Art Spiegelman's Maus sparks controversy after Tennessee school board removal, topping bestseller lists
The removal of Art Spiegelman's graphic novel Maus (1980-1991) from a Tennessee school curriculum has sparked significant controversy and elevated its status as a bestseller. Critics from conservative circles argued that the decision stemmed from the book's nudity and profanity. Meanwhile, Whoopi Goldberg faced a suspension from ABC's 'The View' due to her remarks on the matter. Spiegelman condemned the 'Orwellian' approach to the book, underscoring its moral accessibility and the childlike illustrations that foster empathy. Maus recounts a deeply personal family narrative about Holocaust trauma, featuring unsettling scenes and intricate depictions of Spiegelman's father, a survivor. The story delves into themes of betrayal and survival, paralleling works like Primo Levi's The Drowned and the Saved and Paul Celan's poetry, emphasizing the importance of preserving such narratives.
Key facts
- Art Spiegelman's graphic novel Maus (1980-1991) was removed from a Tennessee school curriculum
- The book shot to the top of bestseller lists after the controversy
- Some conservatives disputed it was a ban, citing nudity and swear words as reasons for removal from the syllabus
- Whoopi Goldberg was suspended from ABC's 'The View' for comments made during a discussion of the issue
- Spiegelman called the book's treatment 'Orwellian'
- Maus is influenced by Frans Masereel's Expressionist wordless novels
- The book depicts Jews as mice, Nazis as cats, and Poles as pigs
- Primo Levi's The Drowned and the Saved (1986) and Paul Celan's poetry are referenced as other Holocaust narratives
Entities
Artists
- Art Spiegelman
- Frans Masereel
- Primo Levi
- Paul Celan
- Whoopi Goldberg
Institutions
- Tennessee school board
- ABC
- The View
Locations
- Tennessee
- United States