Maus: Uncovering Images of Fathers and Sons

The graphic novel Maus is a seminal work in both the fields of Holocaust Literature, and Comix Studies.  The story covers trauma, remembrance, art and genocide.  But ultimately, it presents a particularly male narrative,... [ view full abstract ]

The graphic novel Maus is a seminal work in both the fields of Holocaust Literature, and Comix Studies.  The story covers trauma, remembrance, art and genocide.  But ultimately, it presents a particularly male narrative, as it follows the interactions of a father and a son.  My research dissects this intersection of masculinity, Jewish Identity, and trauma victim by using literary theory to deconstruct the text.  A much existing theory examines power hierarchies created through gender.  Application of this theory to Maus shows the way in which masculinity is handed across generations.  I also will draw from scholarship on both memory and graphic novels to process the nuance with which this particular work uses the graphic novel medium to tell the story of a father and son.  This refined lens aims to deepen an understanding of masculine identity surrounding traumatic events, specifically in the case of Jewish existence in the wake of the Holocaust.