Where Past and Present Meet

Even though Art Spiegelman did not experience the horrors of the holocaust first hand, he is still deeply affected by the aftershocks of it. His father is not the same person or father figure he would have been if he had not experienced the holocaust, and Art feels a sort of survivors guilt for not being with his father during that time. The past of Vladek, Art, and their family affects their day to day lives and the dynamic of their family as it intersects with the present. Spiegelman shows this intersection by use of circles throughout the novel. 

The connection between the past and present is shown on page 58 of volume II. The middle comic strip shows Vladek turning in a circle for Art until in the final panel, Art has changed into the doctor judging Vladek's physical ability. Art's perceived changing of character both highlights the fact that Art was not a part of the holocaust with his father and represents the connection Art still has with the holocaust. Art feels very guilty that his father went through this struggle, but he didn't himself, and this causes mental health issues for Art. 

 The fact that Vladek turns in a circle for the guard to "look to see if eating no food made you skinny" symbolizes the full circle effect the holocaust has on its victims. Vladek's personality and lifestyle are severely altered due to his experience during the holocaust. Vladek has become extremely aware of his spendings and is pained each time he parts with a penny more than he should be spending. He is adamant about buying clothes for his wife and other close necessities his family would like to have. This is ultimately due to the sacrifices he had to make to survive the war. He had to save everything he could find- cigarettes, food, clothes, jewelry- in order to make it out alive. This mindset has been transferred into his post-war life, and is one major example of how the holocaust continues to affect his life. 

Both Vladek and Art are continually affected by what happened to the Spiegelmans and countless other Jews during the war. Even though it was many years ago, the after effects of the holocaust still deeply impact their lives. The past and present are truly one big cycle being linked together by events that have made an impact on the world. Spiegelman does a great job of representing this connection throughout the novel with the varied use of circles within the story.