Download Chapter 2 Discussion Questions

Names
Period___
MAUS II
Directions: Discuss each question with your group and write the key points from your
discussion on the lines below.
1. Knowledge is power is a major theme in Maus. Discuss this theme, examples from the book, and
examples from your own life.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Artie’s therapist, Pavel, says “you think it’s admirable to survive? Does that mean that it’s not
admirable to not survive?” Discuss the meaning of this. Do you agree or disagree?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Artie quotes a line by Samuel Beckett. “Every word is like an unnecessary stain on silence and
nothingness.” What does he mean by this? Do you agree with him?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. Artie wonders why the Jews in Auschwitz did not try harder to resist the Nazis. What risks were
connected to resisting the Nazis? What were the advantages of cooperating with the Nazis? What was an
obvious disadvantage to always cooperating with the Nazis?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5. How would you sum up the character of Artie? How would you compare him with his father? What
things about Vladek irritate Artie? In what ways do you think Vladek influenced his son?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
6. Discuss and explain the irony at the end of chapter 2.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________