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 Activity Pack Literature Made Fun!

Maus I & II
by A rt S piegelman

Copyright © 2003 by Prestwick House, Inc., P.O. Box 658, Clayton, DE 19938.
1-800-932-4593 • www.prestwickhouse.com
Permission to copy this unit for classroom use is extended to purchaser for his or her
personal use. This material, in whole or part, may not be copied for resale.

ISBN 978-1-60389-263-6
Item No. 201585
 Table of Contents
Maus I: Pre-Reading
Emotion.........................................................................................................................................4
Historical Events...........................................................................................................................6
Interview.......................................................................................................................................10
Symbolism.....................................................................................................................................12
Metaphors......................................................................................................................................14

Maus I: Chapter 1
Reading Check..............................................................................................................................18
Characterization............................................................................................................................22
Narration.......................................................................................................................................26
Characterization and Imagery.......................................................................................................30

Maus I: Chapter 2
Reading Check..............................................................................................................................34
Characterization............................................................................................................................36
Symbolism.....................................................................................................................................40

Maus I: Chapter 3
Reading Check..............................................................................................................................42
Debate............................................................................................................................................46

Maus I: Chapter 4
Reading Check..............................................................................................................................48
Reading for Details........................................................................................................................50

Maus I: Chapter 6
Reading Check..............................................................................................................................58

Maus I: Chapters 5 – 6
Point of View.................................................................................................................................60
Tone and Theme............................................................................................................................62
Irony, Symbolism, and Imagery.....................................................................................................66
Narration, Conflict, and Theme....................................................................................................68
Characterization and Conflict.......................................................................................................74

Maus II: Pre-Reading

Inference........................................................................................................................................76

Maus II: Chapter 1

Characterization............................................................................................................................78

Maus II: Chapters 1 – 2

Imagery and Theme......................................................................................................................82
Theme............................................................................................................................................86

© Copyright 2002, Prestwick House, Inc. 2

Maus II: Chapters 3 – 5
Irony..............................................................................................................................................90

Maus II: Chapter 3

Reading Check..............................................................................................................................92
Plot and Irony...............................................................................................................................94

Maus II: Chapter 4

Characterization and Research......................................................................................................96

Maus II: Chapter 5

Critical Thinking and Writing......................................................................................................100

Maus I and II: Wrap-Up and Summary

Characters and Thematic Ideas.....................................................................................................102

Maus II: Summary

Personal Experience......................................................................................................................104

Maus I and II: Summary

Critical Literary Text.....................................................................................................................106
Various Aspects of Maus................................................................................................................108

Maus II: Summary

Postmodernism..............................................................................................................................110

Appendix
Terms and Definitions...................................................................................................................114
Directions for a Debate..................................................................................................................116
Dramatization of Scenes in the Novel...........................................................................................117
Directions for Interviews...............................................................................................................118
Directions for a Dramatic Monologue...........................................................................................119
Small Group Learning...................................................................................................................120
Procedures for Small Group Work................................................................................................122
Small Group Evaluation Sheet......................................................................................................123
Student Roles in Group Discussions.............................................................................................124

All references come from the Pantheon edition of Maus I, copyright 1986, and the Pantheon edition of
Maus II, copyright 1991.

3 © Copyright 2002, Prestwick House, Inc.

 Student’s Page­ Maus I & Maus II

Name: ________________________________ Date:_________________

Maus I: Pre-Reading
Historical Events

Objective: Understanding the use of personal testimony to comprehend historical events

Activity

To have experienced and survived the Holocaust is beyond ordinary human understanding. However, many
Holocaust survivors have shared the story of their experiences for others to hear or read. While official
written accounts of a historical event do not include individual experiences and feelings, testimonials give
others a personal account of what happened to one individual. The first-hand account of the experience has
authenticity; the fact that the speaker was actually there contributes to his or her authority. Testimonials
usually have an intense, emotional impact and are used to help people imagine what it was like to experience
the Holocaust.

Select one Holocaust testimonial to read and use as your source for your letter. [Visit the Holocaust
Museum Website at www.ushmm.org to obtain information on people who survived the Holocaust.]

Use the following handout, Writing a Letter to a Holocaust Survivor, to help you plan your thoughts. Then
write the survivor that you choose a letter that includes the following:

• An introduction that includes who you are, why you are writing, and a short summary of what you
want to know about the person to whom you are writing.

• A main paragraph that explains your response to the person’s testimony. If you have questions to ask
the person, include an explanation of the reasons you are asking the questions.

• A conclusion that describes what you hope for this person.

Use the correct letter format with the following elements:

• heading
• inside address
• consistent use of the block or semi-block style
• correct spacing
• correct greeting and closing
• correct punctuation

S-7 Reproducible Student Worksheet

 Student’s Page­ Maus I & Maus II

Name: ________________________________ Date:_________________

Maus I: Chapter 1
Reading Check

Objective: Understanding character values and motivations

Activity

As Vladek relates the story of how he met his wife Anna, he reveals things that are important to him. What
are they? Support your responses with quotations from what Vladek says. Use the Chapter 1 Reading Check
Response Sheet on the following page.

S - 19 Reproducible Student Worksheet

 Student’s Page­ Maus I & Maus II

Name: ________________________________ Date:_________________

Maus I: Chapter 3
Debate

Objective: Relating ideas in the text to life

Activity

Spiegelman gives his book the subtitle “A Survivor’s Tale.” When people discuss the Holocaust or any
tragedy, a question often asked is why certain people survive and others die.

Debate:

1. Respond to the survey on the next page.

2. Form groups according to the survey. (All people who put a 4 beside “luck” are in a group, a 4 beside
“faith” are another group, etc.)

3. Prepare your argument using examples both from Maus I and your own experience.

4. Present opinions to the class.

Survey

Rank the following statements on a scale of 1 – 4 with 4 being the most likely and 1 being the least likely
and 4 being the most likely.

People survive horrible circumstances primarily because:

____ A. they have good luck.

____ B. they have more faith, they pray, and they are given divine protection.

____ C. they have inherent strength, in terms of endurance, perseverance, or ingenuity.

____ D. they have a positive attitude, are willing to work hard, and refuse to give up.

____ E. they are able to adjust, adapt, or do whatever they must in order to survive.

S - 47 Reproducible Student Worksheet

 Student’s Page­ Maus I & Maus II

Name: ________________________________ Date:_________________

Maus II: Chapters 1 – 2

Imagery and Theme

Objective: Understanding the way visual images combine with words to create thematic ideas

Activity

Discuss the ideas and feelings that come to mind when you look at the details of the image and
read the conversation around it. On the Images and Ideas Sheet, record the ideas that you decide the
images suggests. Include an explanation of the details that have led to this idea.

After completing the chart, state a few thematic ideas that are developed by some of the images. Each
group should share its ideas with the class. We have supplied one example for you.

Images in Chapter 1:

• Pg. 29: The very last panel

• Pgs. 30 – 31: The kapo’s cruelty contrasting with his treatment of Vladek

• Pg 32: The irony of the kapo’s comment, “Otherwise I’d be a nothing like you…”

• Pgs. 33 – 34: The futility of helping a fellow prisoner

• Pg. 35: The randomness of death in the camp

• Pgs. 35, 37: The irony of Vladek’s comment, “And I had it still happy there” on pg. 35 contrasted with
his comment, “Was she happy” on pg. 37.

Images in Chapter 2:

• Pgs. 41 – 41: Artie, men with business propositions, and Artie’s psychiatrist, all wearing masks
• Pgs. 41 – 43: Flies around Artie at his drawing table, which is on top of a pile of dead bodies
• Pgs. 42 – 46: Artie getting smaller/younger/larger/smaller
• Pg. 43: The drawing of an actual dog and a framed photograph of a pet cat
• Pg. 70: The drawings of the crematoriums and the ovens
• Pg. 72: The drawings of open graves and burning bodies
• Pg. 72: The drawing of Artie and Francoise discussing Vladek’s moans as he sleeps
• Pg. 41: The background, outside of Art’s office, looking like the barbed wire of a concentration camp
• Pgs. 41 – 43: The visual pun of time flies
• Pgs. 41 – 43: The uncompleted cliché, “Time flies (when you’re having fun)”
• Pg. 49: The difficulties of surviving

S - 83 Reproducible Student Worksheet