learntoquestion ltq discussions

Originally posted by Citydog18 on February 02, 2026 18:03

The use of a comic book to tell the story about the holocaust is an interesting idea and might seem a little strange at first but Art Spiegelman proves it is actually one of the best ways to do it and is actually very effective. A lot of people think of comics as just “superheroes” or “funny papers” but this book uses the format to tell heavy emotional stories with weight. By using drawings instead of just words Spiegelman makes a history that is kind of impossible to imagine to feel very real and personal. One of the most human things about the book is the use of animal metaphors. He draws Jews as mic and Nazis as cats and Polish as pigs. This might sound simple but its actually very powerful because it helps the reader look at horrible things that happened without being quite overwhelmed with graphic human violence that they want to close the book. It also shows the predator and prey relationship. Because the characters look like mice, we immediately feel their vulnerability. It turns an insane historical event into a simple story that people could understand. The format makes it easy to jump between Vladek’s life in the 1940s and his life in the 1970s. In a regular book, moving back and forth in time can be confusing but in a comic you can see both at once. Spiegelman msot the time puts a panel of his father as an old man in New York right next to a panel of him as a young man in a concentration camp. This shows that for people like VLadek, the holocaust isnt just the past but its something they carry with them every single day. Seeing him count his pills or complain about his wife while we see the trauma of the camps in the background makes the story feel grounded and emotional.

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I agree that the comic form of storytelling is surprising yet effective. I also agree that the book is made more bearable with the use of animals for representing Nazis, Jews, and Poles. However, I think that it is so important to learn about the Holocaust so that we are not doomed to repeat it, even without changing the way its victims and its perpetrators are represented. Everyone who died was a real person and it is important to remember that, however I do agree that the comic retelling may make the novel easier to bear. I also strongly agree that the use of comic storytelling was effective in showing how Vladek carries the pain and suffering he endured with him each day, even years later and living in a different country. Something that I had not thought about was analyzing the actions that Vladek was described doing in the novel, like counting his pills or obsessing over Art’s clothing. I think that this was an interesting detail to point out from the story because it definitely emphasizes how Vladek was just a normal human before the Nazis pronounced him as an inferior race. I liked your post and thought that it covered some new and interesting ideas.

Originally posted by user0702 on February 01, 2026 13:13

Maus being in comic form allows for the reader to connect on a deeper level with the story and Vladek’s experience. There were so many panels throughout Maus that gave such a vivid image of the horrors during the Holocaust. The story of Vladek's journey was very complicated and is almost impossible to imagine. The constant imagery provided by the comic allows for Vladek’s journey to not be construed through imagination. There is no question what his experience was and how it impacted both Art and Vladek. Although the story is not in a traditional form, it still provides so much insight into his experience and how he felt. The story being told in comic form “makes language, ideas, and concepts ‘literal’ to call attention to how the medium can make the twisting lines of history readable through form” (Chute 200). Some of the specific scenes in Maus that are strengthened by the comics imagery are the scene of Vladek's friends hanging and only seeing their feet and the mountain of dead people that Artie was sitting upon. Being able to see these starking and horrific images invokes a strong emotion in the reader. There is such a heavy emotional weight associated with the Holocaust and when it is depicted in the form of a comic it almost brings the reader into reality and allows them to connect with the story. There is also a greater sense of understanding when the story is written in comic form; there is nothing complicated or up to interpretation. It also allows for the back and forth between the past, present, and future to be better followed and understood. Although this is a serious matter it is also very overwhelming and at times unimaginable. The comic book allows for so many personal details to be shared that can give the reader a better understanding of Vladek as a whole. The comic was not written to make light of the situation but to give more realistic and imaginable qualities to the story. Both books are full of raw human emotions and devastating images that can’t be portrayed through solely words. I also think that the only colors in the entire book ae black and white acknowledge the seriousness of the story and the devastation associated with it. Therefore, the use of comic form in Maus brings a realistic and necessary understanding and connection to the entire story.

Completely agree, Maus tells the story of one of the worst events in history in comic imagery to soften the impact and horrors of the holocaust. He does this because, it isn't the traditional standard but it provides so much insight into his experience and how it impacted both Art and Vladek. I agree with how you said how some specific scenes are strengthended by the comic imagery and how we are able to see the horrific images but the comic form makes it so that we are engaged and aren't turned away by gruesome imagery of real images. The comic book absolutely allows for the back and forth between the past, present, and future to be followed and understood. Yes, the comic book allows for many personal details to be shared that can give us (the reader) a better understanding of Vladek and his father. I believe if this book wasn't in comic form it would turn readers away from the gore and gruesome images of the holocaust but since its told in comic book form it allows us to stay engaged and following the story without being turned away. It also allows for a younger audience to understand what was happening during WW2 due to it being a comic book with animals as characters which was a great artistic choice by the author.

Originally posted by juice_lover on February 03, 2026 21:48

Art Spiegelman's Maus demonstrates that comic forms of literature can convey the emotion of serious events such as the Holocaust, capturing its historical weight in a way that novels cannot. Through black and white imagery, metaphors of animals for different races, and the constant switch between past and present, Spiegelman creates an extremely layered narrative that reflects both the trauma of survival and the difficulty of remembering the past. In Chute’s “The Shadow of Past Time”, she argues that the graphic form of expression is able to convey a complex representation of history by visually staging everything that is going on. I believe that the format of the book is particularly effective in expressing the emotion between the characters. Spiegelman’s sparse panels and harsh contrasts between black and white effectively mirror the experience of individuals like Vladek at Auschwitz. In Maus I, Vladek’s account of being separated from his family is depicted in tight frames that show the heightened tension, forcing readers to really focus in on each moment. In the comic form, tension is able to build in between the panels, not just within them. This is a key reason as to why graphic novels can be a great representation of the past despite what some people believe. The graphic novel form is also a great way to support the transitions from the past to the present. Spiegelman frequently interrupts Vladek’s narrative of the war with scenes within Vladek’s current home, which the reader can easily follow given the visuals provided, making it a lot easier to fully understand what is going on from the reader’s perspective. In Maus II, Art’s depiction of himself being overwhelmed by the book’s success at the very beginning, shown by him sitting atop a pile of mouse corpses, is able to depict how the past is still affecting Holocaust survivors and their families to this day. These visual shifts reinforce Chute’s claim about how memory intrudes upon everyday life. I personally believe that Maus is the perfect rebuttal to the claim that comics lack seriousness. The animal metaphor (Jews as mice, Nazis as cats, and Poles as pigs) might initially seem comical, but it really highlights the racial logic imposed by the Nazis in a way that everyone can understand. However, the simplicity of the drawings allows for the focus to remain on the testimony being spoken, not just the pictures being drawn.

Something that my peer brought up that was very interesting was the connection to Chute’s The Shadow of Past Time. I think it was a good connection that shows that graphic novels can definitely demonstrates complex events in history by being able to show visually what is going on. I definitely agree that you can understand a lot of the tiny details through visuals in graphic novels that can help us understand these serious events better. I also really like the way this person talked about tension in the comic and the way panels are used to demonstrate tension. I never really thought of how the tight panels create tension in points of Vladek’s story that are very stressful, but I definitely agree with my peer on that. Something that I talked about a lot that I think this person did a very good job with as well was the constant connecting of past ans present, and the way that the graphic novel was able to do that very well through symbolic illustrations. I really like how they talked about how the illustrations weren’t made in any comedic or silly way. Despite being illustrations, they are very simple and serious, and are able to very affectively describe and demonstrates the horrors of the holocaust.

Originally posted by josh allen on January 31, 2026 19:14

I believe that the comic book format was an extremely effective method in conveying the emotional and historical weight of the Holocaust. As someone who has read many books about the Holocaust myself, the majority of them being fictional, there is something powerful about a story that is not just purely facts and numbers. Reading something that has been embellished with creative license, whether it be from figurative language or excellent storytelling, creates an emotional, visceral reaction in the reader. I believe that Maus takes this idea a step further by adding pictures and images along with an extremely powerful story. It brings the reader in closer to the story they are reading, allowing less room for interpretation. Now, some may argue that this is negative. However, I think when dealing with mature subject matter such as the Holocaust, especially with at least partial intent to educate audiences, less room for interpretation and more room for awe-provoking fact is beneficial.

The graphic novel’s integration of past and present is achieved through the juxtaposition of Vladek’s and Artie's perspectives, both in drawings and narration. Chute states that “the double voicing of Maus—Artie’s voice and his father’s—presents a view of narrative generally and testimony specifically as a polyvalent weave” (209). Polyvalent, in science, means having a valence shell of three or more electrons. When relating to people, it means having multiple competencies. I interpret it here to mean multiple different perspectives of the same occurrence. Or, by extension, the past and present perspectives on the Holocaust and Vladek’s journey. The way Maus is drawn makes it difficult to physically differentiate from past and present. The complete black and white illustrations, the crude drawings, and how similar the mice look to each other all play a part in connecting the past and present. On page 25 of Maus II, Vladek and Artie in the present are drawn immediately next to (albeit in different panels) Vladek’s description of his life in the labor camps. The little space separating the two times and perspectives emphasizes the fact that for survivors, the present and past are often closer than one may think. The Holocaust still lives with many in the present. Additionally, on page 41 of Maus II, Artie, writing, is drawn to have a pile of dead bodies beneath him. These bodies, of mice and men who had been killed in the Holocaust, are an anachronism. Obviously, murdered Jews from the 1940s would not be present in Artie’s studio in the late 1990s. However, the juxtaposition of the two in the frame is an effective way to demonstrate how the past plays a role in the present day life of Holocaust survivors and their families.

Overall, I believe that the comic form of Maus is exceedingly effective and powerful. Although some may state that it is an immature medium for a mature topic, I believe that this specific form of comic is less of an unserious project and more of an emotional, illustrated memoir.

The most compelling idea in my peer’s post is how the comic form left little to the imagination of the reader. I also said this in my response and I agree that it leaves more room for the gravity of the events. I think that people tend to soften images in their head to protect themselves or just simply because they can’t fathom horrible things unless they see them visually. It’s important with history to not protect ourselves from the truth by softening the facts, in this way Maus forces the reader to face the atrocities head on. Another idea that my peer presented was the idea of having different perspectives in the book. It was interesting how they related it to the scientific term of valence and being surrounded by more than one electron, I think this a very unique connection. I agree that the story is made so compelling by the ability to see two sides to the same coin. This gives the reader a window into not only what occurred during the holocaust but how it affected people for years to come. Overall, I agree with my peer that the comic form of Maus is very effective in conveying the weight of the Holocaust and may even do a better job than only words could.

Originally posted by sillygoose617 on February 02, 2026 11:52

I believe that the comic form is an amazing way to highlight the emotional and historical weight of the Holocaust, because it helps the reader to visualize the events and see the gravity of the situations. There have been many great comics that have represented hard truths about our past, such as the Atlantic articles deep dive into the Tulsa, Oklahoma massacre, called the Massacre of Black Wall Street. This indepth article with comics used to illustrate the event, bring the reader into the story, helping them visualize the day and put them into the mindset of those affected. I think the comic form also makes the switch between past and present very digestible, because it makes the change very clear. In novels and written works, sometimes it can be hard to show a transition unless you are outright saying it, and the comic makes it so it is seamless. I think this adds to the story because it shows how integrated past traumas are in Vladek and Artie's lives. The past has literally rooted itself in the story of both their lives and makes it so one cannot be without the other. Like on page 79 of part 2, Vladek begins his story again as they are driving through the forest, and the girls that he is talking about are suspended in the trees surrounding the car. This brings the past into the present and highlights how Artie might already be envisioning the story. I think also that the story of Artie and his fathers relationship is greatly represented as the bridge between Artie and the holocaust, and by showing us these present problems, like Vladek wanting Artie to stay at his cabin in the catskills, and integrating them with the problems during the holocaust, Artie brings together the two stories and therefore the past and present. Additionally, I think that the comic form has similar effects to movies about the holocaust, in the way that they bring the viewer or reader into the story and help to break the barrier between the past and present. When someone is watching a movie or looking at the images in a graphic novel, they must see the horror, and look at the acts, not just imagine them, and they become more real. On page 72, the last image on the page is of the fiery pits where bodies were dumped, even as some of the people were alive, and the sheer terror I felt looking at this page highlights how nauseating the events were. I think pages like this one, where the eyes of the characters show such great fear, almost makes you fear for your own life, and only touches the surface on how much pain and fear those subjected to this felt. I also think that the comic form almost does better than some solely written stories, because it shares the story with the reader in a more personal and vulnerable way.

I think that the most compelling argument in this response is the claim that the comic form makes the past and present “seamless,” showing how Holocaust memory is integrated into Vladek and Artie’s everyday lives rather than existing as separate distant history. This directly supports my idea that remembrance is difficult and that this comic grapples with memory in a way that a regular novel cannot, it shows memory as something intrusive and unavoidable. The example of Vladek telling his story while driving and describing bodies in the trees shows how ordinary moments trigger traumatic memories, suggesting that remembrance happens involuntarily and emotionally. It presents memory as a psychological burden rather than just a simple story. This response is interesting because it frames the comic form as a tool for both visualization and a structure that mimics how trauma works. Trauma collapses time and forces the past into the present and that is so well represented through this comic form. I would add that the comic form makes readers experience the difficulty of memory through the visual transitions and repeated imagery that recreate the confusion, fear, and emotional weight of remembrance.

Originally posted by star.gazing on February 02, 2026 17:33

The visual format of a comic allowed Spiegelman to represent trauma and memory in a way that a novel cannot. Although critics could argue that comics are too simplistic for serious subjects such as the Holocaust, Maus challenges that. The fragmentation of panels, shifting timelines, and symbolic imagery reflect how memory actually works. Memory is non-linear, emotionally layered and sometimes confusing. Trauma does not unfold as a clean narrative, and the use of the comic form is similar to that psychological reality. This format emphasizes the chaos of reality. The visual transitions between Artie interviewing his dad in the present and Vladek’s memories of the Holocaust often happen in the same page, this structure emphasizes that the Holocaust was not just a historical event but something that lingers with a strong emotional impact on not only the survivors but also their descendents. Vladek doesn't "leave” Auschwitz behind, it lives with him in his relationships, habits, and view of the world. The final panel of page 100 in Book II is especially captivating to me, honestly the whole scene with the black person. In the final panel is drawn in the same color as the black character and I feel like that really highlights the fact that even though Vladek survided the Holocaust, a genocide entirely based on racial discrimination, he still has prejudice against groups of people and I think that Spielgelman chose to do this to emphasize that just as Jewish people were discriminated upon in Germany, black people are discriminated upon in America. (obviously not to the same scale…that's a whole another thing) but just the concept of race having to do with this scene is ironic considering his survival. On pages 114-115 of Book 1, where the photographs are cluttered across the page further demonstrates how the graphic form conveys meaning. The disorder of the images reflects the fragmentation of memory and loss. The photos represent real people, real lives, and real deaths, yet their chaotic layout shows how history is preserved imperfectly. Memory is incomplete, broken and painful, and the page visually communicates that fragmentation more powerfully than description alone could. I don't believe in the idea that comics lack seriousness. Seriousness comes from content and purpose not format. Maus treats the story of the Holocaust with gravity, respect, and emotional honesty and the graphic form humanizes the subject. By combining image and text Spiegelman creates a layered narrative that carries historical truth and emotional depth. Rather than weakening the story, the comic medium is the tool that makes its complexity visible.

Your angle of "the comic medium [as a] tool that makes [the story's] complexity visible" and as a reflection of "how memory actually works" is incredibly compelling. In retrospect, I now see how photographs can be symbolic of fragmented memory, as the way you support your claim is thoughtful and thorough. As further evidence to your point (however surface-level), Vladek’s incineration of his photographs and letters as an attempt to forget the past is likewise consistent with ‘photography as a representation of memory.’

Before this post, I had never before arrived at the conclusion that the comic format—replete with non-linearity—makes for an apt reflection of the fickle nature of memories, and yet it works: the way you explain it makes it seem so intuitive, too. You communicate your thoughts in such a way that they are incredibly digestible. Moreover, I’m glad to have found someone else who noticed how Vladek was drawn up in black on page 100’s last panel; I also agree with your conclusion about Spiegelman’s aim in this.

As my one point of contention, I think you may have forgotten to include a quote from the other “required text” as linked on the original assignment document. Otherwise, great commentary.

Originally posted by star.gazing on February 02, 2026 17:33

The visual format of a comic allowed Spiegelman to represent trauma and memory in a way that a novel cannot. Although critics could argue that comics are too simplistic for serious subjects such as the Holocaust, Maus challenges that. The fragmentation of panels, shifting timelines, and symbolic imagery reflect how memory actually works. Memory is non-linear, emotionally layered and sometimes confusing. Trauma does not unfold as a clean narrative, and the use of the comic form is similar to that psychological reality. This format emphasizes the chaos of reality. The visual transitions between Artie interviewing his dad in the present and Vladek’s memories of the Holocaust often happen in the same page, this structure emphasizes that the Holocaust was not just a historical event but something that lingers with a strong emotional impact on not only the survivors but also their descendents. Vladek doesn't "leave” Auschwitz behind, it lives with him in his relationships, habits, and view of the world. The final panel of page 100 in Book II is especially captivating to me, honestly the whole scene with the black person. In the final panel is drawn in the same color as the black character and I feel like that really highlights the fact that even though Vladek survided the Holocaust, a genocide entirely based on racial discrimination, he still has prejudice against groups of people and I think that Spielgelman chose to do this to emphasize that just as Jewish people were discriminated upon in Germany, black people are discriminated upon in America. (obviously not to the same scale…that's a whole another thing) but just the concept of race having to do with this scene is ironic considering his survival. On pages 114-115 of Book 1, where the photographs are cluttered across the page further demonstrates how the graphic form conveys meaning. The disorder of the images reflects the fragmentation of memory and loss. The photos represent real people, real lives, and real deaths, yet their chaotic layout shows how history is preserved imperfectly. Memory is incomplete, broken and painful, and the page visually communicates that fragmentation more powerfully than description alone could. I don't believe in the idea that comics lack seriousness. Seriousness comes from content and purpose not format. Maus treats the story of the Holocaust with gravity, respect, and emotional honesty and the graphic form humanizes the subject. By combining image and text Spiegelman creates a layered narrative that carries historical truth and emotional depth. Rather than weakening the story, the comic medium is the tool that makes its complexity visible.

Your note about memory being non-linear is very compelling, and has opened my eyes to additional purposes of Art writing Maus. At first, I considered the tense moments between Vladek and Art as typical father-son banter that added humorous relief to this heavy story. However, the symbolism you found with the parallel panels describing the Holocaust to the panels describing their banter has persuaded me that Art had another purpose with writing Maus. Perhaps those panels showing Art and Vladek arguing are shown so frequently to emphasize the passing of Vladek’s trauma to Art. Art critiques Vladek’s odd tendencies and concerns, unaware that he may act just like his father because of their experiences. Adding to this, I think Art’s interruptions of Vladek are additional examples of such intentional parallelism. Whenever Vladek gets off-topic or jumps ahead in his story, Art immediately interrupts him to stay focused. Vladek gets confused between present time and his life during the Holocaust. He yearns for Anja and hates Mala, and refuses to give up his old ways for the current world. Vladek’s confusion and frustration is felt by the reader, which is emphasized in the comic book form. Without the massive speech bubbles, overlapping panels, and creative imagery, the parallelism and emotions would not be conveyed as accurately and obviously if Maus was a novel. They clearly express the lives of Vladek and Art, and predict what is to come for Art.

Originally posted by StevenAdrianCharles93 on February 03, 2026 10:00

Art Spiegelman’s use of the comic form is very effective in converting the emotional weight of the Holocaust. The use of graphic novel allows Art to show the extreme horrors of the holocaust in unique ways that really hit the reader hard. The pictures used by Art really allow him to connect the past and the present and give us moments that can make us understand how much the holocaust affected so many people. Vladek’s story and the way the past and present connect is seen through the way art illustrates past and present moments. He is able to connect those moments through various artistic methods and choices. For example, when he uses smoke as smoke from a cremation center to be the same smoke from his cigarette. The drawing also allows him to use many symbols, like the stationary bike that Vladek rides on. That bike represents the fact that Vladek is trying to move on from the horrors of the past, but like the bike, he isn’t going anywhere and neither is the memory of the Holocaust. I think that the argument that the medium lacks the seriousness needed to discuss the holocaust doesn’t make much sense because Spiegelman does such a great job at portraying these events and their impact. He used symbols such as the different animals to display different races and the way that people were dehumanized and separated. His artistic choices allow for things like that that can really hit the reader. Art’s illustrations don’t really have any comic like or playful feel. Despite the fact that it is in comic style, his drawing are very detailed and very serious, and they portray a really serious matter in a good way. The fact that it is in comic form doesn’t stop him from drawing scenes of horrific moments to show the horrendousness of the holocaust. Overall despite any possible controversy of Spiegelman drawing a “holocaust story” as a graphic novel, he did a really good job at using illustrations to hit his themes and connect the past and the present to hit the reader’s emotions.

Your argument is very well structured and organized, you should be proud of your work. I found your statement on the comic showing horrific moments as a representation of the true horrendousness of the Holocaust to be very interesting. I had not thought of it in that way. That being said, I fully agree with what you are saying. Much of the controversy around Spiegelman's book comes from the fact that it is a graphic novel, and many people believe that comics are not fit for such dark stories. But as you mentioned, Spiegelman's artwork is not the comics that people are expecting when they hear this. Instead of being illustrations like Superman or Batman, this book's illustrations are serious and detailed, tying together key details. I think that it is impactful the way that an author can use both words and illustrations to tell their story, as you talked about in your post. While you believe he did a good job at using the illustrations to support his text, I'm not sure where you personally stand on this discussion in the grand scheme of using comics for serious topics, but I think we have a pretty similar mindset in that this book should not be receiving criticism for the style of book, given the powerful messages and themes that it is able to portray.

Originally posted by rubycirce on February 03, 2026 18:02

Spiegelman’s use of the comic form is highly effective if the reader pays attention to the significance of the animals that represent each ethnicity/group of people. Skimming through Maus as one might skim through any other comic book is not effective and contributes to a reader’s lack of understanding of and support for the comic book form. The panels on page 64 in the first volume of Maus are good examples of the necessity of paying attention to detail. Notice the pig mask Vladek wears when he approaches the Polish man. Art drew the mask to show how Vladek had to pretend to be a non-Jewish Pole in order to gain respect. In the smaller panel off to the right, Vladek looks down at the mask in his hands in shame. This whole page shows the humiliation factor Jewish people experienced even outside of the camps and in daily life. Jews were only respected if they weren’t Jewish and they shared identity with the individual they tried to gain respect from. Even in Maus II, Spiegelman continues to emphasize the different identities of Europe post-Holocaust, which is especially powerful amongst the ethnic tensions that were brought more to light in towns and businesses that were supposed to be brought back to “normal” after the Holocaust. Understanding the meaning of the animal representations adds a new layer to Spiegelman’s story that a novel may not have been able to achieve.

Maus’s shocking visuals—not the animal representations, but the gruesome scenes—add layers of horror to make the reader feel uncomfortable or depressed. The bottom two panels on page 108 are great examples of Maus' effectiveness. They show horrifying images of a Nazi killing a Jewish child. The faces of the soldier and child are hidden to show how this was such a common occurrence that many faces and identities could be attached to the child. The text “And they never anymore screamed” makes the panels seem much more haunting than if the images were removed. If this were a novel instead of a comic, that dialogue alone would not have the same effect on me as the drawings do. This effective imagery continues in Maus II: the last two of the five panels on page 72 depict the bodies of prisoners at Auschwitz being burned alive. In writing, this is very hard to visualize. It’s also hard to imagine the reactions of the individuals, as our minds tend to think of scenes as copy-and-paste. In contrast, Art’s visual depiction of the bodies being burned show the large number of individuals, each in different positions and with slightly different expressions. Without Art’s image, I would’ve never imagined the individuals to be screaming; rather, I would’ve pictured silence if provided in novel-format. These hand-drawn expressions make the words on the page carry much more emotional weight than if they were on the page alone, which speaks for the ability of Maus to carry emotional weight on each of its pages.

Post your response here.

Your discussion of how Spiegelman is utilizing the gory images to overcome the shortcomings of prose is very persuasively presented, especially as it concerns his bottom panels on page 108. Your discussion of the facelessness of both the child and soldier being used to "universalize" the identity of victims is well-taken and one that I agree with; certainly, being faceless represents a recognition of how great an atrocity this was and transforms what might have otherwise been one singular action into a symbol of all those victims. It also brings to mind an interesting parallel to the first peer’s initial discussion on the animal masks, in that while they discussed it in great detail as relates to demonstrating Spiegelman’s social commentary elements, your discussion of the images being used is one of how the violence itself is what ultimately gives the piece weight. While they might discuss it in terms of being a "mask" and representing a purposeful disavowing of identity, your discussion of it being "faceless" demonstrates it as being representative of how common such an atrocity was.

In my own opinion, this type of visual medium cannot go unseen and unused in this case because, as you discussed in regard to the burning bodies on page 72, our brains are wired to respond to tragedy by "copying and pasting" it off in prose, to shield ourselves from it. Art’s various expressions prevent this type of coping. To enhance the quality of analysis in your post, consider how this "animal" style actually complements these gruesome images. Does it not enhance the anguish felt by the reader in direct relation to the simple yet "cartoonish" style in which it’s illustrated? Mechanically, it’s excellent, and by exploring this tension between the style of this text and the type of subject matter, perhaps more depth could be added to your analysis about this "haunting" quality.