In Spiegelman's, "The Complete Maus," he utilises an animalistic allegory in order to retell his father's story during the Second World War and the Holocaust. The absence of human facial features on the characters, in the graphic novel, raises the issue that the Jewish population of Eastern Europe were not treated as humans; but as vermin. The mistreatment of the Jewish people is a reoccurring theme in the graphic, and is emphasized by the allegory of German cats hunting Jewish mice. Also, the animal facemasks are used to symbolize the character's nationality and identity; and how often they were subjected to change in these life-threatening instances. The horrific events that occur in this graphic novel are made more tolerable to witness, as the use of animalistic features acts as a form of censorship. Subsequently, Spiegelman provokes further understanding of the persecution that the Jewish people were subjected to; as we understand that these tortured animals, are in fact, human beings. .
The mistreatment of the Jewish people, by the Nazi regime, is highlighted by Spiegelman's choice to portray them as mice in his animalistic allegory. In the foreword of the graphic novel, Spiegelman provides a quote from Adolf Hitler, "The Jews are undoubtedly a race, but they are not human," which sets up the allegory that is prominently used. By utilizing the German Fuhrer's words to depict the prejudice towards the Jewish populace, it gives insight into this injustice before the narrative has even begun; a powerful tool that complements his allegory. Within the narrative layer of the graphic novel, Vladek demands, "I want to be treated as a human being!" as the Jewish people are segregated in the prisoner of war camps. The use of the allegory, allows the reader to see the irony of a mouse saying that they want to as a human. Vladek's identity as a Jew in German controlled-Europe, dooms him to further torment; demonstrating that the ability to feel "human" again, is a difficult feat.
