When one thinks of reading, the first thought that comes to mind is not usually the comic strip they laugh over as they drink their coffee on Sunday morning. People generalize reading as curling up with their favorite novel, and forget about the powerful message a reader can receive from visual text. In the comic strip "Maus: A Survivor's Tale" by Art Spiegelman, the reader is spoken to through the colors in the comic and the ideas of racism and hierarchy within Spiegelman's text and images.  

From the first glance at the comic, one significant feature of the illustrations is repeated in every sequence. In each and every illustration, the only colors used are shades of black and white. This creates a generally dark appearance of the comic, but one that is very suited for the story that is told. The comic tells the story of a Holocaust survivor, who firsthand recounts his past and horrible experience. This color scheme is very appropriate for the comic because the Holocaust is one of the most extreme cases of genocide to ever occur in the world. The illustrations are also representative of the emotions of the characters inside the illustrations. Black is truly a dynamic color in terms of the emotions it implies, but historically "black is the color of grief" ("Color Meaning"). This concept of grief is extremely relatable to the comic because the Holocaust and Nazis are responsible for the deaths of millions of Jews. Early on in the comic when the Jews assemble in the center of town, many of them are attending their future funeral. Black also "denotes strength and authority," one of them the most important aspects of the Nazi rule in Europe ("Color Meaning"). The Nazi's held all power over the Jews as they commanded power through the fear they planted in Jew's heads. Black dominates the illustrations in the comic just as the Nazi's dominated much of Europe during the Holocaust. The color selection from Spiegelman for the comic may seem strange at first glance, but it sets the tone and mood for the entire story. 

The images that go along with the text in the comic are full of hints and clues to help one better understand the story. By paying careful attention to these pictures, the reader can pick up on a repeated influence of racism throughout the entire comic. The first hint of this racism one should discover is in the characters physical features in the illustrations. In the comic, the Jewish people are illustrated as mice, while the Nazi's are drawn in the form of cats. Mice are the typical prey of cats, a metaphor for the hunting the Nazi's did to ensure all Jews were put into camps and many of them killed. It would also seem natural for mice to be afraid of cats, which is exactly what occurred when Jews were put into camps and were very unsure of what their future would be. Nazi's also insisted "Jews are the rats" and "vermin of mankind," making the connection to the mice in the comic obvious ("Why Mice?"). The Nazi's specifically targeted Jews in a nation full of different ethnicities and races, while other religions were left with no trouble. This racist approach from the Nazi's is one that led to genocide and the attempted demolition of the Jewish religion by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. Through the images in the text the reader is able to see the clear representation of both the Nazis and Jews, information that is pivotal in order to gain a full understanding of Spiegelman's message. 

Spiegelman manipulates his illustrations in the comic in order to represent the hierarchical status of the environment. If the reader pays attention to the illustrations that go along with the text, they will discover that the Jews are always perceived as inferior to the Nazis. The illustrator is able to send this message by making it seem as the Nazis are towering over the Jews in every picture, and are always in the position of power. It seems as through the Nazis are treating the Jews as if they are animals, by rounding them up, packing them into a select location and then essentially planning their deaths. The Nazi's are in complete power in every section of the comic, while the nervous Jews stay at their mercy. The Nazis separate families into different concentration camps, which led to family members never seeing their loved ones ever again. The Jews are illustrated in a way that shows fear in all of the pictures. These Jews had no idea what they were getting themselves into when they walked into the stadium, and had no idea what they were headed too when they left for concentration camps. This general confusion and fear of the unknown is shown in the illustrations as families scramble to stay together, and loved ones risk their lives to protect those close to them. Subtle details such as the placement of characters in the illustrations are very key in providing insight to the intended meaning of Spiegelman's comic. 

  Spiegelman composes a great piece of visual text with his "Maus: A Survivor's Tale" comic that highlights the importance of color, racism, and hierarchy. The visuals that go along with the text truly enhance the comic as a whole, and provide the reader with a much more clear understanding of Spiegelman's story. Through the illustrations in the comic, the reader is able to draw conclusions and interpretations different than that of strictly reading text, something that enhances the experience of the story as a whole completely.  

