Masked

In page 136 of Art Spiegelman's Maus, the characters Anja and Vladek are portrayed wearing pig masks. A mask is supposed to make ones identity unknown, however in this comic it is simply a state of mind that the characters have; they aren't physically putting on any mask. For the sake of Spiegelman's novel the masks make you realize that the jews and polish did not have any differences except religion. They were able to pretend to be normal poles just by having that state of mind, no masks needed (except Spiegelmen uses them to portray that the mice were trying to be pigs). However, how do the masks affect Vladek's and Anja's identities? Not very much in fact. Despite their attempt to look "polish" their old acquaintances were still able to recognize them. Because their were no apparent differences between the polish and the jews, it was rather easy for them to blend into the crowd, they just had to act like themselves and be unafraid. However, in a scene where Vladek walks by some children they all scream "jew" as if they could see right through his disguise. This may simply be the untainted instincts of a child or simply an instance of fear that the children had, anyway the parents simply dismissed it as a joke. Ultimately, Art uses these masks to convey the obscenity of this genocide against the jews who were practically identical to the polish people who were simply left alone.

Page 136 of V. 1