the boy in the striped pyjamas analysis essay

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The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: Themes & Analysis

• The Boy in the Striped…

The novel “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” by John Boyne portrays the innocent mind of a German boy called Bruno who relocates from an ideal wealth of life in Germany to a house next to the Concentration Camp of Auschwitz where his father has been chosen to work as a Nazi commander.

Boyne produces historical acknowledgments through his narrative style. He does this by using boundaries, friendship, innocence & ignorance, equality, perspective, the illusion of transparency, and a bond that beats racial discrimination.

Using Boyne’s narrative technique, he can develop the reader’s empathy and emotion towards Bruno and Shmuel, the terrors of the Holocaust, and the innocence between the two boys while showing humans’ capacity for inhumanity and indifference by distorting his composition in order to reveal.

In the novel, innocence and ignorance are shown especially through Bruno, likewise for Shmuel. Both the boys were almost jealous about each other’s sides, but curious as well. By the way, Bruno says “It’s so unfair.

I don’t see why I should be stuck on this side of the fence where there’s no one to talk to and no one to play with, and you get to have dozens of friends and are probably playing for hours every day…”, it is evident to the reader that he hasn’t the faintest clue about the Holocaust and the severity of the situation.

Shmuel acts in the same way, accepting the circumstances as common. Another point is that ignorance is shown as well. For example, neither of them asks about each other’s lives and/or the way they are feeling, especially Bruno, giving him the illusion of transparency. This is a psychological term meaning that Bruno believes he knows the way Shmuel is feeling and it mixes in with both innocence and ignorance.

The way that Bruno and Shmuel experience innocence while using the third-person perspective gives the readers a sense of dramatic irony knowing what is happening in place of the boys’ notions. It shows two different perspectives at the same time; a child’s and an adult’s. This shows that innocence and ignorance have a significant impact on the characters and creates a clearer understanding of dramatic irony.

One of the most important themes in the novel is boundaries. There are two kinds; literal and figurative. One of the literal boundaries includes the fence. This separated Bruno and Shmuel and is how Bruno found Shmuel while exploring. It is a significant part of the book.

Another literal example is his father’s office, also referred to as “Out of Bounds At All Times and No Exceptions”. By the way, capitalization is shown, Bruno must have this said to him by one of his family members often. Another type of boundary is a figurative boundary, which, unlike a literal boundary, it isn’t physically there.

A prime example is innocence in general and social segregation. It is something that is slowly overcome but is always going to be there, as nobody knows everything. It is therefore evident that there are boundaries and segregation throughout the book.

Friendship is a constant theme in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. It all begins when Bruno spots Shmuel’s differences, for example, “His skin was almost the color of grey, but not quite like any grey that Bruno had ever seen before.

He had very large eyes and they were the colour of caramel sweets; the whites were very white, and when the boy looked at him all Bruno could see was an enormous pair of sad eyes staring back. Bruno was sure that he had never seen a skinnier or sadder boy in his life but decided that he had better talk to him.” Although this would’ve been off-putting for most other nine-year-olds, Bruno still wanted to be kind and said hello.

Soon after, they find they have the same birthday, which makes them feel happy with the discovery that they both made. How could they possibly be so different? They were “nearly twins”. This friendship continues because of their consideration of each other’s opinions. There is a sense of equality that comes with the friendship as well.

The fact that both Bruno and Shmuel share the same birthday uses the symbolism of equality between the two, as well as their gender. This then is trivialised when the audience realises the racism behind it. It symbolises that two boys of the same gender and age have so very different lives all depending on their race, which they cannot change, and their friendship is a symbol of equality, and that it isn’t impossible to like someone even though the rest of society doesn’t.

It is evident that the theme of friendship is involved and how the theme of equality among the races is shown.

From what is pointed out, it can be concluded that the themes of boundaries, friendship, innocence and ignorance, equality, perspective, and illusion of transparency are shown, as well as further racial discrimination. The book is a heart-warming one and the ending will leave readers stunned. Boyne’s use of narrative technique ensures that you become endeared by the characters and reveals his morals very dynamically.

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“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” Essay

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Introduction

Film review, the good points in the movie, the bad points in the movie, historical accuracy of the movie, works cited.

Most individuals prefer watching movies as a way of entrainment or killing time especially the youth. Movies entail different themes that might range from historical experiences to current day-to-day experiences. However, some movies and television shows purporting to highlight some historical issues may lack historical validity and accurateness. This paper is a review and historical analysis of the film, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

The film is founded on a novel with the same title. John Boyne authored the novel. The film’s director is Mark Herman, and it was released in 2008. The main actor is Bruno, who is eight years of age living in the countryside with his family after his father receives a promotion in the workplace. Bruno’s dad is a commandant of an extermination camp, which borders their homestead, but it separated by a barbed wire electric fence.

At one point, Bruno decides to disobey the rules forbidding him from accessing the back garden. Curiosity leads him to the fence surrounding the extermination camp. Bruno meets Shmuel, who is a Jewish inmate at the camp, and befriends him. Bruno speculates the striped uniform that Shmuel is wearing to resemble pajamas, thus hinting to the viewers about the origin of the film’s title. The pair organizes regular meetings where they are involved in playing board games together, and Bruno sneaks food to his friend during such occasions.

One day, Bruno’s mother discovers the assignment of his husband following some insights from a junior commissioned officer often called Lieutenant concerning the black smoke emanating from the chimneys of the camp. Apparently, the smoke comes from the burning of the Jews who are perceived as lesser humans in the Nazi Germany. Bruno’s mother becomes agitated and heartbroken, and thus she confronts her husband. Later on at a dinner in Bruno’s home, the lieutenant pronounces how his biological father had moved to Switzerland and left his family.

Bruno’s father accuses the Lieutenant of neglect of duty and recklessness by not informing the concerned authorities about his father’s eminent disagreements with the prevailing political regime. Therefore, to prove his ultimate support for the political regime and cover his embarrassment, Lieutenant Kotler beats to death the Jewish inmate who was a servant at Bruno’s house so that he could show his undeterred support to the political system.

Later on, by coincidence, Shmuel replaces the murdered servant. Due to amusement, Bruno decides to offer him a cake. Unfortunately, the lieutenant sees Shmuel chewing and immediately accuses him of theft. Shmuel explains that the cake was duly offered to him, but Bruno denies the claims out of fear. Bruno decides to go and apologize to Shmuel. However, the servant cannot be found. Bruno keeps on going back to the same venue at the camp, but he is never fortunate to meet his friend until one moment when Shmuel reappears at the fence. During the reunion, Bruno expresses his ultimate apologies to his friend who forgives him before rekindled their friendship ( The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ).

Towards the end of the movie, Bruno endeavors to help Shmuel’s find his father who is missing after failing to return to the camp after a march. Consequently, he disappears from their house by digging a hole under the barbed wire fence to access the camp where Shmuel is residing. Later, his mother and sister discover that Bruno is missing. They inform the father who launches an immediate search together with his men. However, the search is unfruitful because the prohibited friendship between Bruno and Shmuel becomes a tragedy.

In the film, the aspect of true friendship is evident as demonstrated by Bruno and his ultimate affection to Shmuel, who is an inmate and a Jew. The audience often observes the deep relationship expressed through their conversation in the various meetings. Bruno breaks the confines of his family rules of not visiting the back garden just for the sake of friendship. The viewers also witness Bruno’s chances by sneaking food to his friend. At some point, he apologizes to Shmuel for denying that he offered him the cake. Lastly, Bruno’s decides to help Shmuel trace his father who has disappeared after a match.

Bruno’s mother is observed to oppose the dictatorial regime by expressing her anguish and dissatisfaction on the matter of anti-Semitism. She is heartbroken after discovering that the black smoke emanating from the camp chimneys is from the burning of Jewish corpses. She also confronts her husband after learning about his assignment in the camp, thus proving to viewers that she is not contended with the way that the current regime disregards the Jews.

The aspect of dictatorship is evident in the film. Characters such as Bruno’s father, who shows ultimate support to the current regime, demonstrate the feature. At times, he accuses the lieutenant of not demonstrating his loyalty to the political regime by not reporting to the relevant authorities the disappearance of his father to Switzerland. The viewers also witness the killing the Jew servant by the lieutenant illegitimately to prove his support for Semitism.

Racism is also a bad point as depicted in the different scenarios. The discrimination against the Jews is profound in this movie as evidenced by the rules prohibiting Bruno from engaging in friendship with Shmuel. The lieutenant also murders the servant simply because he is a Jew. The black smoke from the Jews’ burning corpses additionally proves how the political regime disregarded the life of the Jews.

The movie, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, is historically accurate. First, it was set during the World War II period from 1939 to 1945. The movie is relevant because it underscores the infamous Holocaust, which happened under the watch of Adolf Hitler’s tyrannical regime in the Nazi Germany. During this period, around six million Jews were murdered. The extermination camps as the one demonstrated in the movie were used in the systematic murder of the Jews.

The predominant ways of terminating life included gassing whereby the Jew inmates in the camps were packed in gas chambers, and then Carbon Monoxide or Zyklon B was used to suffocate them to death. The Jews were also killed by subjection to strenuous work under severe hunger conditions. The movie is historically correct due to the presence of death camps located beside Bruno’s home. The evidence provided by Bruno’s effort to sneak food to Shmuel and his vivid eyewitness of weak and malnourished Jews paints a picture of the situation during the Jews’ condition in the Nazi Germany.

The movie is also historically accurate because it portrays the element of dictatorship that characterized Adolf Halter’s political regime. The tutor employed to educate Bruno and his sister Gretel demonstrates the dictatorship. The tutor often campaigns for nationalist propaganda, which is a key element in a despotic regime. Gretel gradually develops an overwhelming support for Third Reich, which was the historical period between 1933 and 1945 when Hitler’s dictatorship was evident. Gretel even decides to cover her bedroom with posters encompassing the Nazi propaganda, thus painting a full picture of how the dictatorial government controlled all the aspects of the people’s lifestyles.

The movie also portrays its historical accuracy due to its vivid description of significant instances of anti-Semitism. This term underscores hatred, non-preference, and discrimination against the Jews based on their ethnicity, religious, or racial affiliation (Goldstein 28). During the Holocaust in the World War II, the Nazi regime discriminated the Jews leading to their death. This historical occurrence stands out clearly in the movie given the way Jews are treated. Additionally, the prejudice is evident after the lieutenant terminates the life of the Jew servant illegitimately so that he can demonstrate his allegiance and loyalty to the ruling regime.

Movies have different themes that they ultimately aim to communicate to the viewers. Most information may be historical while other films concentrate on the emerging issues around the globe. The movie, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, gives the audience a clear image of what conspired during the World War II in the Nazi Germany. Some of the themes that have been evident include the Nazi propaganda, the dictatorship under Adolf Hitler, and anti-Semitism. The movie is historically accurateness because its themes and occurrences coincide with those of the Second World War from which it derives its setting.

Goldstein, Phyllis. A Convenient Hatred: The History of Antisemitism , Brookline: Facing History and Ourselves, 2011. Print.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas . Dir. Mark Herman. New York: Miramax Home Entertainment. 2009. Film.

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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

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Innocence and Ignorance

Bruno , the main character of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas , is a nine-year-old boy who is the son of a German Commandant ( Father ) during World War II. Father has been rising in the ranks of the Nazi army, and Bruno has lived a sheltered life in Berlin with his Mother , sister Gretel , maid Maria , and butler Lars . The story, which is a fictional “fable” of the…

Bruno ’s world in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is filled with places he is not allowed to go, and the reasons for these boundaries are rarely explained to him. He is never allowed into his Father ’s office, “with no exceptions,” and he and his sister Gretel are often shooed away from dinner parties and important conversations behind closed doors. Bruno, as a nine-year-old boy, loves nothing more than to explore, and this…

Family and Friendship

Family and friendship are both important themes for Bruno , as he struggles to determine what role he plays in his household, and how to approach his friendship with Shmuel . Bruno has not been indoctrinated with a hatred for Jews, despite the fact that his father is high-ranking Nazi officer, but his parents do stress that he is not allowed to go near the fence , and his father refers to the people in…

Nationalism

During World War II, the Nazi Party, which gained control of Germany, operated on the idea that ethnic Germans were superior to the rest of the world, particularly the Jewish population in Europe at the time. Nazi rhetoric and propaganda operated heavily on the idea of the “other”—emphasizing an “us vs. them” division, and demonizing and dehumanizing “them.” In practice this meant attempting to prove, using pseudoscience, the Bible, nationalism, and scare tactics, that Jews…

Gender Roles

The perpetuation of traditional gender roles is present throughout the novel, and contributes to much of the misinformation and miscommunication between the characters. Father is the definitive patriarch of the family, and he is in charge of what the entire family does and where they go. Bruno aspires to be as big and strong as his father, but also feels conflicted in his relationship with his father because of how he appears to treat Mother …

Though most of the characters in the novel are not explicit members or supporters of the Nazi party, many of them end up complying with the regime’s ideals and goals out of a sense of duty, fear, or apathy. Mother, though she is not thrilled with Father’s new job as a director of the concentration camp Auschwitz, does not actively fight his decision to move the family. This seems to stem from a sense of…

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

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A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

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Character Analysis

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Discussion Questions

Compare Bruno and Shmuel , analyzing three examples from the novel.

Explore to what effect John Boyne uses a child’s perspective throughout the novel. How does this perspective lend itself to the themes he wishes to convey?

List and analyze some of the things you have learned about World War II and the Holocaust through this novel.

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Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — The Boy in The Striped Pajamas — A Critical Review Of The Movie The Boy In The Striped Pajamas

The Boy in The Striped Pajamas: Movie Review and Critique

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Published: Aug 6, 2021

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Table of contents

The boy in the striped pajamas: summary and analysis, the boy in the striped pajamas: movie review (essay), works cited.

• Boyne, J. (2006). The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Random House.
• Crowe, D. (2008). The Holocaust in the eyes of children. The English Journal, 97(4), 25-31.
• Edelman, L. (1995). The Ghetto Fights. Holocaust Library.
• Finkelstein, N. G. (2003). The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering. Verso Books.
• Gilroy, A. (2011). Ethnic and racial studies. Between camps: Race and culture in postmodernity, 34(3), 458-469.
• Gleeson-White, J. (2011). Double vision: The Holocaust and representation. Australian Humanities Review, (50), 89-102.
• Roth, J. K. (2006). Teaching about the Holocaust: essays by college and university teachers. University Press of America.
• Snyder, T. (2015). Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning. Crown/Archetype.
• Wistrich, R. S. (2003). Holocaust and genocide studies. The long road back: Jewish intellectual refugees in post-war Europe, 17(2), 180-199.
• Zuckerman, M. (1999). A dream undone: The integration of soldiers in World War II. University of California Press.

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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

By john boyne, the boy in the striped pajamas themes, gender inequality.

Boyne concerns himself with the plight of female characters, though the details of their specific situations are revealed through the lens of Bruno 's narration. Father 's literal silencing of Mother in most of their conversations is representative of the figurative silencing of women's voices at this point in history, as well as in many times of war. At first, Mother reacts passive aggressively, the only way she can, for example by referring to Father as "some people." When Bruno overhears Mother confronting Father in Chapter Seventeen, she speaks up for herself and demands to leave Out-With. She tells Father, "This is your assignment, not ours. You stay if you want to" (187). At a time when gender roles determined that a wife obey her husband, this distinction between his responsibilities and her own is a bold statement.

Grandmother is outspoken about her strong disapproval of Father's new appointment to Commandant and represents the strongest voice among the female characters, who are the only ones with reservations about what is going on in their country. Maria must keep her silence because of her financial dependence on Bruno's Father and Mother makes small defiant gestures like protecting Pavel , but Grandmother spoke up loud and clear about her disapproval. Unfortunately, because of her position as a woman, she is unable to do anything to stop her son from pursuing his career in the Nazi party.

Childlike Misunderstanding of Tragedy

One of the ways Boyne establishes that the third-person narration is from Bruno's childish point of view is through the use of capitalization and misnaming of specific, recognizable names. For example, Bruno refers to his father's boss as "the Fury"; the reader must extrapolate that this is actually "the Furor," or Adolf Hitler. When Father prompts him to shout "Heil Hitler!" upon leaving the office at the end of Chapter Five, Bruno assumes this notorious Nazi salute is just "another way of saying, 'Well, goodbye for now, have a pleasant afternoon'" (54). Bruno understands that Father's office is "Out Of Bounds At All Times And No Exceptions," a phrase that he has memorized after hearing it many times from his parents, the reader imagines. Bruno's sister, Gretel , is introduced as being "Trouble From Day One" (21). This way of thinking about things so concretely, of making sense of a rule and applying it to all situations, is a characteristic of Bruno that identifies him as a child. The reader is encouraged to take on this childlike point of view through the use of capitalization. Because of the limits of the narrator, the reader is able to approach the horrors of the Holocaust as if he or she has no prior knowledge - much like Bruno. The reader is required to put together details Bruno notices in order to make sense of the larger issues at play.

Timelessness of War and Genocide

In Chapter Three, Gretel tells Bruno that the place they are now living is called "Out-With," and this is what he continues to call it from this point on in the story. It is clearly a misunderstanding of the name "Auschwitz," but by not referring to the concentration camp by its proper name, Boyne avoids specificity to a certain extent. Bruno doesn't understand the derogatory term that Lieutenant Kotler calls Pavel and, later, Shmuel . By not specifically naming the word, Boyne both allows the reader to take on Bruno's childlike perspective and suggests the universality of this interaction. Lieutenant Kotler could be any soldier during any war time, shouting a derogatory term to dehumanize a victim of any genocide. This allows the fable a sense of timelessness, extending beyond the specific situation at Auschwitz.

In the last chapters, Boyne issues a veiled call to action to the reader, who could be living during a time of war or genocide. The most obvious instance is in the ironic tone on the final page of the story, after a devastated Father has been taken away from Out-With: "Of course all this happened a long time ago and nothing like that could ever happen again. Not in this day and age" (216). Boyne means for the reader to consider just the opposite: there are genocides occurring in this day and age, all over the world, and the reader is likely employing various coping strategies to ignore or dismiss them. Bruno's annoyance at being forced to march with the group of Jews in the concentration camp is representative of the disconnect many witnesses to genocide experience. As he is marched through the cold mud and rain, "he longed to be back in his house, watching all this from a distance and not wrapped up in the center of it" (211). This idea is a commentary on the perspective of those who allowed the Holocaust to occur while they remained removed from it, since it did not affect them personally. It applies to all witnesses to genocide in any time or place. The reader is meant to question how easy it is to watch "from a distance," as long as one is not victimized.

Indoctrination

The indoctrination of children employed by the Nazi party is most obvious in the character of Gretel. When we first meet her in Chapter Three, she is clearly a child, though a few years older than Bruno. She spends most of her time arranging her dolls and has brought the entire collection from Berlin with her. Significantly, she is the one who tells Bruno that the name of their new home is "Out-With." This misnaming of the specific location marks Gretel as a child at this point, in contrast to the teenager she will grow into by the end of the story. When Bruno points out how young she is in front of Lieutenant Kotler, she responds by snapping at him, "'I'll be thirteen in a couple of weeks' time. A teenager. Just like you'" (74). Her words to Lieutenant Kotler accomplish two things: first, they foreshadow her mental shift as she grows out of childhood; and second, they remind the reader that some of the Nazi soldiers committing horrible actions against the Jews in the concentration camps were indoctrinated teenagers. Finally, Gretel replaces her collection of dolls with maps of Europe given to her by Father, which she updates using the newspapers each day as she reads about developments in the war. Her transition out of childhood naivete is represented clearly in her correction of Bruno's usage of "Out-With" in place for "Auschwitz." It was she who first told him the name of the place, but now she corrects him. Her understanding of the situation is still simplistic and lacks understanding: she has accepted what her Father and Herr Liszt have taught her without much critical thinking.

Natural vs. Unnatural

The theme of unnaturalness, especially as it relates to Auschwitz and the Holocaust generally, is introduced in Chapter Six. Instead of answering Bruno's question about whether she likes it at Out-With, Maria describes how much she loved the garden at the house in Berlin. Bruno takes this as an indirect answer to his question, since it is in such stark contrast to the atmosphere at Auschwitz. The theme of the Holocaust being unnatural arises again in Chapter Eleven, when Mother protests the move to Out-With by saying, "...as if it's the most natural thing in the world and it's not, it's just not..." (124). The Nazis used the argument that the Aryan race was "naturally" superior to all others, using the idea of natural dominance as justification in exterminating the Jewish population. But Boyne turns this assumption on its head, pointing out throughout the story just how "unnatural" the atmosphere and situation at Out-With really is.

Justification of Evil Actions

Boyne embeds questions and key ideas about the nature of human interaction into the characters' conversations in order to draw the reader's attention to larger issues. For example, Father assures Bruno that the Jews on the other side of the fence are "not people at all" - this is how he justifies to himself killing them at Auschwitz (53).

Maria's description of how kind Father has been to her serves as a commentary on the mental and emotional justification for Nazi soldiers generally, who might do kind deeds and appear to be wonderful people in other parts of their lives, while simultaneously carrying out the extermination of Jews.

Complacency

Bruno's betrayal of Shmuel in front of Lieutenant Kotler is representative of the many people who betrayed their Jewish neighbors and friends during the Holocaust in similar ways, by simply being complacent. By distancing himself from Shmuel because he is afraid of the consequences of associating with the boy, Bruno contributes to Shmuel's punishment for a crime he did not commit: stealing food. The way Bruno considers his actions immediately following the event reflects a personal disconnect: "He wondered how a boy who thought he was a good person really could act in such a cowardly way toward a friend" (174). He feels ashamed of himself, but does not take action to right the wrong. When Shmuel finally returns to meet him at the fence, his face covered in bruises, Bruno apologizes. His words could have easily come from any of the Germans who fell in line with the Nazis and didn't speak up for the Jews during the Holocaust.

Another example of the theme of complacency is when Lieutenant Kotler attacks Pavel for accidentally spilling the wine on him. The narrator only states that, "What happened then was both unexpected and extremely unpleasant. Lieutenant Kotler grew very angry with Pavel and no one - not Bruno, not Gretel, not Mother and not even Father - stepped in to stop him doing what he did next, even though none of them could watch" (148-49). This omission of detail makes the interaction representative of all acts of violence against Jews at the hands of Nazis and, in fact, against the oppressed group in any genocide throughout history. Bruno and his family represent the bystanders who were repulsed by did not act to stop the violence.

Arbitrary Boundaries

The most obvious boundary in the story is the fence dividing Bruno's side of Out-With from Shmuel's side. But Boyne calls into question the arbitrary boundaries that got each boy to his side of the fence: most importantly, that between Jews and "Opposites." Shmuel serves as a mirror character for Bruno; they were born on the same day, and Bruno declares, "We're like twins" (110). The symbols of the Star of David and the Nazi Swastika, which are never named, come to represent the arbitrary boundary that allowed the Nazis to exterminate other human beings. In Chapter Twelve, Shmuel describes how he came to have to wear his Star of David armband and draws the symbol in the dirt. Bruno points out that his Father wears one, too, and draws the Nazi symbol in the dirt on his side of the fence. The key difference between them is that Shmuel is Jewish and thus a member of the oppressed group in this genocide, while Bruno happens to be German and thus a member of the oppressing group. When Bruno tells Shmuel that Father also wears an armband, Shmuel observes, "Yes, but they're different, aren't they?" (127).

The use of Shmuel's point of view further blurs the boundary between the two boys. When Bruno has put on the pajamas and turns around to show Shmuel what he looks like, "It was almost (Shmuel thought) as if they were all exactly the same really" (204). Boyne puts the indication of Shmuel's point of view in parentheses in order to imply that while the thought is Shmuel's, it is also a commentary on the situation generally. Once Bruno puts on the pajamas he looks no different from Shmuel, but really, the distinction made between the Jews and the Germans is arbitrary and erroneous, since they are all human beings.

Human Nature

At the core of this story is the question of what constitutes human nature. It especially emerges through the different characters' actions and personalities. While Shmuel and Bruno represent the childlike capacity for good and kindness, Lieutenant Kotler and Father demonstrate man's ability to execute unbelievable cruelty. In a story about the Holocaust, this question of how humans are inclined to treat one another and react in tragic situations is at the forefront.

Boyne seems to suggest that humans are constantly choosing how to treat themselves and others, rather than pointing to an inherent tendency for good or evil. Even at a young age, Bruno is able to change his perspective regarding live at "Out-With" throughout the course of the story. In contrast, Gretel chooses to become indoctrinated and wrapped up in the evil of the Nazi brainwashing.

The theme of innocence is tied to that of Bruno's childlike misunderstanding of the tragedy through which he is living. His innocence prevents him from understanding, in the last chapters, the fate he is about to experience in the gas chamber. As he is marched along with the other prisoners, "he wanted to whisper to them that everything was all right, that Father was the Commandant, and if this was the kind of thing that he wanted the people to do then it must be all right" (210). Bruno is, of course, completely wrong: this is the sort of thing Father wants the Jews to do, but there is nothing "all right" about it. The very character in whom Bruno has faith is the one who is bringing about the deaths of so many, his own son included.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What are some examples of figurative language used in The Boy In The Striped Pajamas?

In "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne, figurative language is used extensively to convey themes, emotions, and the perspectives of the characters, particularly that of the young protagonist, Bruno. Here are some examples:

How does Bruno feel when he looks at Pavel?

This depends in what part of the book you are referring to. Do you have a chapter for this?

How does Bruno feel about his sister?

Bruno sees his sister as a hopeless case..... not someone he would choose to play with. Gretel is, of course, older and unlikely to be interested in the same things as Bruno.

' I don't see what else there is to do other than that,' said Bruno...

Study Guide for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas study guide contains a biography of John Boyne, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
• The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Summary
• Character List

Essays for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne.

• Trying Themes of 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas'
• The Boy in the Striped Pajamas as a Genuine Fable

Lesson Plan for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

• Introduction
• Genre and style

The Impact of Innocence in “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas”

This essay about John Boyne’s “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” explores the theme of innocence amidst the horrors of the Holocaust. It follows eight-year-old Bruno whose innocent perspective contrasts sharply with the brutal reality of war and genocide. The essay highlights Bruno’s friendship with Shmuel a Jewish boy in a concentration camp emphasizing the arbitrary nature of prejudice and the tragic consequences of ignorance. Through their bond Boyne underscores the importance of empathy and understanding in a divided world.

How it works

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These defective innocent interpretations serve symbols defence cloque that fastens Bruno quietly broken through his curiosity and general reviews growing high.

Central despite news is friendship Bruno improbable with Shmuel the Jewish boy interned in camp. In vexation from barriers ideology and gave thorns thread their blooms friendship tracks down innocence Bruno distinction from it in difference from Shmuel confirmation their obedient hard reality. Their conversations colourful questions Bruno and answers Shmuel solemn naive people distinguish an absolute contrast between their worlds yet distinguish their divide humanity. This friendship becomes microcosm theme news comcenter : cruelty arbitrary prejudice.

Boyne skilfully hires Bruno and friendship Shmuel so as lens to criticize rough act influence elimination. Inability Bruno for complètement to understand pulling out Shmuel distinguishes his innocence and and serves because mention children horrors absolute oil overcooked in one flow from this head dark in history. Fence that divides them symbolizes both physics so and ideological barriers built in one flow from elimination unit their friendship outstrips these borders if si without delays through a compassion and compassion.

A story arrives at an apogee in a climax that abandons the durable affecting readers tragic. Decision Bruno to take chance in a camp to help Shmuel to find his absent father leads despite his tragic death in gases chamber a fate found out too late his father. This heart-rending conclusion serves because one accuses an act cruelties powerful executes in one flow from elimination and devastations blind self-sacrifice despite unhuman ideologies. Order blessing Bruno on an inheritance guided his desire to help an innocent friend distinguishes death life and cost ignorance absurd définitif.

“The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” challenges readers to contemplate the nature of innocence in a world scarred by hatred and violence. Boyne’s portrayal of Bruno’s innocence as both a shield and a vulnerability offers a nuanced exploration of the interplay between naivety and the harsh realities of adulthood. The novel’s poignant examination of friendship and prejudice serves as a timeless reminder of the importance of empathy and understanding in the face of division and hostility.

In conclusion “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” stands as a profoundly moving narrative that employs the perspective of an innocent child to illuminate the horrors of the Holocaust. Through Bruno and Shmuel’s unlikely bond Boyne underscores the arbitrary nature of prejudice and the tragic consequences of ignorance. The novel serves as a poignant testament to the need to remember history and to learn from it lest such atrocities repeat themselves.

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The Impact of Innocence in "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas". (2024, Jul 06). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-innocence-in-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas/

"The Impact of Innocence in "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas"." PapersOwl.com , 6 Jul 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-innocence-in-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Impact of Innocence in "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-innocence-in-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas/ [Accessed: 7 Jul. 2024]

"The Impact of Innocence in "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas"." PapersOwl.com, Jul 06, 2024. Accessed July 7, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-innocence-in-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas/

"The Impact of Innocence in "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas"," PapersOwl.com , 06-Jul-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-innocence-in-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas/. [Accessed: 7-Jul-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Impact of Innocence in "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-of-innocence-in-the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas/ [Accessed: 7-Jul-2024]

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