some initial insights:

As this is a true story, I appreciate the numerology on page 28 that the Priest observes in Vladek’s tattooed ID number. The intelligent religious man re instills hop e to Vladek.  Also, Vladek’s outstanding resourcefulness helps him make friends (pg 34 spoon, shoe and belt for Mandelbaum). Even in the concentration camp, Vladek manages to barter and trade to help him survive.  (Giving the shoe to a real shoesman in return for food to save his life and win a sausage) (also pg 93-94 his froggy French men share their food. ) I also noticed this second book is more gruesome in images (mice burning, mice dying of disease, being beaten, etc.)

some initial questions:

Vladek’s tale is straightforward and requires little additional questions. As Art is doing the interviewing, most questions are asked by him. However, Art confuses me. In the beginning of chapter 2, he is wearing a tied on mouse mask, that has exasperated eyes. Drawing this tastefully and keeping the seriousness of Vladek’s history is well represented on page 41, with the mound of dead, emaciated mice on the floor of his drawing table, like rolled up drafts discarded. Art for the next few pages illustrates his difficulty with his father’s tail (haha sorry) by drawing himself as a little mouse when feeling pressured and confused. When he talks with his shrink, he grows back up into man mouse. I want to know why Art includes his own thoughts and mental confusion randomally in the middle of his fathers’ tale. To me, its an interuption and I feel his confusion and stress loses credibility because he’s not nice to his father. See page 47, when Vladek is trying to vent about his problems with Mala, and Art (selfishly) yells, “ENOUGH! TELL ME ABOUT AUSCHWITZ!” Perhaps he realizes his own detachment from his father, and his lack of willingness to be a friend to his father, instead of a selfish interview, because he shrinks back into baby mouse form. I want to know if anyone else thinks like this about Art and Vladek? And if so, what motives drive Art to illustrate his disdain for his father’s personality so freely in such a widely publicized book? I view Art’s regard for Vladek as an embarrasment.