MAUS

My idea of Maus completely changed when we went over it in class. I found the concept of representation to be very interesting so I feel that my essay will probably be geard towards that. Linda Hutcheon's Potsmodern Provocation: History and "Graphic Literature" provided me with numerous ideas on the topic of representation. Linda discusses how different geners "mix to create hybird forms." In class we discussed how Maus might be categorized in a book store and this lead to questions and ultimately confusion. Maus is a a representation of Linda's "mix genres," because, although we may deem this nonfiction--"true" historical accounts--it is ultimately a narrative: a story told from the mouth of, how Linda indirectly asks, a realiable or unrelilable soucre? However,Linda later describes how, "Facts deemed historical are perhaps more made than found.'' So perhaps therewere never really generes or the "borders defining them" never existed because as we all know, history is not objective. So I may expand upon this...maybe.







Maus, in regards towards postmodern concepts, then begins to blur the lines of representation. Linda writes tha, "The Holocaust opens up the question of whether we can ever truly represent reality." The Holocaust can never be truly represented with words, so can anything really? It all becomes very confusing. Maus, in a round about way, tell of the horror, however, doesn't represent the Holocaust in its entirety; but representation wasn't the objective. As we know, keeping the momory alive was, so I may posssibly wites about that.







I'm confused now...








Spiegelman choosing to illustrate the Holocaust through a comic book may also be a topic of representation. We have always known comic books to be pointless forms of literature mainly geard towards entertainment, however, I found this mediuma better form of reprsentation. The text in combination with the pictures, to me, made the story and underlying concepts easier to grasp.




However,


I feel that this stuff is too onvious to write about...







I may write about the author's intent and how he chose to represent the Holocaust and his father, and some stuff.







Ok Happy Holiodays!