learntoquestion ltq discussions

Originally posted by CapeCod2343 on February 03, 2026 09:00

Generational trauma impacts the children of Holocaust survivors like Spiegelman by passing down the need to have and need everything to be clean due to the uncleanliness conditions of the camps; they also deal with the unstable mental state of their parents, which can appear in many forms like detachment, depression, anxiety, and rage. For example, Vladek struggled with the need to keep everything clean and organized whenever Art and Vladek's wife would make a mess by accident, Vladek would get enraged and yell at both of them. Many of the survivors left the camp with extreme trauma that completely altered their personalities. This is seen by Art’s father at the beginning of the book. We see that Vladek was free and happy, but when he was captured, thrown in the camps, and when his firstborn died, he changed completely. The weight of the trauma experienced by direct ancestors as well as communities as a whole plays into the lives of young people today as they strive for justice and accountability by countries that were involved with the Holocaust in search of justice that they couldn't get when many Nazis, like Hitler, killed themselves and or burned a lot of the evidence that could incriminate them. They are also very aware of any injustices that are happening in the world and they are very inclined into speaking out against it, for example I have seen multiple Holocaust survivors and its communities speaking out against the current actions of the current presidential administration and spoke out that is what started the Holocaust and why there should be actions done to prevent another attempt of extreme hate towards an ethnic group. I believe it is possible to move beyond generational trauma because much of the trauma that was passed on is hurtful and damaging, which pushes the next generation the need to end the cycle of trauma, because at some point, one has to move on, but in moving on, one can't forget what happened. Vladek never moves on from the Holocaust, which is understandable because it is hard to get them to move on from that extreme trauma, but this leaves them only moving on when death liberates them from the chains of trauma.

There are many ideas presented in this post that I personally agree with. The most compelling of which is the idea that generational trauma is not permanent and that we as a society have the ability to move past it. In this post, my peer explains how the damage caused by the Holocaust and other events severely damages those individuals. However, due to this damage, future generations understand how dangerous it is to allow similar traits to control them, making them more likely to end the cycle to the best of their ability. This is very interesting to me because it shows how people learn from past mistakes and as a result are better to improve society as a whole. For example, this even relates to Germany. I believe that Germany has done an amazing job at recognizing their past mistakes and trying their best to correct them. They understand why they are wrong, and have made it their mission to make it up to those involved. Other posts seem to agree that countless children of Holocaust survivors experience generational trauma due to the damages caused by events. While they disagree on the ways to solve such trauma, for the majority they agree that trauma can be solved. Lastly, I believe that my peers' posts don't have any grammatical errors to solve within their post and their ideas are fully realized for the most part.

Originally posted by josh allen on January 31, 2026 19:32

Generational trauma is something that, I’m sure, the children of Holocaust survivors will never be without. The idea that one’s direct relatives have endured and survived something so remarkably atrocious is jarring, intense, and often just really, really sad. In Maus, Artie tries to distance himself from his father. He seems to want to find a way to escape the trauma that has permeated his life ever since his childhood. His mother’s suicide, the constant presence of his late brother, and his father’s extreme personality and expectations are all products of the Holocaust by some means. Artie, understandably, is looking for another life than all of this. He marries and begins a career. However, clearly, he is drawn back by this immense force of generational trauma. He is so drawn back that he even writes a book about it. He wants to distance himself from his father, but is so impacted by the trauma that the only meaningful connections that he has with Vladek are all centered around the Holocaust. Artie, to put it simply, just like many other children of survivors, cannot escape. Stanislav’s analysis of generational trauma in Maus corroborates this. He states that “Art’s ‘inheritance’ of his parents’ trauma leads to his obsession with the Holocaust, although he is at pains to deny that it is an obsession" (232). Artie’s obsession and other feelings that arise from this are visible in Maus. Maus II even includes a conversation between Artie and his therapist, in which Artie states that “no matter what [he] accomplishes[es], it doesn’t seem like much compared to surviving Auschwitz” (44). Artie can’t even give himself any credit because of how the Holocaust has impacted his life. It is a constant, ever-varied presence in his mind, and it seems impossible to move past it.

By extension, due to the difficulty in moving on from generational trauma, I believe that it is essential to acknowledge it in one’s life. My relatives are not Holocaust survivors, but they are Jewish. I believe that the Holocaust story is a part of my people’s history, and I do feel something when we talk about it. Not trauma, but more of a mutual sadness and solidarity. This feeling is something I can’t just move past. I expect it is even more so for the descendants of Holocaust survivors. If we do not remember the past, we are condemned to repeat it. If we move on from the past without acknowledgement, I fear that history will repeat itself and those experiencing generational trauma will never find a way to heal themselves.

Yeah, I agree with how you stated, "It is essential to acknowledge it in one's life." it should be crucial that the descendents of the holocaust understand what their relatives endured and survived. Though victims of the holocaust don't sit down and talk to most of their kids about what happened as they are traumatized, the effects of the holocaust still lingers in their lives and how they raised their children because of what they had went through. I agree how you said Artie who inherited his parents trauma which eventually lead to his obsession with the holocaust because he wanted an answer for all of his built up resentment and a reason for why he still feel the effects. I see how you relate to this because you're Jewish and I wanted to relate a similar experience to how my family who came to America right after the Vietnam war. My family never told me what happened or what they went through but I still feel the effects because of how they raised my parents and how my parents raised me. Its extremely crucial that you remember and confront the past because if we don't, like you said "we are condemned to repeat" Its a cycle that needs to be broken so that the younger generation doesn't suffer the sins of our past.

Originally posted by josh allen on January 31, 2026 19:32

Generational trauma is something that, I’m sure, the children of Holocaust survivors will never be without. The idea that one’s direct relatives have endured and survived something so remarkably atrocious is jarring, intense, and often just really, really sad. In Maus, Artie tries to distance himself from his father. He seems to want to find a way to escape the trauma that has permeated his life ever since his childhood. His mother’s suicide, the constant presence of his late brother, and his father’s extreme personality and expectations are all products of the Holocaust by some means. Artie, understandably, is looking for another life than all of this. He marries and begins a career. However, clearly, he is drawn back by this immense force of generational trauma. He is so drawn back that he even writes a book about it. He wants to distance himself from his father, but is so impacted by the trauma that the only meaningful connections that he has with Vladek are all centered around the Holocaust. Artie, to put it simply, just like many other children of survivors, cannot escape. Stanislav’s analysis of generational trauma in Maus corroborates this. He states that “Art’s ‘inheritance’ of his parents’ trauma leads to his obsession with the Holocaust, although he is at pains to deny that it is an obsession" (232). Artie’s obsession and other feelings that arise from this are visible in Maus. Maus II even includes a conversation between Artie and his therapist, in which Artie states that “no matter what [he] accomplishes[es], it doesn’t seem like much compared to surviving Auschwitz” (44). Artie can’t even give himself any credit because of how the Holocaust has impacted his life. It is a constant, ever-varied presence in his mind, and it seems impossible to move past it.

By extension, due to the difficulty in moving on from generational trauma, I believe that it is essential to acknowledge it in one’s life. My relatives are not Holocaust survivors, but they are Jewish. I believe that the Holocaust story is a part of my people’s history, and I do feel something when we talk about it. Not trauma, but more of a mutual sadness and solidarity. This feeling is something I can’t just move past. I expect it is even more so for the descendants of Holocaust survivors. If we do not remember the past, we are condemned to repeat it. If we move on from the past without acknowledgement, I fear that history will repeat itself and those experiencing generational trauma will never find a way to heal themselves.

I think it’s fitting to call Art’s dedication to draw Vladek’s story an obsession, but I wonder if this obsession is necessarily a bad thing? If Art is using his family’s story to resolve his own trauma, could this be a healthy coping mechanism? I believe so. As you note, Art had run from his trauma by running from his father his whole life. Although we don’t know why exactly Art wished to write his family’s story, I refuse to believe it was out of ill intent or to make money. I truly believe Art could be attempting to reconcile with his past, even to the point of obsession. However, I do see your point about this obsession being dangerous in ways for his self-image. I’m hoping that Art overcomes this obsession and is able to acknowledge but let go of his confusion. In reality, though, Art will always be hungry for more information about his family’s story—about his brother, about his mother’s diaries—that he will never learn about. Even though listening to his father is not enough to quell Art’s frustration and confusion, I believe it is a step in the right direction for him to interact with his history as he works to realize and resolve his trauma.

(Additionally, your last paragraph is very profound and well-written.)

Originally posted by juice_lover on February 03, 2026 22:09

Generational trauma is a serious issue for many families. Generations directly affected pass on the trauma to their children, which is directly shown in Spiegelman’s Maus books. Through his frequent arguments with his father, Vladek, a Holocaust survivor, Spiegelman is able to display how this generational trauma affects family dynamics and personal identities. In Maus I, Vladek’s hoarding of resources and general distrust in others often frustrates Art to extreme levels. However, these are survival tactics that Vladek, and many other prisoners, were forced to develop during their time in the ghettos and camps just to stay alive. Growing up in a place like America after the war, Art will never truly understand why he is doing these things. This gap of resentment and confusion shows how the children of survivors often inherit emotional consequences of trauma without having actually been there. In Maus, Spiegelman is able to convey this idea through the fragmented story between the past and present, putting an emphasis on how trauma is not stuck in the past. In Maus II, Art mentions how he always felt like he was competing with the picture of his dead brother, Richieu, who was sitting in the living room. By ultimately having Vladek call Art “Richieu” on the last page of the story, it shows how trauma can never truly be fixed, but pushed down and hidden from the outside world. These experiences within Maus are common for many children of survivors, who often grow up surrounded by silence and anxiety by their parents and grandparents. Rather than being able to completely escape from generational trauma, Maus suggests that it is possible to learn and confront it head on. I think that I personally agree with this idea, as it is never truly possible to move beyond generational trauma. Instead, it needs to be something that people are open and honest about, allowing for everyone to move together in a strong, powerful community. By bringing more awareness to the devastating effects of trauma, across many generations, society can destigmatize it and make it more accessible for people to live and manage generational trauma.

One of the most interesting ideas in the post was the focus on Vladic survival, such as hoarding and distrust, misunderstood by art because art grew up in a completely different way than Vladek. This idea is interesting because it shows how trauma doesn't just end with the Survivor instead it reshapes family Relationships. The example in my peers' piece with Art And how he never understood his father's actions.

Vladic calling art Richieu is interesting, and your interpretation of trauma is convincing. Disconnects closely with ideas and other posts, like how guilt in emotional inheritance from art affected him. And this connects to our children of survivors, who feel responsible for pain. They didn't experience it firsthand. Also, in my peace,I see Maus argues that confronting trauma is more realistic than expecting to overcome it completely.

My own view aligns with yours, and that generation of trauma can't be erased, only managed. But, I might add that Art creation of Maus itself is a small form of healing. As a suggestion, you can make your analysis better by adding quotes or moments from me. But your post is very clear, and shows interesting points that I didn't think of.

Originally posted by Citydog18 on February 02, 2026 18:29

Generational trauma plays a huge role in the lives of children of Holocaust survivors, including Spiegelman in Maus. Even though Art never experienced the holocaust himself the past of what hi parents went through are always present in his life. His father, Vladek, survived extreme suffering, and that trauma didn’t disappear when the war was over. Instead it shaped how he lived and how he treated others, and how he raised his son. Vladek isoften anxious, cojntrolling, and obsessed with saving money, which frustrated Art. While these characteristics and behaviors make sense because of what VLadek survived, they still hurt their relationship together. This shows how trauma can be passed down, even to people who werent able to experience it. The burden of trauma carried by ancestors and entire communities also effects young people today. Many children grow up surrounded by stories of loss, fear, or survival from past war, and genocides. Even when these stories arent talked about or brung up the trauma can still be felt through silence, tension, or distance in families. Art struggles with guilt because he feels his problems are small compared to what his parents went through. The guilt is common for children of survivors, who feel pressure to be grateful, strong, or successful at all times. As a result of this they struggle with their identity or feel disconnected from their history. Generational trauma isnt limited to the holocaust it can also be seen in families affected by events like the vietnam war which my family went through. When a whole community experiences violence the emotional effects dont disappear in one generation. The young people may inherit fear, anxiety or distrust, even if they grow up in safer conditions. This shows how trauma can last long after the original events are over. It may not be realistic to completely move beyond generational trauma, but acknowledging it is an important step towards healing. Art chooses to face his family’s past by telling his father’s story, even when it is uncomfortable. By recognizing the trauma by telling his fattherr’s story, even when it is uncomfortable. By acknowledging the trauma instead of ignoring it, he begins to understand both his father and himself better. Living with and recognizing generationa

I think that you have a very compelling argument and touch upon a lot of deep topics. However, there are quite a few misspelled words through your post, and I think that cleaning that up in the next response will help your work overall. That being said about the mechanics, I find your ideas on future generations after the Holocaust facing generational trauma to be very interesting. For someone like Art, who was not physically there for the Holocaust, he certainly faces a lot of emotional repercussions. As you had mentioned, the way his father treated him and acted around him was greatly altered due to his experiences. Seeing some of the crazy actions his father was committing and hearing his personal adventures during the Holocaust, Art, like many other children, develops a sense of guilt for not being there to share the experience. I personally find that idea to be interesting, as humans have the desire to be put into harm's way, just to be able to connect with the people that we love. It is definitely an interesting topic that you starting to dive into, and I would be interested to hear more of your thoughts process around that idea.

Originally posted by Citydog18 on February 02, 2026 18:29

Generational trauma plays a huge role in the lives of children of Holocaust survivors, including Spiegelman in Maus. Even though Art never experienced the holocaust himself the past of what hi parents went through are always present in his life. His father, Vladek, survived extreme suffering, and that trauma didn’t disappear when the war was over. Instead it shaped how he lived and how he treated others, and how he raised his son. Vladek isoften anxious, cojntrolling, and obsessed with saving money, which frustrated Art. While these characteristics and behaviors make sense because of what VLadek survived, they still hurt their relationship together. This shows how trauma can be passed down, even to people who werent able to experience it. The burden of trauma carried by ancestors and entire communities also effects young people today. Many children grow up surrounded by stories of loss, fear, or survival from past war, and genocides. Even when these stories arent talked about or brung up the trauma can still be felt through silence, tension, or distance in families. Art struggles with guilt because he feels his problems are small compared to what his parents went through. The guilt is common for children of survivors, who feel pressure to be grateful, strong, or successful at all times. As a result of this they struggle with their identity or feel disconnected from their history. Generational trauma isnt limited to the holocaust it can also be seen in families affected by events like the vietnam war which my family went through. When a whole community experiences violence the emotional effects dont disappear in one generation. The young people may inherit fear, anxiety or distrust, even if they grow up in safer conditions. This shows how trauma can last long after the original events are over. It may not be realistic to completely move beyond generational trauma, but acknowledging it is an important step towards healing. Art chooses to face his family’s past by telling his father’s story, even when it is uncomfortable. By recognizing the trauma by telling his fattherr’s story, even when it is uncomfortable. By acknowledging the trauma instead of ignoring it, he begins to understand both his father and himself better. Living with and recognizing generationa

One of the most important ideas is that trauma can be passed down to children even if they did not experience it themselves. In Maus, Artie is affected by his father Vladek’s Holocaust experiences, even though he did not live through the events. Vladek’s anxiety, controlling behavior, and focus on saving money show how trauma shapes the way survivors act and how it can affect their children. This idea is interesting because it shows that trauma is not just about what happened in the past, but also about how it continues to influence families. This is something that I also talked about in my own post. The main way that generational trauma is passed down is the effect that the parent has on the child.

It is also important that trauma is not limited to the Holocaust. Families and communities affected by war, violence, or genocide, like the Vietnam War and others, can pass on fears to the next generation. This shows that generational trauma is a widespread issue that can affect identity, relationships, and emotional health long after the original events are over.

One thing that could be improved is clarity. Some ideas are repeated, like the part about Artie telling his father’s story, and a few sentences could be combined to make the ideas stronger. Finally, the ending is cut off, making the concluding idea unclear.

Originally posted by Citydog18 on February 02, 2026 18:29

Generational trauma plays a huge role in the lives of children of Holocaust survivors, including Spiegelman in Maus. Even though Art never experienced the holocaust himself the past of what hi parents went through are always present in his life. His father, Vladek, survived extreme suffering, and that trauma didn’t disappear when the war was over. Instead it shaped how he lived and how he treated others, and how he raised his son. Vladek isoften anxious, cojntrolling, and obsessed with saving money, which frustrated Art. While these characteristics and behaviors make sense because of what VLadek survived, they still hurt their relationship together. This shows how trauma can be passed down, even to people who werent able to experience it. The burden of trauma carried by ancestors and entire communities also effects young people today. Many children grow up surrounded by stories of loss, fear, or survival from past war, and genocides. Even when these stories arent talked about or brung up the trauma can still be felt through silence, tension, or distance in families. Art struggles with guilt because he feels his problems are small compared to what his parents went through. The guilt is common for children of survivors, who feel pressure to be grateful, strong, or successful at all times. As a result of this they struggle with their identity or feel disconnected from their history. Generational trauma isnt limited to the holocaust it can also be seen in families affected by events like the vietnam war which my family went through. When a whole community experiences violence the emotional effects dont disappear in one generation. The young people may inherit fear, anxiety or distrust, even if they grow up in safer conditions. This shows how trauma can last long after the original events are over. It may not be realistic to completely move beyond generational trauma, but acknowledging it is an important step towards healing. Art chooses to face his family’s past by telling his father’s story, even when it is uncomfortable. By recognizing the trauma by telling his fattherr’s story, even when it is uncomfortable. By acknowledging the trauma instead of ignoring it, he begins to understand both his father and himself better. Living with and recognizing generationa

I agree with this posts idea that trauma does not simply end with those who experience it, rather it is something that is passed down shaping families and relationships. I like this point because it is clearly demonstrated in Maus through the dynamic between Art and Vladek with Vladek having experienced the extreme trauma and passing it down to his son. I agree with the idea that acknowledging grief and trauma is necessary for healing and that this is especially important in the context of a family. Other posts also talk about this and also discuss the fact that it was so important for Art to get the story from his father to somewhat mend their relationship. Other posts also touched on how Art was acting as too much of an interviewer to his father making the conversation feel more give and take that it should have felt. While it was important to tell the story Art acting as a pure interviewer I think is meant to show how hurt their relationship is from this much like what this person suggests in their post. The idea of survivors guilt and Art struggling from that as well I thought was good and very important in the context of Maus and generational trauma. Both of them feel the survivors guilt but the fact that Art exhibits it shows how this trauma is passed down through the family.