A Comaparative Analysis of Two Novels by Art Spiegelman Entitled Maus and Sandman

In a broad spectrum, Art Spiegelman is a prolific author who wrote a masterpiece called Maus. Maus is a story within a story. In that case, it observes the son of the two survivors of the Holocaust. Meanwhile, young Art Spiegelman elaborates how cross- examined his dear father Vladek with interest to know more about father’s holocaust experience (Spiegelman, 2015). Moreover, Art Spiegelman tells more about the father’s persecution and his survival. The story is written in a comic book format consisting of different kinds of animals representing various nationalities and religions. For instance, Jews represents mice no matter what nationality they are.

This type of story is quite different when compared to other stories written by other authors as far as plot, theme, conflict and others, is concern. A great comparison of this story is Sandman which is a short story written by E.T.A. Hoffman in German language before interpreted. Initially it was written in 1816 titled Die Nachtstucke. In the plot, the story is narrated by Lothar analysing about three letters. The first letter is from Nathanael to Lothar, brother of his girlfriend Clara. Nathanael embarks to his flashback on how Sandman stole the eyes of the children. The Legendary Sandman would go to bed and steal the children’s eyes taking them to feed his own children who inhabited in the moon. This is according to what he was used to be told by his dear mother that they should go to bed early before the Sandman comes and pour sand to their eyes.

Nathanael, a protagonist in the story and his sister always slept at nine o’clock, because their mother insisted on them before the man comes and invade them. One day Nathanael resolved that he will go to face him to know who that famous sandman is. When he grew older, he hid in a hideout and waited, he saw a mysterious and an old disgusting friend to his father, Coppelius. He was noticed by him and he had a very traumatic experience. Nathaniel’s arms with his legs were changed by him ready to take out his eyes from the socket. His father begged him to forgive the boy, this resulted to explosion. Nathanael passed out and his father died on the hands of Coppelius.

In addition, he writes that he has confronted a person named Coppola and looks familiar to legendary sandman, Coppelius, while was in his studies at the town. In the second letter, Clara jots to Nathanael informing him that she has passed through his letter by mistake and it was wrongly addressed. Interestingly, she expresses her concern to him and such things are sometimes a product of the mind suggesting that it is a projection from ego. The last but not least, third letter still written by Nathanael to Lothar basically basing on the Coppola again. He assures Lothar that Coppola cannot be Coppelius as addressed initially on his first letter. This is because there was a new professor in the town who comprehends Coppola for a long, long time.

Moreover, he updates them in the next 14 days he will be back. The two plots of the two stories, Maus and sandman, are quite different although in some events are marginally close. Art Spiegelman interviews his father’s Holocaust experience whereas Nathaniel addresses how his father died, death caused by Sandman, Coppelius. The Maus story is a story within a story talking about life experience of someone’s father and quilt that the son has while sandman is a story described using three letters, a letter from Nathanael to Lothar, a letter from Clara to Nathanael and a letter from Nathanael to Lothar as well. (Gaiman et al, 2013).

Predominantly, the two graphic novels share common theme, a theme of familial guilt. Maus is the story of Vladek Spiegelman’s experiences in the Holocaust and much more. In fact relationship between Vladek and his son is the central narrative in the book and deals deeply with highness of degree in feelings of guilt. Art feels guilt over the fact is the cause of the death of his mother.

Furthermore, he feels guilt over the death of his father and publication of the Maus novel (Spiegelman, 2015). This shows a great passion the son has to his father and close relationship of father and son. On the other hand, sandman story narrated by a creative narrator called Lothar and Nathanael as the main protagonist in the story is quilt over the death of his father. This prevails frankly when he writes to his friend Lother expressing his feelings on his father’s death with great of compassion (Gaiman et al, 2013).

He assumes that if he could not go to see sandman visiting his father, this might not have happened. Art Spiegelman loved his father and therefore, is ready to revenge. He investigates Coppola if he is that gruesome Coppelius who killed his father. Notably, both Art Spiegelman and Nathanael have great compassion to their fathers. In a broad spectrum, they feel guilt over the death of their fathers. The two graphic novels have similarities and differences as far as plot, themes and other subjects in the stories, is concern.

Eventually, as one of the old and great authors, Art Spiegelman used a unique format of expressing his masterpiece to the readers. He creates a story within a story whereby the first story unveils the Vladek’s experiences in World War II Poland while the second story describes the relationship he had towards his father. Therefore, Art Spiegelman conveys his message using unfamiliar format of the novel compared to other graphic novels.