Introduction
There can be no overstating the importance of the Holocaust in Art Spiegelman's life. Of course, it serves as the basis of MAUS, the work for which he will be most remembered. Yet Art's ties to the Holocaust go much deeper than his commercial success and professional association with the Holocaust. Much of the upbringing of any child is the product of the experiences of the parents. For Art this is all the more true because his Father was such a forceful personality. There was no way Vladek was not going to effect Art's life. His relationship with Mala indicates that Vladek's personality is incredibly dominant and Art is not exaggerating for the purposes of the work.
However, the story of Art Spiegelman loses some of its importance if what he describes is applicable only to him. There can be no doubt that Art's experiences are more acute than those of many second generation survivors. However, to some extent, the domination of the Holocaust is a common experience for all sons and daughters of survivors. They all have the experience of an Auschwitz to unify and define their lives. This essay will demonstrate that it is never possibly to be truly removed from the Holocaust, and certainly not after one generation. By not separating from the Holocaust, we can now that the phrase, "Never again" will always be a reality.
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