Maus: On Memories and Mentors | Art Spiegelman: Disaster is My Muse

Consider the role of family, comic books, art, and history and how they coalesce to shape Art Spiegelman’s historical and personal memory. Using video from the American Masters film Art Spiegelman: Disaster is My Muse with the support materials, students reflect on why memory is important. The support materials provided can work as stand-alone activities or they can be combined for a series of lessons. This resource works well at the opening of a unit using Maus as a touchstone text; it can also be used in conjunction with excerpts of the graphic novel or in a unit on the Holocaust. The last video deals with content that might be sensitive for some students. Teachers should preview this source and consider their teaching contexts.