spiegelman wanted to show how soldiers go through many rough times, and it’s difficult for them to openly express the situations. Also, on panel one on page 23, Vladek has a number on his wrist. Spiegelman uses this to demonstrate how the Jews were branded by a number, so the Nazis could keep track of them. This is important because it shows how powerful the Nazis actually were. They were able to dehumanize the Jews; the Jews were just a number to them. Additionally, Vladek is angry in this panel. The smoke could’ve triggered this anger, since it reminded him of the gas chamber. The gas chamber was a very deadly part of concentration camps, since many Jews were killed for it. Spiegelman uses this to show how even the little things can trigger unwanted memories from war.

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