Maus II, Chapter 2 - "Auschwitz (Time Flies)"

For homework, Tuesday, March 27:  Read Chapter 2 by Wednesday morning, and it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you take notes!  Remember, there was a 350% increase on 100% quiz grades for Chapter 6 when people took notes.  THERE WILL BE A QUIZ ON WEDNESDAY, so make sure you do the reading.  And, if you read Chapter 2 some time ago, make sure you review THIS CHAPTER so you're not confusing it with events of other chapters for the quiz. 

*NOTE:  You do not need to comment on this post.  However, if you read the comment that follows, you will see an example of notes taken for Chapter 2 by me and my class last year.  This was a compilation of all of our notes.  Notice it is not just PLOT, but also significance of images and events in the story.

FINAL TEST

DUE DATE:  MONDAY, APRIL 9, at the beginning of class.  I highly suggest you do one or two of the answers each day rather than waiting until the last minute to do the whole thing.  Then you will have time to review your work and see if it is worthy of a good TEST grade.  You are being given this assignment the week before spring break, so you may finish it over the next five days and not have to worry about it during vacation. 

With this assignment, you should show that you understood the book as a whole, as well as the importance of each individual chapter.  Write a paper in which you show your overall knowledge of the book and World War II.  Use literary terms, war and Holocaust terms,e tc. 

Here is an outline of your assignment as discussed in class. 

READ ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY TO INSURE A GOOD GRADE!

ASSIGNMENT:

Imagine that you are going to explain MAUS to someone who has never read it.  You are allowed ONE "frame" (picture) from each chapter to show this person, using the art and your explanation of it to summarize the entire book.  As there are 6 chapters in Book I and 5 chapters in Book II, that means you are given a total of 11 frames of art (one from each chapter) to summarize both books.  In conclusion, if someone were to look at these 11 pictures in a row, together with your explanation of them, they should get an excellent overview of Spiegelman's book, and why it is significant as a piece of LITERATURE and a story about WORLD WAR II. 

There are 11 short essay answers required for your test: Make sure you label which book and chapter you are writing about for each frame. 

YOU MAY TURN IN YOUR TEST EITHER TYPED OR HAND-WRITTEN.  However, if your handwriting is sloppy or hard to decipher, I will mark every answer that I cannot read as INCORRECT.  So, if you know you have difficulty writing neatly, you either want to allow extra time to write it NEATLY, or you may want to type your paper.

IMPORTANT RULE:  You may NOT use the "title art" from ANY chapter.  (Cover pages with titles "The Sheik," "The Honeymoon," "Prisoner of War," "The Noose Tightens," "Mouse Holes," "Mouse Traps," etc.)

STEP BY STEP PROCEDURES:

1.)  Select 1 frame of art from each chapter.  This frame should be one that YOU feel best encapsulates (summarizes) the chapter and carries a lot of significance.  It may be best to select a frame in which you feel both the text and image have a strong meaning, but you may rely more heavily on one than the other.  If you consider it important, you may also want to consider the chapter's title when selecting your frame.  (However, you may NOT use the Chapter's title artwork as your selection.)


2.)  To begin each answer, write the page and frame number, and a bit of the text so I know which photo you are discussing. 


3.)  After selecting and noting the important frame on your paper, write one or two paragraphs (no more, no less) describing what the picture shows and explaining its deeper meaning in context of MAUS I and II.  Your explanation should show why that picture is important in the chapter to summarize Spiegelman's plot and/or message.

4.)  Repeat these steps for all 11 chapters.

5.)  When completed, REVIEW and EDIT your work.  Once you have completed all 11 answers (chapters), re-read them all together as an entire unit.   Do the combined answers give a great overview of the entire book, hitting major plot points and facts about Vladek's story?  Artie's story?  The war?   Think of "The Assignment" (above).  Would your completed paper adequately summarize MAUS to someone who has never read it?  (You may, in fact, want to present your assignment to a parent or friend who has not read MAUS and see if it is clear to them.)

6.) CHECK GRAMMAR AND SPELLING!  POINTS WILL BE DEDUCTED, ESPECIALLY FOR:
-- misspelled words
-- improper use of commas
-- incorrect grammar
-- lack of capital letters where they are required (names, beginnings of sentences, cities, etc)

PUT SOME TIME INTO THIS!  IT IS A MAJOR UNIT TEST!  (You will also have an in-class multiple choice test on the book.)

MAUS 2, CHAPTER 1 ... "Mauschwitz"

In-class assignment ... Due Tuesday, March 27:  Read Maus II, Chapter 1.  Everyone will be assigned one page (11-37) from Chapter 1, and asked to select the most important artwork frame/text that best explain the plot and/or character progressions.  You will be called on to briefly tell what frame you've selected for your page, AND explain why you think that frame is significant.  As we go through these Tuesday, you will take notes on the chapter to help prepare for the final exam on Maus I and II, continuing to learn how to recognize what is significant in regards to the war, and the lives and relationships of Vladek and Artie.   NOTE:  There MAY be a pop Quiz on Chapter 1 (or any upcoming chapter) as you read on your own.  From now on, any such quizzes will count in the quiz/test category of your grade -- not as a "homework assignment." 

Maus II: "... And Here My Troubles Began ..."

Above:  A historical photo of the actual entrance gate to Auschwitz Concentration Camp.  Look at Spiegelman's drawing at the end of Book I, when Vladek arrives at these same gates (bottom of Page 157).  Notice how chillingly accurate his sketch is, even of the smallest details! 

"Arbeit Macht Frei" (pronounced "are-bite mocked fry") -- The German words above the entrance gate to Auschwitz literally translate to "Work Makes Free."  A more accurate translation would be “Work will set (make) you free.”  This phrase, more than likely intended to be ironic or cynical, was built into the iron gates of many concentration camps, including Auschwitz and Dachau.  Prisoners who walked by this slogan daily on their way to forced labor reportedly added “through the chimney,” meaning the only way one would truly be free is if he or she died or was killed and escaped through cremation -- thus, "the chimney."

MAUS II:  Maus I was about the "noose tightening" or, as discussed in class, how the war slowly closed in on Vladek, his family and the other victims of the war.  Maus II portrays life in Auschwitz, the liberation of the camps, the end and aftermath of the war, and Vladek's eventual life in America.  The "frame story" also continues forward in time, giving more details of the lives of the characters we have come to know.


Extra Credit Post (not required):  What items can you find that match in both the photo and Spiegelman's drawing?  List ONE SPECIFIC DETAIL and describe where it is located in both the photo and drawing.  By "specific detail," I mean you shouldn't just write "The gate," but rather some specific part of the gate, etc.  PLEASE DO NOT BLOG MORE THAN ONE DETAIL so your classmates can also have a chance to participate. 

CHAPTER 6: "Mouse Trap"

ABOVE:  Satirical image perpetuating Jewish "miserly" stereotype (from "South Park." See question #1 below).

For Chapter 6, address one of the following questions for your blog comment (REQUIRED).  ONLY 3 PEOPLE MAY RESPOND TO ONE QUESTION!  If you are the 4TH PERSON, SORRY ... you must DO OVER for credit!  Be creative, bring your OWN thoughts to the questions.  Don't just state facts, but INFER something new from what you see and read. Make sure you ask yourself "why?" ... and then answer it!  ALL POSTS SHOULD BE AT LEAST A SOLID PARAGRAPH, AND ANSWER ALL OF THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS GIVEN FOR THE NUMBER YOU SELECT.

1.)   Artie says that, as he is working on his cartoon, he realizes his father is "just like the racist caricature of the miserly (penny-pinching) old Jew."  (See "South Park" image above.)  Having finished the first book, do you think Maus I perpetuates (supports and continues) Jewish racist stereotypes, or defends and explains them?  In other words, do you see Spiegelman's COMPLETE portrayal of his father as a positive or negative thing?  CITE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES to prove your case. 

2.) At the beginning of the chapter, Mala tells more about (her opinion of) her relationship with Vladek.  Write a paragraph explaining why you believe Mala should either:
a.) stay with Vladek, or 
b.) leave Vladek.  
Your explanation should not just be OPINION, but should cite specific facts that support your case, as stated in Maus I.  (Cite SPECIFIC information we know as learned from the book.)


3.)  When Artie shows an early draft of some sketches that will eventually become the book Maus I, Mala says, "It's a very important book.  People who don't usually read such stories will be interested" (p. 133).  What does she mean?  (Hint:  There can be at least TWO meanings behind what she says.  You may comment on either one.)


4.)  On page 133, Artie says, "I've gotta write this conversation down before I forget it."  Why was that conversation so important?  Explain in detail.

5.)  Knowing what you know, why might Vladek's comment that Artie will be as famous as "Walt Disney" be both comical and ironic?  *NOTE:  As there is really only one answer to this question, ONLY ONE PERSON MAY ANSWER IT ON THE BLOG COMMENTARY!  AFTER THAT, NO OTHER ANSWERS COUNT FOR CLASS CREDIT! 


6.) On pages 138 and 139, we learn more about Vladek's dealings with the "black market," buying food and goods illegally.  With these stories, what do you think the author is implying about Vladek's "miserly" state later in life (in the "frame story")?


7.)  In your opinion, why did Spiegelman make Anja afraid of RATS on page 147.  (Realize that, to us humans, rats are in the same family as "mice.")  Make sure to support your opinion!


8.)  Why did the author include the story about the children on page 149?  What greater purpose does it serve in telling the story of the holocaust?  


9.)  Anja frequently begs Vladek not to try to escape to Hungary.  Why is this important to the story?


10.)  Vladek tells Artie that Miloch and his family survived the entire war at Mrs. Motonowa's house, where they were never discovered nor taken to Auschwitz (p. 154).  Why is this detail about a minor character important to the entire book?  (In other words, why did Spiegelman include this "small" detail?)  

Chapter 5: "Mouse Holes"

For Chapter 5, address one of the following questions for your blog comment (REQUIRED).  ONLY 3 PEOPLE MAY RESPOND TO ONE QUESTION!  (If 3 have answered one question, and you post a fourth answer, IT WILL NOT BE COUNTED!)  Be creative, bring your OWN thoughts to the questions.  Don't just state facts, but INFER something new from what you see and read. Make sure you ask yourself "why?" ... and then answer it!  ALL POSTS SHOULD BE AT LEAST A SOLID PARAGRAPH, AND ANSWER ALL OF THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS GIVEN FOR THE NUMBER YOU SELECT.

1.)  What do you think are the LITERAL and FIGURATIVE meanings of the phrase "Mouse Holes," the chapter's title, in regards to the story?  Cite ONE example that shows your figurative meaning and discuss it.  MAKE SURE YOUR EXAMPLE IS FROM CHAPTER 5, as that's what these blog posts should discuss.  Remember, Spiegelman's chapter title artwork (above) usually offers insight into the double and hidden meanings.

2.)  On page 100 (at the beginning of Artie's "comic book"), we see an ACTUAL PHOTO for the first time in the book.  Who can you infer is in the picture?  WHY do you think Spiegelman used a photo instead of a drawing?

3.)  Discuss, at length, the importance of Artie's comic, "Prisoner on the Hell Planet."  Why did Spiegelman include it in MAUS?  Why, for the first time, did Spiegelman depict humans?  What does it reveal about the central characters (Artie, Vladek and Anja) in MAUS? 

4.)  In this chapter, we finally learn the fate of Richieu, Vladek's firstborn son.  Take a stand:  Do you think what Tosha did was right or wrong?  Did she act with courage or cowardice?  Write about what YOU would do in the same situation and explain WHY.

5.)  On page 112, Lolek is sent out of the bunker to gather food.  He returns with a little food, but something else that is NOT EDIBLE.  What does he have?  Like Mala's crossword puzzles (Ch. 3), this may seem an unimportant fact, but Spiegelman included it for some reason.  Why?  What do you think is the importance of this item? 

6.)  On page 113, some family members sneak out of the attic bunker to search for food.  Who do they find in their present "home?"  What is this man (Pole, Jew, Nazi, American, etc.)?  What do they do for the man?  How does "the stranger" repay their kindness?  MOST IMPORTANT:  We are not given a reason for the stranger's final actions towards Vladek's family.  Infer WHY you think the stranger did what he did, supporting your answer with facts that Spiegelman has written about the war.  (Several different answers may be inferred.  Just make sure you support your answer with facts about how people acted during the war.)

7.)  Look at the story above in #6 about "the stranger."  Write a paragraph on how this story directly relates to the Nazi's attempts to steal the dignity from their enemies and dehumanize them. 

8.)  On page 114, Vladek says,  "At that time, it wasn't anymore families.  It was everybody to take care for himself."  What events that follow (in Chapter 5) show his statement to  be true?  Discuss one event at length.

9.)  Look at the "frame story" (Artie and Old Vladek) as it unfolds from pages 118 - 127.  Select one specific incident FROM THE FRAME STORY and discuss what it says about the father and son's relationship.  How has it changed from the beginning of the book?  How has it remained the same?  Some possible incidents you may discuss include Vladek's heart palpitations, the safe deposit box/bank visit, or the final moment of the chapter when they discuss Mala/Anja.  (You may also discuss an item of your own choosing.)

Chapter 4: "The Noose Tightens"

In the title image for Chapter 4, the literal meaning of "The Noose Tightens" is obvious.  However, as a figure of speech (non-literal interpretation), the title means that things are closing in.  In other words, the situation is getting worse for Vladek, his family and the other Jews. 

In class, Mr. Lyons asked you to pay close attention to how Spiegelman reveals the war, bringing it slowly from the background to the forefront of the story.  In Chapter 2, the Nazis were unveiled as Vladek saw a harmless flag outside of his train window, and as characters in stories he heard about people he didn't know in another country (Germany).  Now, the Nazis and the war are closing in on Vladek, as things move closer to home.

For your REQUIRED blog comment, name and discuss ONE way you can see the "noose tightening" on Vladek and the other characters.  How is the war closing in on them?  How have things changed in the years since Chapter 2 took place? 

Please do not discuss more than ONE subject/item, so there are things left for your classmates to discuss.  No more than three comments on any ONE subject, please.  REMEMBER TO READ ALL OF THE BLOG POSTS, AS THIS IS OUR CLASS DISCUSSION.  MATERIAL FROM THE BLOGS/COMMENTS WILL BECOME SUBJECT MATTER FOR QUIZZES AND TESTS!

Chapter 3 -- "Prisoner of War"

*(SEE NOTE AT BOTTOM BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO WRITE YOUR COMMENT!!!!)

World War II begins in 1939, as we see Vladek Spieglman describe it in Chapter 3.  For today's blog, I want you to do some quick Internet research on the year 1939.  For your comment, write a short ORIGINAL paragraph about something that happened that year.  (By "original," I mean you are not allowed to cut and paste -- aka "plagiarize" -- someone else's comment.  I want the comment in your words.)  Don't feel limited to war information, though you may comment on the war in 1939 if you so choose.  Try taking a look at what was happening in America in popular culture: music, movies, movie stars, books/magazines & radio shows (they were the popular home entertainment back then, as there was no television), fashion, American politics and the economy ... whatever you find interesting!

My 1939 fact:  Did you know that one of the most popular movies of all time, Gone With The Wind, was released in 1939?  Based on the best-selling novel of 1936, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1937, the film's premiere and release was one of America's most anticipated moments of the entire year.  (Since the book was so popular, Americans followed the story as Hollywood cast the stars and filmed the movie.  They couldn't wait to see how the movie turned out!)

INTERESTING FACT:  Another one of America's most famous and popular movies was also released that year.  I'll bet almost everyone in the entire class has seen it once, if not multiple times.  Can you name it?

*NOTE:  No two classmates may post the same "fact" ... I want you all to share different information about 1939.  If someone has already posted what you were going to write about, you'll have to choose another topic.  So, no one else may write about Gone With The Wind as I already did that.  (Repeats on same topic will get a "zero" for this journal grade.)

Chapter 2 -- Spiegelman's choices

Though a graphic novel, never forget that Maus is both a biography and an autobiography.  Art Spiegelman interviewed his father to find out Vladek's story.  Still, as an author, Spiegelman had a choice of what to include and how to draw/present it when writing his book.  Always think about why he decided to include certain events -- both past and present -- and how he decided to present them. 

Please answer one of the following questions for Chapter 2 in its entirety.  (That means answer all portions of the question.)  Make sure you begin your "comment" with the question number so we know which question you are answering.  This is a required comment.  Always remember to employ your literary vocabulary, AND TO USE COMPLETE SENTENCES, CORRECT SPELLING, AND PROPER PUNCTUATION!  This is an English class and an English assignment. 

NO MORE THAN 5 PEOPLE MAY ANSWER ANY OF THE ANSWERS BELOW.  After 5 have answered one question, it is "closed," and you must comment on another question.  That way, as a class, we know that all questions will be answered.

1.)  Comment on the art and text that precede the chapter, "The Honeymoon."  What sensory images does the art conjure?  What do you think is the significance of this picture and chapter title?

2.)  Comment on the type of animal that arrests the seamstress.  How do you deduce what race/religion they are supposed to represent?

3.)  Why do you think Spiegelman included the incident about his father spilling his pills in the "present?"  What is the father's reaction?  Artie's reaction?  What does it signify?

4.)   Why do you think the author chose to include incidents about Anja's pill usage (Ch. 1) and her stay at the sanitorium (Ch. 2)?  What might it signify for the story?

5.)  In Chapter 2, the author introduces the Nazis.  How did he choose to do this?  Why do you think this was a good or poor choice on Spiegelman's part?

6.)  Write on any one specific image (frame) that may have intrigued you or caught your attention in Chapter 2.  Give details on why that frame intrigued you.  Please include the page/text from the frame so we know to which picture you are referring.

"The Sheik"

Here is a photo of Rudolph Valentin in a famous still from "The Sheik." Notice Spiegelman was emulating (imitating) the style of the film still (photo) in that particular frame of the book.  (You do NOT have to comment on this photo.)

First Response

CHAPTER ONE:  After reading Chapter 1 (to pg. 23), comment on your initial response to the material.  You may comment on the artwork, the text, plot, or one specific thing that may have caught your eye.  WRITE INTELLIGENTLY, using literary terms and/or background knowledge you may have about the subject -- such as the materials we discussed about WWII and concentration camps.  Do not just say "I liked ... " or "I didn't like ..." without giving an intelligent reason WHY.