Just when I thought I'd seen rock bottom...

[Tazicket]

There was a college student that came into my bookstore today looking for a 2 book series she needed for one of her classes. I found the books for her and she decided to get only the first one. The books are called Maus I and Maus II. They are basically written in comic book form and tell the story of the Holocaust (with mice representing the Jewish people and cats representing the Nazis).

Anyway, the girl picks up the first book and is flipping through it and complaining that she has to have it read by Thursday. Her friend pointed out to her that it's just a comic book, so it shouldn't be that hard. The friend then asked her what it was about. So, she told her friend that it is about the Holocaust. Then she said, "I can't believe I have to read this by Thursday. It better be funny." Ummm....hello?

Then to make matters worse, she was telling her friend about the characters in the book and how the two groups of animals represented the two groups of people. She said, "The mice are the Jews and the cats are....who was it that captured the Jews?"

I almost cried.

 

[punkin]

What college is this?

 

[bbangel]

Wow, let's hope she learns something in the class she is taking. I am often amazed at the things people don't know and how little they seem to care about what they don't know.

 

[minniecarousel]

Wow - they obviously didn't pay attention in high school. Some of our HS teachers have used parts of these books to get the point across - I think it worked well.

 

[robinb]

Maus is a great book. I hope she learns something.

 

[KikiFan]

That's pathetic. A college student? Sadly I'm not as surprised as I should be.

 

[DisneyBlonde]

My son read both in high school as well.

 

[Tazicket]

Maus is a great book. I hope she learns something.

That's what I'm hoping. It just seems so wrong to be so oblivious of an event like that.

 

[deekaypee]

I've taught Maus I and II in my lit. classes at my university. Unfortunately, I can tell you this isn't as uncommon a reaction as one might hope. I had one woman in a class who had never heard of Nazis; she was doing group work with other students who were even more surprised than I was. Another student told me, and I believe he was sincere and not attempting to bait me, that he understood the Holocaust to be part of a conspiracy, a myth perpetuated by those who were invested in maintaining a Jewish power base. It emerged, through our many out-of-class discussions, that he believed things said by his parents and then found "evidence" on Holocaust denial websites.

The good news is, most students become engaged in the material and it opens up some good discussions and to engage with difficult material. It also opens up a lot of areas for self-directed research.

Oh, interesting side note: until I taught Maus I and II, our public library housed them in the children's section of the library. One of my students who chose to check the books out instead of buying them informed the librarians, who moved the books to the YA section.

 

[JunieJay]

Scary, and sad.

 

[Tazicket]

I've taught Maus I and II in my lit. classes at my university. Unfortunately, I can tell you this isn't as uncommon a reaction as one might hope. I had one woman in a class who had never heard of Nazis; she was doing group work with other students who were even more surprised than I was. Another student told me, and I believe he was sincere and not attempting to bait me, that he understood the Holocaust to be part of a conspiracy, a myth perpetuated by those who were invested in perpetuating a Jewish power base. It emeraged, though our many out-of-class discussions, that believed things said by parents and then found "evidence" on Holocaust denial websites.

The good news is, most students become engaged in the material and it opens up some good discussions and to engage with difficult material. It also opens up a lot of areas for self-directed research.

Oh, interesting side note: until I taught Maus I and II, our public library housed them in the children's section of the library. One of my students who chose to check the books out instead of buying them informed the librarians, who moved the books to the YA section.

Wow... that's so sad! But, it's great that these books can be such a great tool for education and discussion. I think comic books (if used correctly) can be an easier to access source of information. I remember reading a really great comic book about Corrie Ten Boom when I was younger that made her story a little easier for me to understand. Hopefully, this girl will learn something through reading these books.

 

[Hedy]

I weep for humanity. I read Maus in 8th grade.

 

[rie'smom]

Geez Louise!!!! and this is the future of our country-guess it's time to visit the depression thread.

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

Geez Louise!!!! and this is the future of our country-guess it's time to visit the depression thread.

I would hope that you don't view all of our generation as naive as the girl stated in this thread.
Just remember one of us does not represent all of us...and think how you would feel if someone grouped you into such a generic group as a generation.

Sorry I just get so angry when people group us together as one and let the less informed represent all of us. (BTW, I am a senior in college and I read Maus in German)

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

I would hope that you don't view all of our generation as naive as the girl stated in this thread.
Just remember one of us does not represent all of us...and think how you would feel if someone grouped you into such a generic group as a generation.

Sorry I just get so angry when people group us together as one and let the less informed represent all of us. (BTW, I am a senior in college and I read Maus in German)

I'm a Junior in college. Trust me, we're not all bad. I do have to wonder how that girl got accepted into college though.

 

[punkin]

(BTW, I am a senior in college and I read Maus in German)

Too bad you didn't read it in the original English. Translations never capture the true feeling of a work of literature.

 

[MELSMICE]

 

[Tazicket]

I'm a Junior in college. Trust me, we're not all bad. I do have to wonder how that girl got accepted into college though.

Heck, I just graduated a few months ago and I'm still shaking my head over this one. I know everybody around our age isn't nearly this bad...I think that's what makes it even more mind boggling. We have a few people come in every now and again that are kind of "out there" but this chick takes the cake.

 

[Cindyluwho]

maybe I'm overreacting but it seems to me that Schindler's List should be viewed by every student in 7th or 8th grade. This is important stuff. And what's that quote about those not knowing history being doomed to repeat it?

 

[Tazicket]

maybe I'm overreacting but it seems to me that Schindler's List should be viewed by every student in 7th or 8th grade. This is important stuff. And what's that quote about those not knowing history being doomed to repeat it?

I agree it should be shown, but maybe not so early. We watched it in 10th grade and it was difficult even at that point. They tried to show it to us in 8th grade without sending home permission slips for it or anything (you kind of need to do that for movies that are so graphic). I mentioned it to my parents and they informed the school officials who put a stop to the movie. Allow me to clarify: they did want me to see the movie, but they wanted me to be old enough to have a better understanding (as much as possible) of what was going on. They had no problems with me seeing it in 10th grade (and they sent home permission slips).