Maus/Characters

Art Spiegelman

The author of the story, he visited his father in hopes of recording his experience of the Holocaust.

• Author Avatar
• Supporting Protagonist: The story follows him, but the book is actually about Vladek.
• The Unfavourite: He often feels this way, having a sibling rivalry against his brother whom he never even met.

Vladek Spiegelman

Art's father, a diabetic and a Holocaust survivor. He told Art about his experience during the Holocaust.

• All Jews Are Cheapskates: To the point of Stop Being Stereotypical by his son and daughter in-law.
  • Though its arguably justified, and could be seen as a deconstruction of the trope--Vladek isn't a cheapskate by nature, he ended up that way because he spent years in Auschwitz, where hoarding food and supplies was critical to survival.
• Guile Hero: His methods of surviving through the Holocaust can be downright Magnificent Bastard.
• I Was Quite a Looker
• No Accounting for Taste: His marriage to Mala.

Anja Zylberberg Spiegelman

Vladek's wife and Art's mother. She is also a Holocaust survivor.

• Driven to Suicide

Francoise Mouly Spiegelman

Art's wife.

Mala Spiegelman

Vladek's second wife. She is also a Holocaust survivor.

• No Accounting for Taste: Her marriage to Vladek.

Richieu Spiegelman

Vladek and Anja's first son.

• Deceased Children Are The Best: Art resents him for this. He believes that his parents prefer their rosy memories of Richieu to their living child.
• Infant Immortality: Averted. Hard.

Lucia Greenberg

Vladek's ex-girlfriend before he met Anja and long before the Holocaust.

• Clingy Jealous Girl
• Woman Scorned: She tried to sabotage Vladek's relationship with Anja after he left her.