On Monday we studied several student essays–including three written by students of mine last semester–as models for your own analysis of Maus. Today we will examine an additional analysis of Maus, “Of Mice and Menace,” which I wrote as a model for my students last semester.
A Possible Secondary Source
Before we examine my analysis, I will turn back briefly to “The Lasting Effects of World War II and the Holocaust,” yesterday’s live stream of Michael Brock and Zacary Goldstein’s lecture. If you watched it, you are welcome to use that presentation as a secondary source for your analysis of Maus. Here’s how you would integrate one of their points into your analysis:
Zacary Goldstein, Associate Professor of English at Guilford Technical Community College, observes that one of the misconceptions of the Holocaust is the notion that all of the deaths occurred in the gas chambers. Art Spiegelman’s depiction of the public hangings of Jewish merchants in Modrzejowska Street illustrates Goldstein’s point.
Notice that the signal phrase includes the writer’s first and last name as well as his credentials. The paraphrase does not include a page number because the source is a presentation. The works cited entry, which would appear at the end of the analysis, lists the details of the event:
Work Cited
Brock, Michael and Zacary Goldstein. “The Lasting Effects of World War II and the Holocaust.” Guilford Technical Community College Globalization, Education, and Literacy Committee Presentation, Microsoft Teams Live Stream, 16 Mar., 2021. Lecture.
For more on introducing sources with signal phrases and citing online lectures, see A Writer’s Reference, pages 376-79 and 419.
Sample Analysis: “Of Mice and Menace”
My sample essay features all of the elements that you are required to include in your analysis of Maus:
- an introduction that includes a description of the panel, tier, or page
- a thesis statement that presents your particular reading or interpretation
- textual evidence, both words and images, that support your interpretation
- a relevant quotation or paraphrase from an authoritative secondary source
- parenthetical citations for both Maus and your secondary source
- a conclusion that revisits the thesis without restating it verbatim
- a title that offers a window into your analysis
- a works cited list with entries for Maus and your secondary source
Note that the requirements above are for your revision. You do not need to integrate an authoritative secondary source into your draft.
In-Person Class Schedule
Our schedules for in-person class meetings, which begin next week, are posted below as well as in Moodle. If you are in the 9 AM class, review the schedule carefully. Because of social distancing requirements, you are permitted to attend class only on your designated day.
Jane Lucas 