Synthesis Page: Who has the power?

Question: Who has “power” in your text? How does that power get shown?

In Maus the tigers (German) have the power and hunt down the mice (Jewish). Sometimes the Germans would also try and capture the pigs (Polish).

Page 32-33

The Germans start to show power for the first time. When Vladek and Anna enter a small town, they see a Nazi flag in the center of the town for the first time. For example German police were beating Jewish people for no reason and towns were trying to push all the Jews out. This was the first sighting of the Germans rising to power.

Page 49-53

The Germans had captured the Jews who were fighting in the war and were sending them to camps. The Jews suffered from the lack of care the Germans were giving them. Some of the Jews got frostbite, diseases, hard jobs, and only bread and a little soup per day

Page 61-62

Germans were killing prisoners from some of the prison camps.  For example the Germans would take groups of prisoners at night into a forest to kill them. The Germans were imprisoning and killing Jews to rise and get power.

Page 79-80

The Germans were going into people’s houses to take valuables and furniture from Jews and others. This shows how the Germans had the power to just go into people’s houses and take whatever they want. Also the Germans were beating Jews with no papers. This also shows how the Germans had such power to do whatever they wanted.

Page 83-87

The German hanged 3 Jews who had broken German rules. The Germans let these 3 Jews hang for a week to show an example that the Germans had power and the Jews shouldn’t break the German’s rules. Also the Germans were gathering elders to put them in Gas chambers to kill them. Again this shows the power that the Germans had over the Jews.

Page 107-109

The Germans were taking people to Auschwitz (the place with the gas chambers and ovens). Mostly the Germans were taking kids from the ages of 2-3 years old. Those who were crying were hit or even swung against a wall by their legs. Germans had the power to take Jew’s children and send them to gas chambers.

Page 121

Jews hid from Germans to avoid being captured and taken to Auschwitz. Germans were taking large groups each day so Jews try to hid for a long time.

Page 146-148

Some of the remaining Jews hid in Polish peoples house. Also Jewish people disguised themselves as Polish to remain hidden. Some were still caught and taken to Auschwitz. Like all the times the Germans were hurting or killing Jewish, it was probably to make a point to show that the Germans had power.

Connections

Maus can connect to the picture book called the Terrible Things. Both books have to do with the topic of World War 2. In Maus the Germans were capturing people like the Jewish and Polish. In the Terrible Things, a shadow that the animals described as the terrible thing was capturing animals 1 by 1. These books can connect because they can show how the terrible thing and the Germans had power over others.

The book Maus also connect and is based off of real life. The Germans did capture, beat, and kill Jewish people. The book Maus tells the survivor story of Vladek showing how this connects to real life.

Overall Interpretation

A new understanding I've developed from my focus was the Germans really did have a lot of power over the Jews during World War 2. This makes me wonder how powerful the Germans were during World War 2 and how cruel they treat Jewish people. The author wrote this book to show the survivor story of his father. This is important because it can teach many on World War 2. It can also show how it was like during the war and show the struggle of many people. This book is significant because it shows a unique story of a survivor journey as a Jew, going through camps, hiding, and more.