Skip to main content
Like
Create new Glog
previous
next
Email share
174 views | 0 likes | 0 reposts
Characterization
Vladek is Artie’s father who tells Artie about his experiences during the Holocaust. Many of Vladek strange personality traits can be linked to his experiences during the Holocaust. Vladek is very stingy with his money.
"He has hundreds of thousands of dollars in the bank and he leaves like a pauper” (p. 132)
During World war two he survived only by hoarding even the smallest items. Those items oftentimes helped him survive and even after the war he still keeps the smallest items and throws nothing away.
“ He’s more attached to things than to people” (p. 93)
During the Holocaust he survived by relying mainly on his own abilities and even now as he’s aging he wants to do things on his own His stuborrness can be explained by the fact that he possessed a great intelligence that enabled him to acquire the necessary food, supplies, shelter, and protection.
“Therefore I arranged for us a very good hiding spot – in our cellar where it was coal storage”(p. 110)
"I used to think the war made him this way," but Mala responds "all our friends went through the camps; nobody is like him!". ( p. 131)
However, not all of his character traits can be explained with his experiences during the war.
Vladek
Artie
Although he didn’t experience the Holocaust himself he is deeply affected by the events because Vladek's personality and parenting style were clearly influenced by these events, and Art's personality and lifestyle choices were in turn clearly guided by his father's personality and parenting style. Artie is very interested in his father’s and mother’s experiences. He even wants to draw a book about them. When his father tells him about the past they seem to be more connected, Artie then has patience for his father. In the present,however, they seem divided and don’t have tolerance for each other.
Anja
Anja is Artie’s mother and Vladek’s first wife. Anja also had another son with Vladek. His name was Richieu,however, he died during the war. Anja is a fragile and depressed person who has to rely on Vladek as her support. One of the best examples is her breakdown after giving birth to Richieu. Anja is always portrayed as an anxious character who relies on Vladek to guide and protect her
“Giving birth was too much of a strain. She’s always hysterical or depressed…a breakdown”(p. 31)
Mala
Mala is Vladek’s second wife. They don’t get along and don’t have a happy marriage. They have no tolerance for each other and complain to Artie about each other. Mala complains about Vladek’s stinginess and Vladek about her wastefulness. Mala is depressed because she thinks Vladek values money and things more than people. She is desperate with his way of handling money. Vladek in contrast distrusts Mala and even accuses her of wanting to steal his money.
“I just don’t know how she could stand living with him.” (p. 132)
continue to second page...
