There can be no overstating the importance of the Holocaust in Art Spiegelman's life. Of course, it serves as the basis of MAUS, the work for which he will be most remembered. Yet Art's ties to the Holocaust go much deeper than his commercial success and professional association with the Holocaust. Much of the upbringing of any child is the product of the experiences of the parents. For Art this is all the more true because his Father was such a forceful personality. There was no way Vladek was not going to effect Art's life. His relationship with Mala indicates that Vladek's personality is incredibly dominant and Art is not exaggerating for the purposes of the work.