MAUS Lesson Plan

What role does religion play in Vladek's life?

Vladek mentions that his father is very religious and that his grandfather was a rabbi. He prays every day with the other Jewish men in the camp and it is probably a comfort to him. He also mentions that, in his lifetime, the Parshas Truma date has been very important to him: it was the week he married Anja, the week Art was born, and the week of Art's bar mitzvah. He derives meaning and order from religion.

What do you think about Vladek's fathers attempts to avoid military service? Why did he do that? What does it say about his character, and Vladek's character, that they were willing to go to these...