Banning Books Like Maus By Gwen Katz Analysis

Alexa Wallace

Mrs. Amodio

English Composition II

05 February 2023

The Deceit of Book Banning

Authors Gwen Katz and A.R. Vishny wrote their article, “Banning Books Like 'Maus' Is Part of Sanitizing History”, on the banning of books. Gwen Katz is an author who wrote the novel Among The Red Stars which delves into Russian history. Katz had garnered inspiration from Nazis. In regards to A.R. Vishny, she produced several essays discussing Jewish representation. Coupled with the Holocaust and the censoring of information involved with the event, their works are relevant. The authors wanted to expand on the sensitization of the Holocaust, because the event was treated too light-hearted. The book Maus covered details of the Holocaust which brought

The factual information is no longer being taught, “in pajamafied stories, the oppressed people are not depicted as unique individuals with their own cultures, but as symbols that exist purely to teach a lesson about friendship, understanding, and how we’re all the same on the inside”( Katz and Vishny 12). There is no truth to the historical books being read today, because they are made up to be a sob story that takes away from the real meaning. Katz and Vishny want the gruesome, and painful books to be released because they showcase the bad parts. The victims in history are meant to play that role, but instead they are being chopped up to be the friend of the enemy. For instance, Katz and Vishny expressed their concerns with how the heroes weren’t the survivors but rather those who saved them. The issue lies with the fact that the victims deserve more credit for the hardship they were forced to

In the article there is not much of a rebuttal, but it can be assumed where one is. John Boyne wrote his novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas telling a story of the Holocaust about a boy who befriended a Jewish boy on the other side of a fence. Katz and Vishny don’t support the book’s purpose, “nevertheless, this book and others like it are often used to teach the Holocaust because, regardless of their intent, these narratives do not challenge or educate readers, but serve to comfort them”(Katz and Vishny 6). The authors touch on the false comfort these books give throughout their article. The point they made was strong, and evident when the audience researches what books are taught in school, and which are banned. Overall, the authors make a correct point, because it is easy to fabricate a story, but it’s harder to hide the factual information. The people who care enough to delve into the factual books will gain the benefits of it. I agree with Katz and Vishny that those factual books need to be put in the education system, because they serve a vital purpose to the students. History cannot be taught correctly when everything isn’t shared from the