Maus Discussion Questions

Throughout the book, Vladek is shown to have a gruff demeanor and the Holocaust seemed to have shaped his personality greatly. His acerbity as a Holocaust survivor is understandable, especially because in Vladek’s case, Mala commits suicide. The entire Holocaust story told by Vladek could mollify anyone’s view towards his aggravating proclivities. Although this may be the case, I found his frugality difficult to be explained by his past. He manifests his resourcefulness by his concerns towards money and his tendency to save things. What could be the explanation of his unwillingness to spend money and his suspicion towards the second wife, Mala? If it stems from his Holocaust experience, what could explain this trait that the author decided to attribute to Vladek?