I think a major universal truth in MAUS is about guilt. In the parts of the book that show Art in the modern day world, he reveals on several occasions that he never felt "good enough" for his father. "No matter what I accomplish, it doesn't seem like much compared to surviving Auschwitz," Art explains to his shrink in a short part of the story (regarding his feelings about his father Vladek's recent passing, and other issues such as the media bothering him about the first book of MAUS).
In a way, Art feels guilty that he led such an easy life compared to that of this father, mother, and late brother. That's why he always felt his father wanted more from him.
Another major universal truth could be change. In the flashbacks of Vladek's life, we see him as a resourceful and respectful man, who was very intelligent and good at solving problems. In the modern-day Vladek, he is depicted as overly careful and cheap. He constantly nags Art about trifling matters, and obsesses over saving money. As Art once suggested, this change could have happened because of Vladek's experience in the Holocaust. Such a nightmare could have scarred him mentally, changing him into what Vladek was to Art. Of course, the reader must take this lightly, because we only rely on Art's depiction of him (which may or may not be the same way the reader might see him).
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