What Is The Theme Of Physical Labor In Maus II By Tim O Brien

Throughout the many texts we have read throughout the semester, these stories have introduce characters who engage more physical labor than artistic (spiritual) labor. These characters become fully aware of what physical labor can do to a person. There are some characters that take full pride into their work while others who are ashamed and disgust in what they do. But in the end, in these texts, most of the characters who does manual labor believes that their job is twice as harder and take in more pride in their work than an artistic worker.
In Spiegelman's "Maus I & II", Vladek uses his skills to get many different jobs for his survival and for that reason, he looks down on the work that his son Artie does. In the beginning of Maus I,

Unlike Pauline and Vladek, O'brien hated the job he was doing. He said "it was not a pleasant work" (O'brien 36). O'brien wasn't getting his time worth, as he was only being paid less than ten dollars an hour. He did not enjoy removing the blood cloth from the pigs, because he was terrified of blood. Working at the meat factory would make him feel like he was "standing for eight hours a day under a lukewarm blood-shower" (O'brien 36). When O'brien was talking to Elroy he agreed that his job was horrible. Tim O'brien may have hated working at the meat factory, however he preferred working with Elroy doing chores. Tim doesn't value his job, working at the meat factory, like Pauline and Vladek values theirs, because he has no reason to value his job. Vladek saw worth in his job, since with all of his jobs he was able to develop many skills and it helped him towards his survival. And Pauline valued her job, because her work was what made her happy, it gave her a sense of

In "Persepolis", physical labor is looked down upon people. Only the people in the lower class work with their hands. Individuals from a lower class aren't considered equal to the higher classes. They aren't considered smart or potential. Although, Marji's parents are Marxists, they treat their maid Mehri differently, because of her social class. She isn't allowed to eat with them at the dinner table, nor is she able to date anyone out of her social class. Marji's mother calls her untalented because she isn't able to write nor read. Although Marji doesn't have to do any physical work in her life, through her artistic work is able to talk about children working and how easy she has it. She is able to understand how hard a hard worker has to do. Unlike the rest of people in Iran who looks down upon lower classes. For example, when Mr. Talichi needed to have surgery for his heart, outside of Iran, they needed the permission of the director of the hospital to get Talichi a passport. When they found out the director was once a window washer, they assumed he had gotten the job, because he grew his beard. People who do physical work are looked down upon no matter what and Marji shows how hard the lower class work and that everyone is the