COMM 343 Comparing Maus and Understanding Comcis #1

One of the concepts that is presented in Understanding Comics that is used in Maus is the use of symbols. Symbols are used to represent concepts, ideas, and philosophies according to page 27 of Understand Comics. The example that is clearly seen in Maus is the symbol of the Nazi regime. This symbol is the swastika. The swastika is seen on the front cover of Maus and on page 32. You can tell what the characters in the story feel when they see that symbol on the flag. One does not need to know what ideals the flag represents because they can simply tell by the way the character’s eyes widen when they see it. On page 33 there are several panels where the swastika is in the background. In these finals on the foreground are evil acts being committed. When these two are seen together it is easy to tell that the swastika and the acts being committed in this panel are related. Just from this you can tell what the swastika entails and how it is represented. If the symbol is seen throughout the rest of the story then the reader can know what the symbol means just from looking at it. It is interesting to think that the reader won’t even need to read the text to know how to react when they see this symbol. Also the fact that the members of the Nazi regime are shown as cats and the members of the Jewish faith are shown as mice can also show the superiority and the discrimination that came along with this symbol. The size of the panel on page 32 of Maus also can show the importance of this symbol just by the fact that all the mice are looking at the flag and the panels before showing the terrors in their expressions.