Rationale for Teaching Maus I
This teaching guide will focus on Art Spiegelman's graphic novel, Maus I. The plot revolves around Artie's father, Vladek, telling his son of his experiences during World War II and the Holocaust. Vladek tells of he and his wife Anja attempting to avoid arrest by the Nazis by hiding, their capture, and excerpts from their life after liberation. Artie's role in the book is to write his father’s information down for a graphic novel as a way to better understand his father. This book was published in 1986 and has become integrated as an educational tool in the classroom. There is a lot to learn from this novel including social justice issues along with literary devices.
Comics have been debated for many years as to their educational and literary value. However, after Spiegelman received a Pulitzer for his efforts in portraying the Holocaust through comic form more respect has come to the graphic novel community. Comics are now encouraged by a large group of educators to become integrated into the high school curriculum, which has helped others gain a respect for this form of storytelling at a younger age. Maus teaches students how arbitrary it can be to classify others. Through Spiegelman using animals to portray certain races, he is able to send this message to his readers.
When considering having this book read in a classroom, the age group of the students should be considered. The appropriate age group to read this novel is quite diverse, which makes this book appropriate for almost any classroom eighth grade or higher. Slightly younger students could read the novel, but the material presented is more geared towards high school students. Ideally, this book would be taught in an eighth or ninth grade classroom so the students can begin to develop an enjoyment for comics earlier in school, but be mature enough to discuss some of the issues presented in the text. Bringing this graphic novel to students at an early age would be especially helpful if other graphic novels were brought into the classroom for students to read. Some teachers have noticed that the introduction of graphic novels in the classroom has led students to read more difficult texts. Gene Yang discusses reading comics as a way to "lead students towards the discipline of reading, especially those who don't enjoy reading or have a fear of failure" (Yang n. p.). The use of comics has helped students gain a new respect and passion for reading. The earlier this desire can be developed, the more learning we will see out of our students. Teachers can use this form of writing as a tool for reluctant readers to transform into voracious readers of more classic texts.
Not only is Maus a flexible book when it comes to the age of its readers, it also has a wide variety of lessons for students to discover while reading. Many of the students reading Maus have never read comics or a graphic novel before, so by the end of the novel, they should be able to read, understand and interpret graphic novels. When assigned Maus, students are being introduced to a new form of reading.
Not only will a new style of writing be introduced to students, they will gain literary knowledge from the text, especially regarding irony and anthropomorphism through examination of the characters. Part of finding the literary value in comics involves learning to read pictures and words simultaneously. Spiegelman states on a radio broadcast, "Once in school people are taught to read, one is rarely taught to look" (Spiegelman n. p.) This is why Maus has become a success in the education system. It is teaching students to look when they read. The use of the symbols in the text can be apparent by looking at the pictures, rather than in traditional books when words are used. Through teaching students to see text in the form of pictures when they read, students are gaining tools that will help them visualize traditional texts when they read them as well.
Not only are the students gaining literary knowledge when reading Maus, the social lessons Maus teaches its readers are important to discuss in the classroom as well. The students should begin to empathize with the main characters as the Nazis persecute them. Also, the students should learn about the history surrounding the persecution of the Jews and World War II. Through, these lessons, students can become more open to diversity in the classroom and can learn about marginalized groups of people in their society, school and family.
Before any of the social justice issues presented in Maus can be discussed the students should begin reading the text. However, many students may need guidance on how to read comics in class. When teaching students how to read comics, prior in-class reading instruction will need to take place. The students should learn how to read graphic novels with competence. Teachers can show examples on how to read the artist’s panels directly from Maus as well as other graphic novels. The teacher should focus on how the panels are set up for the flow of the text. Also, the students should be aware to pay close attention to the pictures. Every mark the artist makes is important to understanding the author’s message. Teachers may be interested to find that students are able to learn this style of reading quickly. Reading pictures may be innate with many students, as they have grown up watching movies and playing video games.
The literary value of the text is important for class discussion as well. The students are not reading this book just because it may be considered more enjoyable than reading The Grapes of Wrath or Moby Dick. Some of the important lessons found in the text are a combination of social and literary lessons. The use of anthropomorphism in the text should be a topic of discussion in the classroom while reading Maus. In the book, Thinking with Animals: New Perspectives on Anthropomorphism, the authors state, "From Aristotle to Darwin down to the present, naturalists have credited bees with monarchies, ants with honesty, and dogs with tender consciousnesses" (Daston and Mitman p. 1). Fundamental lessons in life are taught through the author’s use of animals in literature. Students need to recognize a likely purpose Spiegelman had in mind when choosing these animals to portray certain races. This will allow the teacher to discuss anthropomorphism with the students along with stereotyping. Anthropomorphism may not have been discussed in classes before, so an introduction to what anthropomorphism is may be necessary to begin the lesson so the students can be refreshed or learn a new literary device. Then, the teacher should allow the students to discuss and ask questions about Spiegelman's animal representations in Maus.
The use of irony in the text is also important for class discussion. When relating irony to Maus, the teacher could ask students if they see anything ironic within the text. Several times throughout Maus verbal irony is used, especially through Artie's interactions with Mala. The students should also be asked about situational irony. This is rampant through the text as Anja survives the Holocaust, only to commit suicide in the end. Also, Vladek's character acts superior to his family after his time with the German's in the concentration camp. The students should discuss how irony is used to develop the story and the characters within it.
Some of the social and cultural lessons presented in Maus should be considered prior to the students reading the text. Lessons concerning the history of the Jew's persecution should be introduced to students before reading the novel so the students can have prior knowledge while reading the book. This will allow for further comprehension as they can rely on previous understanding while reading. Through the aid of children's books, teachers can allow their students to begin empathizing with Jewish characters presented in the story. The students should learn to empathize with the experiences of Vladek and Artie through writing reflections of their own thoughts and feelings concerning the story's characters. A short story that can be used as an introductory tool in the classroom would be "The Harmonica," by Tony Johnston and Ron Mazellan. This is a story of a young Jewish boy who is forced to play his harmonica for a Nazi officer at night. Through secondary and primary sources, the students can begin to engage in learning about the Holocaust.
When dealing with the Holocaust, a teacher needs to be aware of the maturity level of her or his classroom. Although prejudice for the Jewish people has reduced significantly, lingering notions of anti-Semitism still exist. I have heard students reading Holocaust literature make derogatory comments concerning minority groups in front of classes. Sometimes students overlook that Jews were persecuted for their religious beliefs along with their race. The teacher must point out this to the students and try to have them relate to the Jews struggles during the time along with marginalized groups in society today.
An introduction to Jewish culture today and during World War II would assist in having students relate to the Jewish people. Depending on the school, the teacher can inform students on the beliefs of the Jewish people. This should be approached carefully, as with any religion discussed in class. As long as the teacher does not give his or her opinion on his or her personal beliefs and presents the information in a factual manner, there should be no problem in discussing Jewish beliefs. By doing this, the students can have a better understanding of Vladek and Artie.
While this book lends itself to many different educational topics, using comics in the classroom is a frequent debate between teachers. In an article by CBS news titled, “Newest Teaching Tool: Comic Books,” they discuss how reading comics is used as a tool to improve reading proficiency in students, especially in the male students. The article also provides negative feedback some educator’s feel concerning comics. Some teachers do not condone the use of comics in the classroom stating, “’I can see the potential,’ concedes teacher and literary expert Carol Jago, ‘but I think there's also a terrific danger’ that teachers will rely too much on comic books” (Dakss n.p.) The teachers who are advocating the use of comics in the classroom do not believe comics should become the substitute for traditional books, but rather integrating them into the curriculum as an addition to traditional texts to help students learn more effectively.
The New York Times is a supporter and advocate for comics in the classroom and states in an article, Comic Books in the Classroom, “Teachers are finding it easier to teach writing, grammar and punctuation with material that students are fully invested in… The pairing of visual and written plotlines that they rely on appears to be especially helpful to struggling readers” (The New York Times n. p.). Teachers are using what students enjoy in their classroom and teaching the same standards they would be teaching by using other texts.
Considering the controversial subject of integrating comics into the educational framework, a few parents may not support their children reading this material. An option for alternative reading could be, Night, by Elie Wiesel. This is an account of a young boy’s experience during the Holocaust. Many students may have read, The Diary of Ann Frank, so another option of Holocaust literature could be Corrie Ten Boom’s, The Hiding Place. Since much of Maus I focuses on Vladek and Anja hiding from the Nazis, this book loosely follows this plotline.
Another ground for censorship may lay in the use of violence in the book. Spiegelman does not hold back any restraint when presenting his father's story. Since the book is in comic form and pictures of violence will be displayed to a classroom of minors, discussion of the nature of this text is necessary before beginning to read. The students should be aware that the text is violent. A disclaimer to this effect may work well in class to help engage the student audience. Adolescents watch horror movies and violent films because it intrigues them. By letting them know of this horror prior to reading a book about the Holocaust, students can be warned of the nature of the book as a disclaimer. However, the disclaimer may be used as a tool to incite excitement about the new book.
Before reading Maus I had never read a graphic novel. I thought graphic novels were geared more for male audiences and teenagers. I associated graphic novels with children and adults who never grew up. Pictures on a page made a story seem less valuable and something to be taken with little regard. I did not think there would be literary importance to comics either. I, like many others who oppose comics, refused to think that this form of story telling was just as valid as the traditional novels I was taught to read as a child. This seems to be the assumption of many people who have never been introduced to comics before. However, after reading this book I have realized how wrong I was in these assumptions. I have gone from having zero graphic novels on my bookshelf to several. Students can gain this passion for a new style of literature as well and benefit from the lessons the novels present.
When choosing this book, a teacher must know how their educational philosophy lends itself to the literature they are teaching. As with most Holocaust literature, a social reformist philosophy will almost always be visible to teachers. Maus I is no exception. Through examination of my personal educational philosophies, I strongly identify with this philosophy on educating our students towards becoming more accepting of diversity, and encourage students to create a better society. Reading Maus in the classroom helps teach students to fight oppression and the dangers of becoming victim to oppressors.
This educational practice started with Theodore Brameld, a philosophy professor, who worked for personal and cultural transformation through education (Cohen n.p). His belief of the classroom was that a teacher’s philosophy must relate to real life issues. Through education he believed you could teach culture as well as transform culture to make the world a better place. Many teachers support this educational philosophy today. The students we teach will eventually be the leaders who can enact change. This book can be a tool to help make them a more accepting society than the past.
Hopefully, after reading Maus the students would change in their quick judgments of people based on skin, religion, or associations. High school students can be very cruel to each other and through reading this book; they can see what can happen when hatred against a group of people engulfs a nation. The ability to empathize with Vladek’s suffering should be gained from reading Maus as the students learn from his experience. I also hope the students enjoy reading more as they finish the novel. An appreciation for graphic novels and comics may be attained through an introduction to this writing style in the classroom. It is the goal of any book taught in my classroom for students to walk away with valuable life lessons and educational knowledge. I hope that they, like me, walk away from Maus appreciating the value of freedom and a newfound respect for those who grow up not knowing what it is like to be free.