Essay On The Character Of Vladek In Maus

A sheik holds two definitions: an honorific title inherited by a royal male, or a man held to be masterful and irresistibly charming to women. Both definitions can apply to the graphic novel, Maus. However, these definitions are specifically relevant to the main character, Vladek, which the book is mainly based upon. In the book, Vladek is revealed to be the sheik due to his inheritance of wealth, love choice, and his fine looks. The significance of chapter one being called The Sheik is revealed through the main character, Vladek.
In the graphic novel, Maus, the reason which Vladek is the sheik is because he attains love and inherits wealth with no effort. For instance, on page 20 of Maus, Vladek’s former lover Lucia Greenberg holds on to Vladek’s legs and pleads to be with her. However, Vladek rejects Lucia’s affection and chooses to love Anja instead. On the final panel in page 20 of Maus, Vladek
“I was at that time, young, and really a nice, handsome boy. I had a lot of girls what I didn’t even know that would run after me… People always told me I looked just like Rudolph Valentino.” In essence, Vladek attains love through his attractive looks, which attracted Lucia and Anja. However, on page 13 of Maus, Vladek is riding an exercise bike with a movie poster in the background, which shows Rudolph Valentino. This panel shows the vast difference between Vladek’s reality and his past.
Through Vladek’s remembrance of his stylish youth involving inheritance of wealth, love, and attractiveness, it is revealed that the title of the first chapter, The Sheik, is a metaphor to Vladek. Since the graphic novel, Maus, is mainly based upon Vladek’s stories, the title of the first chapter is significant because it symbolizes the beginning of Vladek’s stories about the Holocaust. Although Vladek’s youth was boisterous for Vladek, it is crushed by the Holocaust as the book