Examining the Validity of Holocaust Sources

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There are multiple sources with divergent advantages and strategies, which allow humanity to have a clearer understanding of the holocaust; when compared, the resources’ limitations become apparent. The graphic novel Maus appears less valid compared to the diary, Night with its heinous detailed experience of life in a concentration camp. Conversely, Maus exhibits a strong expression of themes throughout the novel; comparably, this is a restriction in the textbook, Europe in the Contemporary world. Primary sources also aid in having an in-depth understanding of the holocaust, Smith’s text, contains, documented diaries and poems which each respectably uses techniques for the reader to grasp the execrable treatment of Jews. In conjunction, films present a different perspective of the holocaust; comparatively, the documentary Night and Fog seemingly has more credibility than the modern movie Defiance, although both films have their advantages. Furthermore, a combination of films and written works will yield a greater understanding of the holocaust. When examining such works as, Maus, and Night, each source uses different methods for the reader to comprehend the Nazi’s monstrous actions.

The graphic novel Maus has the advantage of showing the reader exactly what is happening without fear of misinterpretation from its message. It cleverly depicts each ethnicity as a different animal according to their stereotypical view during the holocaust . By drawing Jews and mice and Nazis as Cats, it simplifies conventional perspectives of past ethnicities. This allows the reader to understand the Nazi perspective of Jewish inferiority and reasons for anti-Semitism; the analogy is overt, cats kill mice. Graphic novels also have the advantage of ...

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...each other giving preeminent understanding. Each resource has its own strengths and weakness being more or less prevalent when compared to each other.

Works Cited

Defiance. Film. Directed by Edward Zwick. United States: Paramount Vantage, 2008.

Night and Fog. Film. Directed by Alain Resnais. France : Argos Films, 1955.

Smith, Bonnie G.. Europe in the contemporary world, 1900 to the present: a narrative history with documents. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin's, 2007.

Spiegelman, Art. Maus: a survivor's tale. New York: Pantheon Books, 19861991.

Spiegelman, Art. Maus II: a survivor's tale : and here my troubles began. New York: Pantheon Books, 1991.

Tammes, Peter. Survival of Jews during the Holocaust: the importance of different types of social resources

Int. J. Epidemiol. 2007 36: 330-335.

Wiesel, Elie. Night. Bantam ed. New York: Bantam Books, 1982.

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