Maus Review
Basic Information
Full release - 1991
Author - Art Spegelman
Genre - Historic Graphic Novel
Important Background and Disclaimers
Maus in its initial release was well received by the general public and many art critics of
German and Jewish communities. (who I’m referring to because I had to read their
essays on the book for my contemporary literature class, and to distinguish the book as
well received by critiques and international audiences alike.) They celebrated Maus as an instant modern classic.
Unfortunately, you’re more likely to have heard about it in recent times from the attempts to get it banned in some school districts by the organization known as Moms for Liberty, a conservative anti-intellectualism/education political group. I reached out to Linn county’s own chapter of this group for more specifics on why the group was attempting to ban the book, however received no reply; even from their website which advertised the email address of the president who ignored me. The closest thing I could find was statements in interviews of the Athens county school board in Tennessee, who did ban Maus in conjunction with other books.
Maus New York Times Article see this article for more information.
In those articles it was stated that Maus was banned for containing “pornographic content” which is a lame way of saying “accurately depicting the conditions of Auschwitz.” Although in fairness another comic within Maus did depict a dead naked woman in the corner of one panel, so it was half right only for necrophiliacs so .25 points for out of touch school administrators.
My Opinions
*SPOILERS*
A brief summary of the plot of Maus goes as follows. Art Speigleman interviews his father Vladek Speigleman on his experiences during the ww2 period. Throughout Art comment's on the nature and effect of his work/the message there in. Meanwhile Vladek's health slowly deteriorates until his death by the end of the book. The book and Vladek's story culminates with the historical story concluding with Vladek reuniting with Art's mother and the modern story ends with Vladek's final recorded conversation with Art.
Compared to the average Holocaust story, Maus has more to say about society then the common retellings. The general plot of the book follows the author himself interviewing and writing his father’s story as a Holocaust survivor, however a good 50% of the story is about the author’s experience as a child of said Holocaust survivor. Even when the father is retelling events, Art frequently cuts in talking about their shared experiences after the fact. The story itself is formatted more like a conversation than a historical piece. This story is almost as much about Art Speigleman’s experience and relationship with his father as their shared past through being part of the Jewish community.
That’s something I’ve found atypical of not just Holocaust stories but stories about oppressive societies and events since then. Art demonstrates the ways being a child of a Holocaust survivor impacts him, his family, and even his recently converted Jewish wife (who had no prior connection to the history of the community) in a way I believe I’ve seen no other media do regarding historical events.
It’s something that should be championed and done more in historical stories regarding not just the Holocaust but things like Jim Crow, the Holodomor, colonialism, and more. This I believe will give people a greater understanding of the importance of history and insight that goes beyond simply learning from the past.
Holodomor Wiki NOTE: Wikipedia is an inconsistent source please do not take this as your definitive education on the subject rather use it as a jumping off point for further research. Additionally the Holodomor is a heavily politized event with lots of conflicting information please research responsibly.
Jim Crow Wiki NOTE: see prior note
More Jim Crow Info NOTE: expands on similar topics.
For more info on colonialism... look it up on your own this varied so wildly from continent to continent that I can't provide you with a single conducive source on the topic.
Gray Painter Review
Basic Information
Release - July 2022
Author - William Loman
Genre - Interactive Fiction
Content Warning - descriptions of sex and murder
Interactive Fiction? Content Warning.
The Gray Painter is a "Game" (more on that designation later) published by the company Hosted Games, which is subsidiary to an LLC known as Choice of games LLC. They publish a genre of fiction writing which I like to call interactive fiction. Think of those choose your own adventure books you might have seen as a kid and imagine them expanded to an absurd degree by the power of technology.
As such the company has elected to label these games, but the only game play involved is the act of making choices. Most of your time spent playing these games will be devoted to reading the same way you would a regular novel except from the 2nd perspective (Meaning the narrator details the actions and emotions of your perspective or the characters you're meant to absorb yourself in, "You arrived in the dungeon." - 2nd perspective sentence)
These games typically allow you to create, name and choose the
personality of the main character of the story. Many of such allow for LGBTQ+ friendly
options enabling you to properly represent yourself or your desired character. Often
these choices have story consequences such as offering you different romantic options including none for those of you in the ace in the hole persuasion.
Additionally it can determine your character’s success at certain actions, directing the player towards attentive reading/consistent choices for your character’s development. These customization options can also extend to other characters; it's a common trope to allow the player to pick the gender identity of romantic options to suit your preferences.
The Gray Painter takes a somewhat different approach, still enabling you to choose your character’s gender and sexual orientation but not much else. (You also start with a partner named Harper who can be designated as a man or woman. There are aro ace options for how to describe the relationship if that’s important to you) Your character starts with the name Ash and has a pretty set personality which the only alterations to you can make are confidence from a 1 - 100 scale. Choices made in the story enable you to learn new things about the other characters and garner more confidence for Ash.
Story of The Gray Painter
Ash (you) and their partner Harper join a nude painting group, meaning each member of the group takes a their turn standing nude before the group to be painted for practice of each member's respective craft. Ash as a chronically low self esteem person has opportunities throughout the story to raise their confidence in order to become self assured enough to pose before the group in spite of their insecurities. Part of the story is contending with the relationship issues between yourself and your partner; Harper is much more of a free spirit than Ash and thus passes a lot of undue stress onto them, including, if the player chooses, to suspect Harper of cheating. During that time you meet and make friends (or not if you decide you don't like them) with each member of the group.
The most notable members of the group include Gabrielle, the leader of the group, and Blaine, an older man who you eventually discover cheated on his wife with another member of the group. Eventually all this drama causes rifts in the group to form which Gabrielle attempts to resolve by throwing a party. Unfortunately this only proves a temporary solution as after the party Blaine leaves the group due to his deteriorating marriage likely as a result of a possible additional fling with Gabrielle. One by one each member of the original group leaves due to some interpersonal drama or conflict with IT until the group disbands entirely. During this decline of the group IT commissions you for a portrait, explaining they had one done two years before by another anonymous artist. After you complete the painting the game switches to Harper's perspective detailing how they joined the nude painting group before you by meeting IT. Harper was the anonymous artist from two years before and depending on the player's choices can sleep with IT following their break up with Ash.
Harper can also speak to Ash and Blaine's wife to get an update on how they're doing after the events of the game which varies based on player choice. Harper finds out however that Blaine has basically disappeared off the face of the earth, and all the other members of the painting group refuse to speak to either Harper or Ash after the end of the game... but why? what happened to Blaine? and what is IT
IT
I guess you'll just have to read to find out...
My Opinions
As an avid reader of the interactive fiction genre I've had many experiences with these types of stories but The Gray Painter stuck with me in a way many other stories haven't. Even in my initial play through where I didn't suspect anything or foresee the plot twist in the slightest I came to admire the rich character's and interpersonal drama. The reader is greeted with a charming bitter sweet story about a single person's journey to self assurance, and then waffle stomped by a Lovecraftian twist on the second play through.
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