Literature and ethics. Spiegelman’s Maus in the upper secondary English classroom.

English: The core curriculum emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and ethical awareness. The overall aim of this thesis is to discuss how one can use literature to explore issues of ethics in the English language classroom. More specifically, I examine how Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus can be used to discuss questions of ethics. I also discuss how working on ethics through literature can promote critical thinking skills and personal growth. Two research methods are used in this thesis: a literature review and a close reading of Maus. I investigate how a methods-based approach with emphasis on moral reasoning can be used to discuss questions of ethics. Further, I explore the connection between ethics and literature, and review the didactical implications of working in this way. The close reading of Maus exemplifies the possibilities of ethical discussion within the graphic novel My findings suggest that discussing questions of ethics can develop students’ critical thinking skills. The use of literature can promote students’ affective responses, which can make this process more effective. Ethics is about how we live with other people, and literature can be a way to help students to consider points of view that are unfamiliar to their own. To discuss questions such as these can make students more conscious about how they position themselves in a world filled with other people. This thesis is based on theory and can mainly suggest possibilities for classroom application. Further research would entail interviewing students and teachers about their experiences of working on literature and ethics in this way