Maus as a graphic novel

In both Maus novels it is evident that Art's life is greatly influenced by his fathers traumatic experiences throughout the Holocaust. Many of Speigelman's abrupt words and actions toward his son are rooted from his time in the Holocaust. For example in Maus I, Speigelman makes a comment to Art about how  he wouldn't know who his true friends are until he's trapped in a room with them for a week without food. An other example of Speigelman's abrupt behavior is when he throws away Art's coat without Art's permission and gives Art his old coat in replace of it. 

A graphic novel is an effective way to tell this story for a variety of reasons. The first reason is the way the images are drawn are symbolic and make the story easy to follow. Drawing the Nazi's as cats and the Jew's as mice symbolizes how the Nazi's prey on the Jews. An other reason why the novel is effective as a graphic novel is because it removes the reader from the events and makes the topic of the Holocaust lighter and easier to read.