Understanding that the Holocaust lives on in the human experiences of millions of people each day is something that is not often talked about or brought up in classrooms, but is something that is very real and hurtful for the people who have been touched by it. Spiegelman's hope that, through his own works and everyday living, people will better understand the true human impact of the Holocaust and of the basic human interactions that are precursors for future events that could mirror the Holocaust is quite apparent. The fact illustrated in Maus that humans band together and help each other, even stand up for each other in horrible conditions is also worth exploring. When Anja catches a package thrown over the fence by Vladek, and a Nazi guard sees her, he gives chase. But upon asking the other prisoners to give Anja up, none of them step forward. They are all tortured by the Nazi guard yet they could have easily given up one of their friends but instead chose to collectively accept punishment. As the...

The prisoners are forced "to run, to jump, to bend until they couldn't anymore." (Spiegelman 74). This is a beautiful and eye-opening moment in the series, and shows that even in humanity's darkest hour, people can be merciful to each other.
Maus explores the evils committed by humans against other humans in a way that is easily digestible, yet retains its impact and historical value. Spiegelman's work is an excellent primer into the minds of humans, and it shows both the depths and the heights that human beings will go to in order to justify their own actions. Maus is not only a journey into the depths of the human mind and soul, but into history, and into some of the most common human and inhuman experiences that exist in the world.

Works Cited

Spiegelman, Art. Maus I and II. New York: Pantheon, 1986.