From Father to Son: Consumed by Guilt

            While reading Maus I and II, I have grasped that the overall theme of the graphic novel is guilt, particularly familial guilt. The feelings of guilt that we see in Maus can be spilt in several ways. First, we are able to see Art feeling guilt for the death of his mother, then we see Art’s guilt over not being a good enough son for his father, and Vladek possessing survivor’s guilt and slightly compelling his son to feel his guilt as well.

            The trauma that Vladek has experienced bears a resemblance to something that I have learned in one of my psychology classes. People who have survived the Holocaust tend to develop the concentration-camp syndrome. In brief, this syndrome has often lead to transgenerational trauma. Transgenerational trauma is grief and anxiety that has been faced by first generation and eventually carries on to the second generation. Trauma, often times, cans transferred through storytelling which is essentially what Maus is about. Vladek retelling his experiences of the Holocaust with his son, Art. The survivor’s guilt that Vladek possesses passes on to his own son.

For example, chapter one of book II of Maus, when Art and Françoise are going to the Catskills, Art reflects on his guilt. He states, “ Somehow, I wish I had been in Auschwitz with my parents so I could really know what they lived through! I guess it's some form of guilt about having had an easier life than they did." Art also displays apprehension when talking about his departed brother, Richieu. Although he does not feel guilty, he does have nightmares that he has shared with Françoise. This is a prime example of transgenerational trauma. Due to Vladek retelling his own experiences and memories, Vladek’s guilt has manifested into anxiety for Art unconsciously. Pavel, Art’s therapist, also tells Art that he is the “real survivor” because Vladek took his guilt out on his son.

Moreover, Art may not have experienced the Holocaust firsthand, but he has witnessed his father be affected by the traumatic events. Vladek’s parenting skills has been influenced by his experiences and, in turn, Art’s own personality displays his father’s whether subconsciously or not. All in all, Art feels consumed by the Holocaust even though he never had to live through it.