Through the use of modulating points of view, Art Spiegelman brings together several stories into one to portray his father Vladek's history of the Holocaust as well as his experiences with Vladek while writing the book. The conflict between Art and his father is a major theme of Maus that can be analyzed in terms of Vladek's devaluation of Art, Vladek's dissatisfaction with Art's occupation, and Vladek's frugality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In the first pages of the graphic memoir, Art presents a comic that, from the beginning, demonstrates a tension in the paternal bond between his father and himself. When young Art's skate breaks and his friends abandon him, he sulkily heads to his father's garage in search of fatherly love. When Art tells his father about his friends skating without him, his father responds, “Friends? Your friends?... If you locked them together in a room without food for a week... Then you might see what all the fuss is about, friends! (6). While it is true that, compared to the vast atrocities Vladek has experienced, Art's problem is of minor consequence, his reaction is not suitable as a response to a child's cry for help. The belittling Art felt on that occasion lasted beyond his early childhood into adulthood. When Vladek spills a bottle of pills during one of many interviews with his son, he blames Art. Art is obviously frustrated by this but offers to help him collect and recount the scattered pills. At this point Vladek says, "You can't count the pills" (30). It seems like Vladek only trusts himself to take care of himself. While this is unfortunate, it still makes sense because during the most difficult period of his life he could only rely on himself to survive. As he told Art, "Everyone had to take care of themselves!" (114). Janina, the governess of Vladek's first son, had always offered to help the Spiegelmans in danger. However, she too abandoned them when she discovered that her own life was endangered by their presence on her doorstep. Because he is used to doing things his way, Vladek sees only flaws and immaturity in his son's actions. From being forced to finish everything on his plate to being scolded for dropping cigarette ash on the carpet, Art's father constantly treats him like a child. Unfortunately for Art, Vladek's dissatisfaction with him extends to his chosen occupation. Art tells Mala, "He never reads comics... He doesn't even look at my work when I put it under his nose" (104). A slightly funnier example of his lack of understanding of Art's career occurs when he equates him with Walt Disney, a well-known children's cartoonist. Identifying the writer of Maus, a profound and moving piece of academic literature, with Walt Disney, the artist behind countless lowbrow cartoons, is ridiculous but also unfortunate if the association is made by the author's father. The conditions that cause Vladek's lack of appreciation for comics are highlighted when he tells Art, "You're better off spending your time making drawings that will bring you money" (12). It may be that before the publication of Maus Art he did not earn as much as his father would have liked. However, making comics is what satisfies him, so that's what he did. Born during the baby boom, Art is associated with a group of people who grew up in relative economic affluence and rebelled against her parents' practical ways. Baby boomer parents, survivors of the pre-war global depression and the war itself, saw more value in the.562143814705222)