Before I begin to actually write this paper, I thought it necessary to offer a brief explanation of what it is I am trying to accomplish and why I opted to use this format. MAUS challenges us all to explore not only the Holocaust but also literary style. At first, one thinks there is something profane about a comic representation of the horror that was the Holocaust. After all, the medium that brought us Spiderman and Richie Rich seems insultingly inadequate.  However, Spiegelman demonstrates the possibility of molding the medium to the subject matter. In effect, Spiegelman raises the art of comics instead of diminishing the significance of the Holocaust.

It was with this background that I began to consider a non-traditional approach to writing on the book. My interest was confirmed when I began to think of the nature of Vladek's story and more generally of all human memory. We do not thnk and remember in perfectly linear, ordered patterns. On the contrary, our minds jump around in very eradic ways. One of the biggest challenges in writing a traditional paper is forming randon thoughts into a cohesive, linear argument. While a web page requires organization and thought, it allows for the freedom to abandon the constraints of the linear text. This freedom more closely follows the nature of the subject. Further more, the hypertext format allows the reader to follow their own train of thought instead of being captured by the author's. When I designed this project, I had a definite plan in mind for how the reader would proceed through the pages and the links. However, the reader is obviously free to go in what ever direction would be personally most meaningful.

I hope the format proves useful and enhances the nature of the reader's understanding of Art and Vladek's relationship. I would be very interested in receiving any feedback about either the form or the content of the project. If you would like, email me at mcgowanj@gusun.georgetown.edu.

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