Eating Shallow Mice: A Story for Children (Post 13)

When I think about comparing Maus to the other books we've read this semester, my first thoughts go to the "Storytelling" chapters of Eating Animals. Aside from similarities in content (such as Safran Foer telling stories about his grandmother much like Art is telling stories about his father), the structure of telling stories to make (or just support) an argument is similar for both. In telling those stories, it evokes a pathetic (in the pathos sense) emotional feeling inside of us--one that allows us to relate to the stories being told and see the author as a fellow human rather than some distant source of information. I've come to realize that storytelling is a very important facet of nonfiction writing, because I saw that Carr's lack of storytelling in The Shallows made it less likable for me. Carr did take some time to discuss himself and how he fits into the context of technology, though. And it was much like the way Safran Foer put himself in the context of eating animals and the related practices he carries out in his own life. And, quite clearly, Art put himself into Maus as an essential part of the whole story. These stories and connections to the author make the reading and understanding and relating and analyzing much more enjoyable.