Maus II And Treichel: A Comparative Analysis

The Holocaust left a lingering hurt with many of the survivors and perpetrators of the war. As a result, victims often suffered from post-war trauma. Traumatic responses, by first generation Holocaust survivors, were often projected onto their children. Authors Art Spiegelman and Hans-Ulrich Treichel illustrate the above in their memoirs Maus I and II and Lost. Whether it is the war, losing a sibling, or parent, the guilt of the loss is projected onto Art and Treichel. In both cases, the parents are physically or emotionally unavailable to the children, which affects their psychological well-being. Consequently, Art and Treichel suffer from intergenerational trauma which hinders their growth and leads to a feeling of isolation. Several forces

Additionally, they also deal with depression and an identity crisis. Art’s depressive state is evident in the comic strip in which Anja commits suicide. Art and Vladek are shattered after this tragedy. Art recalls how his mother came into his room and asked him if he loved her, he responded with detachment and irritation: “I turned away, resentful of the way she tightened the umbilical cord” (Spiegelman 103). After the suicide, it is apparent that Art regrets his behaviour and is overcome with guilt and shame for neglecting his mother when she came to him for support and comfort, he says, “I felt nauseous…the guilt was overwhelming!” (102). Having said that, simultaneously, he also resents her: “You murdered me, mommy, and you left me here to take the Rap!!!” (103). Art is burdened by his parents unresolved trauma, and he realizes that he needs to work through the traumatic responses which they have projected onto him. A feeling of responsibility towards his parent’s and the pressure to sort out their issues leaves a negative impact on Art’s mental health. For instance, during a conversation with Francoise, Art says, “I can’t even make any sense of my relationship with my father…how am I supposed to make any sense of Auschwitz?...of the holocaust?...” (14). It is clear how Arts resonates his relationship with his father with Auschwitz. Throughout the biography, Art struggles to decipher his relationship with his father and the Holocaust. He feels guilty that he lived an “easy” life in comparison to his parent’s. He claims that representing a reality which is complex and traumatic, through a comic strip, is difficult. He wishes that he was at Auschwitz with his parents so he could experience what they went through (16).Art’s relationship with Vladek and Anja influences his psychological well-being, but Richieu, Arts deceased brother, also has a deteriorating effect on Art. In