It's been extremely interesting to read Maus for the second time, and it seems like I have a completely fresh perspective after three years.
It's also fascinating to be able to look at the book from an almost purely visual perspective, rather than solely analyzing the text. For example, I never would have realized without this approach that even Spiegelman's use of shading, and other minute artistic details, possess symbolic significance. Spiegelman manages to create emotions and metaphors even from the tiniest variations in hatching. For example, the severe and frenzied lines that comprise the panels on pages 44 through 48 easily portray the hectic and terrifying events that are taking place on the page and in Vladek's memory.
Also, Art creates far more detail in the panels depicting his father's narrative, than in those showing the mundane events of everyday life which bring him to his interviews with Vladek.
I agree Sarah. At first I barely noticed the varation he had with the shading and hatching but, now I notice the varation the author shows. The deatils he adds have so much more impact to the story and it really shows the mood that Spiegelman wants to portray.The story does have more symbolism with the shading and it does have an impact on the story and the way that I read it.
ReplyDeleteI also agree. I've never really though of line-styles as being so indicative of emotion, but with Spiegelman's shading, you really get the mood he's portraying.
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