The Traumas of the Holocaust

Vladek passes the traumas of the Holocaust to Art through the use of guilt. Vladek holds a strong sense of survivors’ guilt from making it through the Holocaust while many of his friends and family die. His survivor guilt quickly becomes pushed onto his son, Art, through his stories and general interactions. Specifically, Vladek expresses how he is an expert at everything, which leaves Art thinking that he is inadequate and can’t compete with his father.  Art feels insufficient because his father had struggled through the Holocaust and held so many more horrific experiences.

Instead of comforting or supporting his son during his life, Vladek displays little sense of understanding or sympathy for the problems in his son’s life. Vladek lashes out at everyone, however, not just his son. These attacks can be seen as a way to cover the survivor guilt he holds from the Holocaust and the pains he feels after his wife’s suicide. Vladek also fails to recognize how his son may also be affected by the Holocaust. Art is effected as he has lost almost all of his family and in a way his absent father as a result of the Holocaust.

A graphic novel was definitely the best way to portray this story as the emotion and relationship between Vladek and Art can be better seen through images. Viewing Vladek’s experiences visually also may help the reader understand his cold disposition towards his son and his internal struggle with survivor’s guilt. Although Art did not have these experiences firsthand, he does a great job of illustrating these events from listening to his father’s stories.