To find out more about the review of the prescribed text lists, please visit the QCAA website.

The Complete Maus

One area that the current General English reading list does not address is Holocaust literature and scarcely addresses the newer trend of Graphic Novels as accessed by students and adults alike in our modern world. There is much to be said about 'Maus' as it focuses on a range of themes in addition to the Holocaust - family relationships, prejudice, mental health, guilt and growth, cultural, social and historical representations in the modern world. This links so well to other themes in our communities in terms of these themes.
In terms of focusing on visual representations of serious content, the artist himself addresses this on a number of very clear levels in the text itself. It is rare to have a writer to reflect on the responsibilities of the creative process in the text. Spiegelman does this in a vitally articulate manner, education the reader in the process. The Novel would fit well in the Unit 3 with regard to Textual Connections - so many possible here, as well as in Topic 2 with regard to Conversations about issues in Texts.
I am aware of the presence of the text in the English Extension and Literature course. Given the very positive response this text has had in that course, and my own success and student enjoyment/engagement with this text in English it would be a great addition to the list.

The Bone People