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Artie and his father have a tensed relationship that is shaped by his father’s experiences during the war. 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. Even when now that Artie is an adult his father imposes his will on him and makes decision without asking him.
Relationships
Vladek and his first wife Anja remain a fairly solid relationship even trough out the war. However, the fact that she killed herself shows that Vladek couldn’t give her the happiness she needed. Even many years after she killed herself Vladek can’t forget her. He is not ever her death yet despite the fact that he remarried. Throughout the book it seems as if Vladek was her guide that kept her stable. She appeared to be a fragile person that needed a strong guide that made choices for her. Their relationship seemed very much shaped by that
“Look Dad you can’t do this to me. I’m 30 years old. I chose my own clothes” (p.69)
As Vladek describes relationships during the war didn’t count much anymoreHowever, some relationships still help him to survive during the war.
[Vladek] loved showing off how handy he was... and proving that anything I did was all wrong. He made me completely neurotic about fixing stuff...One reason I became an artist was...it was an area where I wouldn't have to compete with him. (p. 97).
“At that time it wasn’t anymore families. It was everybody to take care of himself.” (p. 114)
Vladek and Anja
This behavior can be related back to his experiences during the war when he had to make choices on his own to survive. There was never much conversation it just mattered to try to survive.
