Art Spegelman
Maus
296 Pages
There are both internal and external conflicts in the
graphic novel Maus.
The internal conflict is that Artie can’t make any sense out
of his relationship with his father. He was
closer to his mother but he always felt at odds with his father. Everything he did his father thought he could
do it better (page 99). In fact, Artie
became an artist because his dad wasn't interested in art and so Artie felt he wouldn't have to compete with him. This conflict was never resolved because
Vladek dies before they ever really understand each other. However, even though they had this conflict
Vladek and Artie loved each other dearly.
Vladek saved all his money for Artie to inherit when he died and when
Vladek lied and said he was having a heart attack Artie ran to his side to be
with him.
The external conflict in the book is the situation with the Nazis
before and during World War II. This
conflict was introduced in the beginning of the book when the Polish people went
to war against Germany. In the prisoner of war camps the Jews got more work to
do than the other P.O.W.s. When the P.O.W.s. went home the Jewish people had to register
and wear stars. They were given curfews,
their factories were taken over by Germans and their belongings were seized. Eventually the the Jews have to relocate to a
ghetto which the Nazis empty of Jews to send to the gas chambers and
furnaces. Because they are killing the
Jews and the Jews must hide to be safe from extermination.
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