Quiz on Art Spiegelman's Maus NPR Interview

What is the title of the 1986 Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel by Art Spiegelman that was banned by a Tennessee school district?

• The Survivor

• Maus

• The Holocaust Diaries

• Night

According to Art Spiegelman, what metaphor does he use in "Maus" to depict Jews and Nazis?

• Jews as dogs and Nazis as wolves

• Jews as mice and Nazis as cats

• Jews as sheep and Nazis as lions

• Jews as birds and Nazis as snakes

What unique approach does Art Spiegelman mention about the comic medium compared to films or books?

• Comics require less interpretation

• Comics are less direct and more abstract

• Comics are a direct medium but require more work to decode

• Comics are easier to understand than films

How did Art Spiegelman's mother explain her tattooed number to him during his childhood?

• As a random set of digits

• As a phone number she didn't want to forget

• As a secret code

• As a memorable date

What did the speaker's parents frequently teach him about during his childhood?

• Stories about their vacations

• Lessons based on their experiences during the Holocaust

• Tales of their childhood games

• Stories about their schooling

According to the speaker, what was a recurring fantasy he had about school?

• Being a school president

• Having a school named after him

• The principal announcing good morning on the PA system and instructing Jewish students to go to the school yard

• Winning a school competition

What unusual item haunted the speaker from his childhood?

• A small toy

• A blown-up photograph of what would have been his brother

• A letter from a relative

• A book about adventures

What was the primary challenge Spiegelman faced when trying to document his father's experiences during the war?

• His father was unwilling to share any details.

• The details were too painful for his father to recount.

• The conversation came in tidbits that were hard to chronologically organize.

• His father altered the stories significantly.

According to Spiegelman, what sentiment is commonly found in Holocaust literature?

• A focus on the factual accuracy of events.

• The presence of mournful and soft background music.

• A tendency to portray survivors as heroic and flawless.

• An overwhelming emotional appeal that demands the reader's sympathy.

How did Spiegelman's father react when he was first asked to talk about his experiences during the war?

• He was very emotional and found it difficult.

• He was reticent and avoided the conversation.

• He was surprised but willing to share his story.

• He was not particularly troubled by the request.