Journal 10/27

This is the last blog post on Maus.

In IHSS, you have been learning about postmodern sociological perspectives. These perspectives are also helpful when critiquing literature.

For your blog post this week, please analyze Maus using one of the following sociological perspectives:

Functionalist

Conflict

Symbolic Interactionist 

Postmodernist

I chose the conflict perspective for this blog post. The conflict perspective involves one group/social class that has an advantage over others due to the materials and power they possess. Social control is everything here, as certain amounts of power and materials aren't equally allotted to each individual. The privileged show their power and control through exerting it over those lower than them, creating inequality and encouraging the less fortunate to attempt to level the playing field or put themselves at an advantage. Race and religion both play a part in the conflict perspective, which leads right into the main topic of this blog post: how the theory relates to Maus. Well, it's simple. The Nazis are the advantaged group, having power and control of resources. The Jews are the disadvantaged group, and extremely so, as many of them have been treated as sub-humans and killed en masse. The Nazis forced order on the Jews (thus demonstrating their power) by forcing them into the ghettos and then into concentration camps.