vladek=jerk v. 2

But on a continuation of my previous post, if Vladek is such an ass, then why does Mala stick around? Vladek treats her like dirt, constantly tires to control her, and what does she get out of the situation? Monetary support. Perhaps she has no other choice. Too old to work she most likely cannot support herself. But what happened to her previous husband (I think that it should be safe to assume that she at one point in the past was married to someone. Perhaps he died in the Holocaust?) But even more strangely, Art thanks Mala in the Thanks section of the book. ‘Thanks to Mala Spiegelman for her help in translating Polish books and documents, and for wanting Maus to happen.’ Strange, Mala even took Vladek’s name. I know that the older generation is more traditional, but from the portrayal we get, Mala and Vladek hardly seem like a married couple. Vladek is even buried next to Anja, as seen in the final image of Maus II. Where does that leave poor, poor Mala? Nowhere. It’s from this that I begin to wonder how much Art exaggerates the asshole nature of his father. Perhaps he laid the caricature on thick. I don’t think that he has ever claimed that his book is realistic and cartoons generally don’t play much with subtlety, rather the characters are big and bold and have well defined traits.