Situations

When reading Maus there are many different circumstances that make you wonder if you would do the same thing in those certain situations. I’ll say that depending on the situation is a spur of the moment decision. I have found what I believe are some pretty good moments that brings this question to mind. Most of us wonder about these things and sometimes don’t like to talk about it. I don’t know maybe we are afraid that we might say the wrong things and hurt feelings. Lying, would you do it to save your life? Dying, would you do it for love? Betraying someone for money? Many of these questions I believe are the key for your sanity and a little hope.

Lying is one reason to stay alive. In volume one on pages 47-49 brings me to the first question asked. Would I lie to save my life? First I’ll explain the situation. Vladek is in the Polish Army. He is in combat and an officer asks him why his gun is cold and why aren’t you shooting. His reply is that he did not know what to shoot at. On the next page he actually shoots someone and his weapon becomes hot. After hours of fighting the Germans, they come over and raid their side. Vladek is then caught and the Germans ask him this question “Give me your gun. It’s hot! You were shooting at us!” Vladek’s reply is “My commander made me shoot. I only fired in the air”. Now, we know it’s a lie because he in fact shot someone from the previous page. I would have lied also. This lie saved his life; it was quick thinking on Vladeks behalf. Who knows what would have happened if he had said something different.

Dying for a loved one is a very hard decsion. In volume one on page 91 we read as this situation unfolds. The Jewish families are all told to register. Vladek’s family includes his own and his father and sister with her kids and Anja’s family all go to the stadium to register. There are two sides of placement the good side and the bad side. The bad side includes the sick, old, and families that have too many children. Anja’s family go through to the good side and Vladek’s family and father make it’s but not his sister with her kids. So the decision his father makes is to sneak to the bad side. They were never seen again. My decision would have been the same. How I feel is that I have lived my life and as the parent of that child I would not want for her to suffer alone.

Betraying someone for money has greed written all over it. In volume one on page115 betrayal comes to the surface. Family member s of Anja pay a guard jewels to be release out of the Ghetto. The family members are her parents. Vladek and Anja have made their payments to be release and the deal for her parents goes sour. The payment is taken from the parents to the guard and not only is it someone they know but a cousin of Vladek’s. He takes the jewels and never releases her parents they were betrayed. The parents are sent to Auschwitz. If I was put in that situation I would have released them. Even though the parents would have been taken away because their age; at least I would not have looked like a crook. So under certain circumstance is when you’re put to the test of what would you do? I rather would chose and have the choice of what I would be able to live with.

Images

History is a subject that all mankind should at least embrace in one way or another. I am fortunate that I have taken this English class and learned of events that have taken place far beyond my expectainons. A different tool was used. I’m talking about the book “Maus”. It’s not a text book but a comic book . It’s very different from what I’m used to reading. I have to admit that I found it quite hard to jump in and start reading. I guess you can say I had to train my brain to read this comic book. The events in this comic are real. I can just imagine the struggle and pain that the Jews went through. I found myself emergied in the reading and could not put it down. It turns out that I liked this type of format for reading and the drawings are great.

The drawings in this comic so far of what I have seen, have been drawn very well. I like for instance, that since the comic is black and white that the characters have been drawn as different animals, according to what Art has placed them as. The Jews are mice, the Germans cats, the Polish are pigs, the French are frogs, the Americans are dogs. What made me kind of laugh that in volume II in chapter 3 towards the end of the chapter when Francoise picked up a hitch-hiker is that Vladek kind of turned the role of being a racist. The hitch-hiker was a black dog, and of course Vladek called him a colored guy so you know what that ment. You can say that you saw a diifernet side of Vladek at this point.

I would like to mention that the images are also graphic. I say graphic because some of them are even hard to look at. I can just imagine if he drew them this way that in reality it must have been worse. The image that hurt the pit of my stomach is on page 72 at the bottom of the page. The burning of the dead and live bodies .I just can’t imagine it happening but then I realize that it’s a fact that I did happen and I wonder how can someone do this to another. The madness and chaos that are shown in the images I believe help us not to repeat these death camps.

Even though this is not a text book but a biography of a life of survival I feel myselef getting more information than I would a text book. I feel that I am watching a movie when I read this comic. The flow has become very easy to read and at the same time it is teaching me. The reason why I say a movie but what I do mean is a cartoon. I can picture it as if I were watching t.v. That’s how second nature it has become. History can give a person so much. Past events sometimes present events we all need to know what is going on in our country and others as well.

Kombinators

The chapters that we have been reading so far have been very interesting. We were asked the question of what do we think about the “Kombintaors”. Well, in my opinion they are trying to survive just like every Jew in Poland. It’s kind of hard to say that you think its right to support someone who has been working for the enemy. I believe you should not judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. I wonder for those that believe it was wrong to work for the enemy would believe it would be wrong to not fight to say alive. Come on, I would do anything in my power to the last breathe in my body to make sure I had a fighting chance to survive.

What comes to my mind is the example of a “Kombinator” Haskel Spiegelman on page 114-115. Families have now been separated. Families do not exist if you want a favor. The favor must be paid wither it is money or little treasures. It’s kind of sad that Vladek made arrangements for his in-laws to be saved but then to be double crossed by his own cousin. I know that Haskel gave him a warning and told him that the in-laws would never make it past the guards. I guess the cousin had to do what he had to do. We don’t hear his side of the story and maybe there was more to it. We can assume that maybe deep down he knew that they would not survive and played his cards as of to take a little while they still had some valuables because the elderly never had a chance in the camps.

Another example is on page 116- 117. Here we are shown how Haskel is known to the Gestapo. He plays cards with them and apparently loses large amounts of money so they can like him. Again, Haskel has adapted to do what he has to do to survive. He keeps the enemy close at hand like a symbiotic relationship. I wonder if he would treat his own family same as he did Vladek? I mean his brothers. It is said that just another of his brothers is also a “Kombinator” which is Pesach and the other brother is Miloch who is considered a fine fellow. Miloch is the one how gave him a job at the factory to make boots for the Germans. We have come learn that that factory became very useful for Vladek and his family thanks to Haskel. I guess you have to play a part as a double agent to get what you want.

The last instance I like ends on a funny note. Pesach the other brother of Haskel is featured in this example on page 119. He is also a “Kombinator” that works for the Jewish police. Pesach has spread the word that he has cake. Most of the Jews have not eaten or even seen any type of bread in a very long time. So they really want some of that cake no matter the cost. Now he sells the cake and wouldn’t you know the town becomes ill. What happened is that the ingredients were wrong the flour was dry laundry soap. It makes you wonder did he do it purposely just to make a buck or was he brainless. Nothing is mentioned if Pesach ate the cake and if he became ill. What is mention is the whole Ghetto fell ill. I feel that what has to be done wither it hurts people or not it must done. The” Kombinators” were looked upon by the Jews to be rotten but I think the Jews also knew they had to survive just like them.

Maus

Maus is a graphic novel I thought that I would never read. As I read through the first four chapters it seems that I have become hooked. When at first we were told that we would be reading a comic I was in fact shocked. I have to admit I have never read a comic before. The comic at first was rather difficult for me to read, but it became second nature after the first chapter. What caught my eye had to have been the black and white pictures. I love the way the pictures are drawn. They are quite sketchy but for some reason the style caught my eye. They story is of a son and father that are coming to terms with each other and on the other hand the father is recalling the events in his life through Hitler’s reign. I tend to enjoy reading things of past events. I especially love to hear of events that are related to history that are told form firsthand experience. By telling this story through a comics view I believe softens the reality of what the characters have gone through.

The fact is that people have many memories that allow us to experience what happened to them during that time in their life. In chapter one I like how we are introduced to Art’s father. If you didn’t know already you can only tell that the father and son have a distant relationship. Art’s father Vladek as of being older and wiser is a very tired man. His life has drained him. Also in chapter one we are introduced to a girl by the name of Lucia that Vladek has dated. You can say she is made to seem obsessed with Vladek and she almost causes the breakup between Anja and Vladek. Anja is Art’s mother. In chapter four we have the introduction of Anja’s grandparents. They were to be transported to Czechoslovakia a place for older folks. But what we know it’s not true. We know from history the Germans had other plans. They didn’t want to be separated, so they hid them. They are a close family so separating them will just be hurtful. You know if I was in that situation I would have hid them also. I guess it’s what you do for your family.

Although we can get a lot of information from reading but I believe the pictures in this book helps explain the details. For instance, the grandparents of Anja are hiding in a false wall. What’s illustrated is a cut view with great detail of how the storage shed was made. Another good illustration was the dream that Vladek had. It is made to seem like the hand of God has touched him. There he is told he would be free on the day of Parshas Truma. I find it quite interesting that this picture can hold so much meaning. I also like the picture that’s in chapter one of the Lucia on the floor holding on to Vladek’s leg. If I was just reading the book I don’t think I would be able to visual the desperation she had for Vladek.

We are made to believe that history is what text books say it is. Without any evidence of cause or effect sometimes it’s made not to be true. So, I like when stories are told from first hand experiences. I’m glad that Art can give us this view through a comic book. Not only is the information interesting the fluidity makes you want to keep on reading. I know that sometimes history can be very boring and some may think why we need to learn about this stuff. But what I think history is our life lessons. We are not meant to repeat things that happen in the past. So by reading this comic I believe I’m being taught a lesson in someone else’s culture. It’s just supple touch turned into a comic.

Disney's Parades

The gems of the Disney Resorts, by far are their wonderful parades. Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure park produce the best choreographed, audio, and visual effects in the west. Disneyland’s Celebrate: A Street Party honors Disneyland’s guest for the events that they are celebrating in the park. The choreographed dancers and Disney characters are all well tuned to swing, rock n’ roll, and Latin groves. Disney’s California Adventure park has two parades. The first parade is the very exciting Pixar Play Parade. This parade is dedicated to characters that are involved with Pixar Studios. The characters range from the movies such as Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, and Monster’s Inc. The interaction with the crowd draws a lot excitement from everyone. For example, the CDA (child detection agency) characters from Monster’s Inc. squirt you with water as they walk by. The second parade is the dazzling Electrical Parade. This night time spectacular is eye candy for the young and old.

The Electrical parade has been one of my favorites since I was a little girl. It holds a special place in my heart for the fact that it gives me a memory of watching it with my grandmother who has now passed, and for the wonderful show it provides. All the floats in this parade are lit with either blinking or non-blinking lights of all colors. Even the character’s clothing has lights on them. One by one the floats pass by from scenes like Peter Pan, Pinocchio and Snow White. I especially love the Snow White float, because it features Dopey sitting in a mine cart that has been filled with beautiful lights made to look like jewels. It makes you feel like you just want to grab and hold the jewels in your hand. The music is all electro –synchronized to the lights on the floats. I feel that’s what gives the parade its special touch. Without the lights blinking to the music it would just be boring. Make sure if you want to see the parade before its last run you need to go to Disney’s California Adventure park before April 18, 2010.

Disneyland’s Celebrate: A Street party is the best parade of both parks. The music, dancing and visual effects are very impressive. The hot salsa sounds and the fast swing beats are the best that I’ve heard in any parade. Thanks to Ricky Martin’s, “Cup of Life”, and The Jungle Books, “I Want to be like you”, songs are just a joy to sing-along with. All the characters are non-stop dancers and each cast member dances perfectly to every tune. At this part of the parade I enjoy the salsa dancing. Each cast member chooses someone from the audience and they join into form a giant conga line. When at night the lights are so beautifully arranged. Many spot lights of all colors illuminate the parades path. I also applauded the cast members that are using stilts, I understand that it could be quite difficult to walk in those things let alone dance in them. If you enjoy parades like I do, then I suggest that you see all of them. Believe me when I say that it’s worth waiting in one spot for an hour or two to view one of these gems.

Hidden Mickeys

What is a Hidden Mickey? A Hidden Mickey is the image of Mickey Mouse’s head placed in certain areas or on objects throughout Disney Resort’s. A fun activity to do while visiting Disneyland, Ca is to hunt for these special Mickey heads. The shapes of these Hidden Mickey’s range in different sizes, and can even be low as the ground or high as Space Mountain. They can even be in the food you eat or in the plants you see. One of the most obvious Hidden Mickey’s you can find is you’re snack food. If you purchase a funnel cake it will be the shape of Mickey’s head. Even the whip crème that is placed on top is in the shape of Mickey. Most of the snack food you buy is in this shape. You can also find a Hidden Mickey while you are on The Pirates of the Caribbean. This is the perfect ride to hunt for Hidden Mickey’s because the ride is slow moving. In fact, as you’re on The Haunted Mansion ride you can find two of the Hidden Mickey’s. You have to be fast and your eyes have to focus for what you’re looking for.

The Haunted Mansion ride perhaps is one of the best rides at Disneyland. The story and the animation effects of this ride are of great detail and are amazing. The first Hidden Mickey on this ride is somewhat difficult to find. The Hidden Mickey is located on the hearse, the boarders edging is where you can find it. It’s possible to miss the Mickey shape if that’s not what you’re looking for. Paying attention to great detail is how you find Hidden Mickey’s. The second Hidden Mickey I believe is obvious. The next location is the ballroom scene where the ghosts are dancing around the room. If you look on the banquet table you see dinner plates. Sometimes the location of the place setting changes but you will always find the shape made of plates.

Another great ride is the Pirates of the Caribbean. The swashbucklers adventure where dead men tell no tales. This water ride is just the right speed so that the rider can view almost everything from all angles. The Hidden Mickey can be found towards the end of the ride. Before the ride ends the last scene of the pirates shooting aimlessly is where it’s found. Look above at the red barrels hanging from ropes. As the barrels turn you can see the Mickey shape. Hidden Mickey’s are placed in the parks purposely. The Disney imagineers are constantly adding new Mickey’s around the park to keep the fun and excitement flowing.

Thrill Rides

When you know that you’re on a thrill ride is when your hands get sweaty and your heart starts to beat terribly fast. The Disney Resort in California is not known to have many thrill rides, but the ones they have are very exciting. One of the main attractions at Disney’s California Adventures is The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. This is a ride that has me screaming until my lungs run out of air. You can also get on the only rollercoaster in the park that has an upside-down loop. This is called California Screamin’. Finally, at Disneyland we have Space Mountain. Space Mountain takes you on an adventure of chills and screams through the darkness of space.

Space Mountain is a blast. I always scream when I go on this ride. I guess being in complete darkness is what generates my fear. My heart races on the first turn before we are blasted off. The speed around every turns has me clinging on to the hand rails. I can recall one time that when I was younger that I held on to my mom’s hand so tight that I left finger nail markings on her hand. Although this ride scares me I still continue to get on it every time I visit.

Finally, I saved the best for last. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror’s name explains it all. Just listing to the people scream as your waiting in line is just enough to get your heart racing. The anticipation of waiting in the elevator trying to get to the basement, where you board your ride sends chills running down your back. Keep in mind that all you have for safety is a seat belt that straps you in. You board the ride in an elevator and you can feel it moving up, higher and higher you go, then all of a sudden you drop. Again and again this happens and each time you are screaming and yelling. You lift from your seat as you’re desperately trying to hang on to something for comfort. The ride is over in an instant and as you get off you can still feel your heart beating fast. I know for a fact that this is a scary ride but for some reason I get on again and again and each time I scream. The thrills for each ride are very exciting and I believe that’s what keeps people coming back for more.