Not everyone has the most perfect relationship with their father. I, myself can say that I don’t have the best with mine. Nonetheless though if I’m interested in a story, I’ll listen no matter who’s telling it. It’s the same in Maus. Artie, the son of a Holocaust survivor (Vladek)is writing a book and is intrigued in hearing his father’s story on his survival. Vladek, doesn’t have the best attitude and relationship with his son. Artie finds his father to be rude and quite bothersome.
In the start of the story, Vladek begins his tale of his survival in the Holocaust. Artie is intrigued, the two look like that they have a fine father and son relationship. It starts to turn slightly when Artie is smoking and his father yells at him for missing the ashtray. Artie apologizes but his father carries it on a bit. We start to see how their relationship is taking a small turn.
In the graphic novel, there are times where I actually feel bad for Artie for having to deal with his father to get through the story. When Vladek was done with the story (for the day), he decided to throw away Artie’s coat as if he didn’t put thought into how important it might be to his son. Artie reacts the same way anyone would if someone threw away a precious coat to them. Artie confronts him and asks him why. His father’s reason is that its too old and too big. Yet throughout the novel, we learn that Vladek doesn’t like spending money at all! Artie seems to be tired of his father but is only staying to hear the story for his own book that he is writing. Is it wrong for Artie to be spending time with his father only for the story? I don’t doubt that Artie loves his father but, he doesn’t want to tolerate his father’s actions.
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I can relate quite a bit as well, as I cut my father off completely over a year ago (for personal reasons I’d rather not go into). However, my parents divorced when I was young and I was in my mother’s custody, as well as my sister, so I can’t relate completely. Anyone who goes through extensive abuse, no matter what form, is going to reach their breaking point. Not to mention, times and mindsets have changed somewhat. Artie tries to put up with his father, even as an adult. I don’t think it’s wrong what he’s doing (with only using him to write his book), as I know from experience that my father would do anything to talk to me again, for any reason at all. (Sorry if this is worded kind of wonky… basically I understand and Artie isn’t in the wrong.)
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Does this mean that Artie has a right to use Vladek to further his career? I’d like to think there is some attempt being made here by Artie to understand his father even though they’ve always struggled to get along. Even though Vladek is stingy, he still provides for his son (he did give him a coat that was in better condition), which is something he neglects to do for his own wife. I feel as though Artie actually does a good job of being honest about his own intentions, while representing why it’s so hard to get along with Vladek. They don’t have a perfect relationship and he doesn’t pretend that he is always right and Vladek is always wrong. He lets the conflict stand and then leaves it up to the reader to interpret which I find very honest.
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