bhong

Vladek's story comes to an end in chapters 4-6. We learn more about Vladek's story and its resolution. What seperates Maus I and Maus II are the references to the war. Although Maus II is as much about the Holocaust as Maus I there is more about Artie's relationship with Vladek. The second novel begins with an introduction about Artie and his wife in the park talking about Vladek. The title of chapter four is "Saved" and thats what happened, living conditions slowly got better, the threat of life or death wasnt as serious, the polish nazzis were in fear of the Americans and their punishment for killing any jews, things were finally coming together. There were many new things i learned about the Holocaust even in these last chapters. In chapter four i didnt know it but there were also french prisoners in captivity to the nazis. The French were represented as toads. I understand that they were treated similarly but in many ways much different. Another characteristic of the Holocaust are the diseases that prisoners were suseptible to such as typhus. Vladek explains the great number of deaths that the Jewish faced from typhus and the spread of typhus due to captivity. Even after the war in America Vladek was diagnosed with typhus and diabetes. America also had "camps" for the Jews but of course a much different kind, here the Jews could get their papers together and create lives for themselves.  One of the things that Vladek tells us is that they were allowed to recieve packages from the red cross. To me the end of the book involves Vladek's past in the Holocaust but a lot of it is about Artie and his father, i think this is what Art is trying to tell his readers about. Vladek and Art really bond and Vladek shows Art photos of his finally and here we can really get a feel of the end of the book. We as readers already know the result; Vladek dies of a heartattack in 1982. It is easy to feel Art's guilt in the entire process of the end of the story as Vladek travels from hospital to hospital. As the end of Vladek's past comes to a happy conclusion, Vladek's present slowly comes to an end. In his past Vladek finally meets with Anja once again and they live together. Vladek tells Art about all his lost family members and the tone of the book is a little more seroius, and sad.

Art and Vladek's relationship seems so different to all of us but in so many ways is very similar. The father-son relationship where the stubborn father is upset at his son for all the wrong reasons and the son does not feel as good as his father, Art doesnt really know how to connect with his father and seems very distant to him until he wrote this book and spent a lot of time with him. I feel as though Vladek only agreed to letting Art write this book so that he could spend more time with Art, Vladek really loves Artie and for Art seeing his father die is very sad. During the process of writing the novel Art Spiegelman's father dies and most of it is vaguely explained in chapter two of Maus II but Art feels extreme guilt of his father's death, he feels he didnt appreciate his father during his life. This is part of the message Art is representing in the novel. 

Reading more into Maus II Art Spielgelman talks more about himself and the book instead of just Vladek. We learn about the long process of producing and publishing the novel. Art tells us that it took him 8 years to finally publish the book. An interesting characteristic about chapter 2 that i noticed was the way the story began and ended. The beginning of chapter two is Spiegelman at the drawing board and we see flies in the backround, at the end of the page we know that the flies are there to represent the dead bodies in the room that represent the dead bodies from Aushwitch. In the beginning of chapter two Art talks more about his life and his wife and how he took care of his father, we learn that Vladek has died in the late 80's and Art proceeds the story with his tape recordings. There was a small thing that happend in the beginning when Art explained his book. He shrunk into a little boy at certain times in the story.

My guess is that Art transformed into a little boy when he felt guilt about his relationship with his father, and talking about the guilt reminded him of his childhood, which i dont see as a very great one because of how Art describes it, Art his whole life felt insecure around his father because he thought that his father wanted to always let him know that he was much better. Artie tells the story from his fathers perspective and we learn that Vladek and Anja are sent to Aushwitch. Reading the conditions of the camp are extremely disturbing and sad. Its amazing how Spiegelman portrays the holocaust with Mice instead of humans, just thinking about humans being treated this way is tragic. Something significant during Vladek's time in the camps was his love for Anja, we learned more and more about the way Vladek tried to help his wife, and all the ways that Vladek tried to send messages to her. It is because of the friends that Vladek made through the process, that Vladek was able to speak to his wife. One of the more serious "touching" moments in the story was when Vladek was working on the roof and he heard news from mancie that Anja was still alive, in the text it said that Anja cried knowing about her husband, then Vladek cried and so did Mancie. Once again we see more of Vladek's survival skills in the second book, we learn about all the proffessions that Vladek is able to maintain, and through these proffesions he is able to make nazzi friends who give him food and safety.

Vladek is surely an intelligent man who survived almost solely on his witts. Reading the story i was aware of the so called "showers" that led to thousands of deaths, but i didnt know about the selektion's. Selektions were a regualr process that consisted of nazzi doctors checking the prisoners, what seemed like once a month, to check on their health to see if they were able to stay or not. The first couple times Vladek was healthy enough to stay, but the last time he w as a little unsure and was able to wait in the bathrooms the entire selektion. In chapter two Artie and his wife hear Vladek moaning in his sleep and at first it shocks Artie's wife but later Artie explains that Vladek's been moaning in his sleep his whole life, he always that it was normal but now they both understood that it is prom trauma that Vladek faced during the holocaust.

There was a lot that happened in the second reading of MAUS. Its interesting getting to know the characters better in this part of the reading. Vladek is growing as a character and is very funny in real life. I think its really interesting learning about all the ways that the jews had to hide, lie or smuggle things from the nazzis. Throughout the novel there was a lot that i learned about the holocaust. I learned about the bunkers where jews hid and how serious it was to actually keep safe and maintain a steady amount of food to avoid starvation. Many of the situation the family was in were scary and made me nervous for them not to get caught. I learned how jewish children were treated during the holocaust. Many children were seperated from their families at very young ages, this was sad to see because the children were so young, and also the way the children were treated was also sad to see. There was a panel in the novel where one of the nazis is shown grabbing a child by the ankle and slamming him against the wall, afterwards there was a mark of blood on the wall.

Also something that Vladek made aparent was the less imporance of family during the holocaust. He explained that, given the situation, it was every man for himself, there were many times when family members would have to pay other members of the family just for help. It was interesting reading about the bunkers how they were created. The first time we see a type of hiding spot was for the grandparents when they were forced to be sent to aushwisch, Vladek refused the idea and created a bunker in between the house and the shed. This was the first hiding spot that we had seen. The second was the hiding spot under the coal pile, this was my favorite and i believe it worked the best because even when the dogs smelled their scent and signaled humans the nazzis still could not find them. Then there was the bunker in the attic with an entrance at a chandelier and this was soon lost to by a fellow jew who ratted out the entire family. Another thing that i learned from the reading is that most of the food was bad. An example is when one of the jews made a cake from materials that he had saved over the years and when his friends payed money to have some they all became sick because some of the sugar had turned out to be laundry detergent, clean fresh food was extremely hard to get a hold of during this time. Throughout the chapters Vladek displays survival skills from smuggling diamonds in a baby carriage, and taking showers in the river in below zero temperature to avoid frostbite. Vladek is represented as a smart individual, from his perspective. Present day Vladek seems to be a stingy man who doesnt like to spend money at all and reasons for this is most likely because of the holocaust. one of the many charactersitics that Vladek picked up along the way.

I know the Harlem Rennaissance was a time of african americans that lived in a close knit community that produced multiple different forms of art and mostly in writing such as poetry.

What do i wonder?

i wonder if writing and poetry was the main form of art or if there was more painting or drawingor sculpting, i wonder wha the extent of the forms of art was.

"She had told him that she loved him, and Tom Buchanan saw. He was astounded. His mouth opened a little, and he looked at Gatsby." (119)

Relationships between characters are really starting to heat up in these chapters. Jay and Daisy sort have mixed feelings toward each other, and Tom and Jay really are starting to hate each one another. Nick seems slightly insignificant but is definately taking it all in. Daisy seems to be a different woman than what she once was, shes beginning to turn into the woman she never wanted to be, money has changed her entire personality. Its pretty ironic that Daisy ends up killing Myrtle, without even knowing who she is. Fitzgerald has created some crazy scene where Daisy kills Myrtle, Tom's affair, and Daisy doesnt know Myrtle, and Tom doesnt even realize that Daisy killed her. I see a lot of confusion and drama erupting in the near future. 

Daisy is quite the confusing character. It is understood that she once loved Gatsby but denied him because he did not have any money. Now that the Gatsby is rich she wnats to be with him? Thats seems a little fishy. It brings up the idea of loving more than one person, is it possible? From what is happening in the novel i think that it is impossible to love more than one person, its inmoral and unpossible :). Although the Gatsby has sort of won the love battle with Tom he realizes that Daisy has actually loved Tom at one point in time, and she actually decided to marry Tom. This idea hurts Jay because he feels ignored, hes been waiting for Daisy for five years not seeing or even thinking about another woman, it hurts his feelings how quickley and easily Daisy moved on to marry a man like Tom. What the Gatsby doesn't understand is Daisy's true nature. She's a golddigger! She loves the man with the most money! As sad as it sounds, its so true. 

This chapter definately seemed to be the climax of the novel, especially Myrtle's death. After her death and after Tom's understanding of Jay and Daisy we really get to see the true emotions of most of the characters, they are all coming out of their shells and expressing their feelings.

inviolate (125)- Free from violation. Mobsters often tell their members that they are free from inviolation from other threats, for something in return. 

magnanimous (135)- Generous in forgiving an insult or injury. She looked at Tom, alarmed now, but he insisted with magnanimous scorn. 

"Perhaps his presence gave the evening its peculiar quality of oppressiveness it stands out in my memory from Gatsby's parties that summer." (104)

Understanding and creating the secret relationship of Daisy and Gatsby, Nick makes this comment about Tom's appearance at the party. At the point, it is a little bit obvious that Tom is suspicious of Daisy visiting the Gatsby alone at his house. Nick says that Tom's presence effected the entire party and made this party completely different from the other parties that were held by the Gatsby. Nick, "felt an unpleasantness in the air, a pervading harshness that hadn't been there before." The situation between all the characters puts Nick in an awkward position. Because Nick knows all of the characters i can see him making a decision in the near future of telling the truth to Tom or convincing Daisy and Gatsby to express themselves to Tom. It is understood that Tom is a bad character, but as i read more into the book im starting to dislike the Gatsby. As powerful as Gatsby is i think that the power is getting to his head. After he meets Daisy again he takes her to his house to show her his posessions, although it impressed Daisy, i dont think that it was a thoughtful attitude towards Daisy. It is certain that Daisy and the Gatsby love eachother, i see a fight in the near future between Tom and the Gatsby. 

Daisy is basically stuck in the middle of the problem. As a character, i dont really respect her because what she is doing its wrong, its hard to understand why she doesn't break off with Tom, and be with Jay. Being the person who brought the secret lover's together Nick is in a state of regret for Daisy's feelings for a moment he puts himself in her shoes when he says, "it is invariably saddening to look through new eyes at things upon which you have expended your own powers of adjustment."

meretricious (98)- alluring by a show of flashy or vulgar attractions. The circus act was fun and exciting but often times meretricious

perturbed (103)- to disturb greatly. "The young girl was greatly perturbed by the dead animal on the road. 

"My eyes fell on Gatsby, standing alone on the marble steps and looking from one group to another with approving eyes. His tanned skin was drawn attractively tight on his face and his short hair looked as though it were trimmed every day. I could see nothing sinister about him." (50)

At the party Nick is studying Gatsby and it is obvious how much he respects the Gatsby, Nick says this quote as he is looking at the Gatsby, isolate himself from all of his party guests. Nick says, "with approving eyes" and this is a perfect example of the type of description that Fitzgerald uses in the novel. Every page is poetic and the descriptions are strange but make sense. Nick has great amounts of respect for the Gatsby, especially when he says, "i could see nothing sinister about him." Nick talks about how well Gatsby presents himself, Nick sees the Gatsby as a perfect human being, a man who is well groomed and well dressed. Even his physical features were perfect to Nick, his tanned skin and his perfect hair. This description of the Gatsby definately give the readers the impression that he is a very good looking man. 

The change of characteristics of the Gatsby are very interesting throughout chapters three and four. The beginning of chapter three gives us a shy and handsome impression of the Gatsby but towards the end of the reading Jordan tells Nick, and the Gatsby tells Nick more about the Gatsby's past. I enjoyed reading more and more about the Gatsby's past, but i feel like there is even more to know about him. There is still a slight ambiguousness about him even though we know about his secret love for Daisy. Nick is having a growing relationship with Jordan and there interest in eachother is obvious. Nick is definately attracted to Jordan, but to him she is a sort of cheater, he still does not have a lot of trust for her. But relating back to the first chapter of the novel Nick does not try to judge her and proceeds with there relationship. Jordan is helpful because she informs Nick of the situation between the Gatsby and Daisy. 

incredulous (66)- disciplined or indisposed to believe He was incredulous to believe that the inmate did not steel his food.

somnambulate (69)- to walk during sleep, sleepwalk. I was shocked to see my brother walking across the halway in the middle of the night, then i realized he was somnambulating. 

"I almost married a little kike who'd been after me for years." (34)

Nick and Tom pass through an area between West Egg and New York, Tom claims it is an apartment where him and his mistress spend time together. Nick is introduced to many people such as Myrtle, and the McKee family. The entire party has a sort of negative vibe, Nick seems to be slightly uncomfortable at the party. First of all this was the second time Nick has ever consumed alcohol in his life, so obviously drinking is something Nick does not enjoy doing or spend a lot of time doing. Second, in drunken conversation with the McKees he listenes to the negative comments made by them and Mrs. McKee states this quote. From the context of the quote i assume that the McKee family are Germans. Obvioulsy the comment is racist because of the word "kike". 

the conversation leads to many racist comments and this disturbs Nick, and he tries to leave but for some reason he doesnt leave. After recording all the colors in the novel White is the color repeated most often. I think that the color white, plays in with this particular society. From what we understand it is a neighborhood of wealthy white families. This may be the reasoning for the repetitiveness of the color white. Its relieving reading that Nick is disturbed by the racism he hears because he is the narrator. Nick narrorates the novel in first person. The book is a little bit hard to comprehend but you begin to get used to it after the first couple pages of reading. The vocabulary in the novel is pretty hard. 

effeminate (7)- a man or boy having traits; tatses habits etc. Although Jim was not quite effeminate he was embloyed as a fireman.

rotogravure (18)- a photomechanical process by which pictures typeset matter. It is easy to find many beautiful rotogravure paintings in New York.

"But after i had got them out and shut the door and turned off the light it wasn’t any good. It was like saying good-by to a statue." (332)

In an interview Hemmingway told us that it took him 39 times to write the ending and be pleased with it. This quote is one of the few expressions of Henry; it’s immediately after Catherine's death. I think that statue is the perfect word here. Hemmingway used statue to add significance to Catherine's death, it was a way to flat out tell us that Catherine is dead. Henry could see her face, he could feel her body, but she couldn’t move and she wasn't living, she was a statue and Henry knew that. After her death we don’t know how affected Henry is, he simply tells us that he walked home in the rain, Henry goes back to his earlier characteristics and shows little emotion much like the beginning of the novel. Now we see that Henry's emotions have gone around in a complete cycle. I chose this quote because it was the only paragraph in the last chapter where Henry shows any kind of reaction, kind of. He says that Catherine is a statue; Henry explained to us that saying goodbye was pointless and he wasn’t pleased with saying goodbye. He never told her that he loved her and Catherine never told Henry that she loved him. The last thing that Catherine said to Henry was, "Your dear, brave sweet."

Catherine's last words to Henry are actually pretty significant because what she says is true, it goes deeper into the idea of Henry as a hero. One aspect of Henry and Catherine that is still extremely ambiguous is whether or not they really loved each other. There is a solid point of Catherine not loving Henry because it is concurred that maybe she only loved him because she regretted everything with her last fiancé and wanted to move as fast as possible in her relationship with Henry. But you can make the point that Catherine did love Henry very much and very dearly even if they were brought together by the war. Maybe the unclearness of Catherine's love is even unknown to Hemmingway, maybe Hemingway doesn't know if Catherine loves Henry, and maybe that’s the way Hemmingway wanted to end the story. That is the thing about AFA even after reading the last chapter your left with many questions. Does Catherine love Henry? Is Henry going to commit suicide? But what is important is that Catherine and her baby died, and that Catherine's death and the baby’s death were indirectly caused by the war. This overall message is what Hemmingway wanted to tell us, that war is bad and war brings sadness.