Maus

Use these activities to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity. 

 “Masks”

Art Spiegelman uses a drawing of his human self holding a mouse mask over his face as his author photo on the cover of Maus instead of a traditional photograph. Imagine you are creating a deeply personal project (of any type) that requires you to identify yourself as the maker. What mask would you make for yourself to wear in that identifying photo?

• Using whatever medium with which you are most comfortable (paper mâché, collage, digital media, etc.), create a mask that suggests something about your identity related to your imaginary project.
• Take a picture of yourself wearing the mask in a pose and/or setting that further enhances the image you are trying to communicate.

Teaching Suggestion: Use this activity to strengthen students’ understanding of Spiegelman’s struggle with identity and his relationship with his family and the public after the success of Maus. Refer to Part 2, Chapter 2 where we see Art’s work on Maus developing into an existential crisis for the artist.