Graphic Novel Break Down "Maus I"

The first basic concept that I recognize from Understanding Comics that is put into use is the idea of sequential art. Maus I starts right off with it on page five.  The example I am using, though, comes from page 12. It's a simple "hop along" as time goes on. It sets up mainly why the novel is being done, and it just shows a conversation that is happening at the moment.

Example:

The next theme or concept that stands out between the two books is the artist's language or style. Throughout Maus I, I find the style and way things are presented to be deliberate. The way the art is done (even if it is just animals) it is able to allow the reader to feel what is happening in that moment. Some of the more emotional moments are similar to this:

When the reader finally gets to this point, you are emotionally tired, and worn out. I almost felt the heaviness of this scene. Minus the cover, this whole novel is in black and white. The absence of color makes it easier to depict, but it also makes it easier to evoke certain themes and emotions in this book. There are times where one is supposed to feel heavy, burdened, tired, and pain, but there are other areas where you fell hope, you want the good to come out and you're almost begging the artist/writer to find a way to make this lighter. 

Last but not least the symbol work in this book, there are swastikas, images of Hitler, animals portraying humans in a certain way, and propaganda all over the place.

Example:

 

Even the walkways are significant portrayals of what was going on.  The feeling of being trapped under Hitler's regime is just overbearing in this novel. Especially when the artist chooses to make the swastika the only thing that has not shading or anything but solid white in the center. They want you to see it, and if you don't ... then it might be a good thing to go over it again, but don't think swastikas and Hitler are the only things here. Signs of the Jewish faith are all over from clothing to tombstones.

Thus ends my interlinking of the two for now.