Artifact Related to Maus

Artifact:



"Passage":


Here are two very symbolic images. One of the Nazi Symbol, the swastika. And the other of the Jewish star. Both depict a vastness and a sense of lonesomeness. In the artifact, the star is in the ocean. It is separated from any outside contact or major land mass. And is surrounded by a very dark ocean and sky. To present an image that looks as vast and long as it does, the painter uses a very similar angle to that in the Maus picture. Also in Maus, the author uses varying degrees of darkness. The swastika has yet another similarity in that it is a different color/shade than its surroundings in that it is white where its surroundings are black and the Jewish star is green where its surroundings are dark blue. However in Maus, the author writes that "Anja and I didn't have where to go" and "where to go ?!". This gives a sense of confusion, and also some ability to make choice. Whereas in the the artifact, it is more of a place of exile and less of a place that would have been chosen to live in. Another contrast is that the star is crumbling, falling apart and clearly not a prosperous or thriving place. The swastika on the other hand shows buildings, a factory, and transportation/movement of product. Another distinction between the two would be that the star clearly ends in points, giving the feeling that those within the star are trapped with no where to go at all and seeming even claustrophobic. The swastika does not end, however, and looks as though there is at least some chance to escape. One final dissimilarity would be that the star is devoid of people, as far as the viewer can see, and in Maus; there are multiple people.

Overall, both the artifact painting and the panel from Maus share many similarities such as symbolism, use of dark vs. light and angle of the picture. The symbols themselves represent two opposing and conflicting symbols that were tied together due to history. And it is interesting how both of the pictures have differences and similarities that tie them together and separate them just like the symbols themselves.

Artifact Analysis/Essential Question

Artifact #1:
A survivors story of escaping being shot but having his brother and sister killed.

Artifact #2
Propaganda, animal used in propaganda (fox)-cartoon, children's book.

Artifact #3:
A painting of a Ghetto hidden underground with the cracks forming a Jewish star.


Essential Question:
How can human being be capable of so much evil?

Artifact 3 really shows the inhuman treatment and oblivious nature that was capable at the time of the Holocaust. It depicts the Ghetto in a deep underground, almost hellish state. It is composed of neutral colors, mostly brown, and gives a dirty and depressing feeling. It also gives the indication that others would just walk over the ghettos without actually giving heed to what was happening. The ghetto appears to be below a sidewalk or street of some sort and gives the indication that others (Germans or anyone not in the Ghettos) would simply walk around the Ghettos. This makes it appear as though the people would avoid the Ghettos and try not to acknowledge them. This explains why people were capable of so much "evil" because it shows how during the Holocaust people were able to simply avoid and not think about what was basically going on right under their noses. By doing this, they did not have to think of the horror that was taking place, and thus they were able to more easily ignore the revulsion and shock that a normal human being would have felt had they truly known what was happening.

In artifact 1, evil actions were strongly illustrated. Survivor, Eva Galler, describes escaping the bullets that the SS men shot at her. Her brother and sister however were not as lucky. The numbness to human empathy that these SS men had is hard to imagine today. How could one shoot and kill children? In a situation like this, it is clear that there had been a severe amount of influence in these SS men likely from the time they were born they had been raised to kill and "do what was right"-or at least in their minds. The definition of evil is profoundly immoral (Oxford Dictionaries) and nothing seems more immoral than shooting innocent children on their way to be gassed to death. When a society is able to ignore simple human compassion and reach a level where completely immoral actions take place every day, it is truly evil.


Artifact 2, a children's book, portrays a inaccurate and disturbing representation of Jews. They are portrayed as ugly people that are beneath everyone else. It tells children that Jews are "ruffians" and "murderers". Comparing a jewish man to a fox on the cover of the book. This clearly demonstrates how much of an effect that something so horrible and incorrect could have. And children were being convinced of such nonsense. Most likely the author as well as many of the Germans were raised on the same sort of view and didn't find writing a book of this nature to be wrong at all. In fact, the author probably thought it would help German children to better understand the "evil" Jews. It is ironic as the Jews were not the evil ones, it was this type of mental manipulation that was truly evil. And many children that would have read such a book as this would have carried on this evil.