The Boy in Striped Pyjamas

The story is mostly told from the viewpoint of a child, eight year old Bruno. His father is an SS Officer and the family move from Berlin into a house near the grounds of a concentration camp. Bruno thinks that the fence exists so that animals cannot escape. Schmuel laughs, but not unkindly and he informs Bruno that the purpose of the fence is to restrain the Jewish prisoners. The sadistic SS lieutenant beats to death the Jewish house servant, and following this Bruno discovers Schmuel working in his home.

He gives him cake to eat, and at this point the lieutenant enters and notices the crumbs around Schmuel’s face. He accuses Schmuel of stealing food, and Schmuel denies it. He explains that he and Bruno are friends, and that this is why Bruno gave him the cake. Bruno is frightened of the lieutenant, and without regard for the consequences to his friend, he fears for himself and denies all knowledge of knowing Schmuel and says that he did not give him the cake. As children do, Bruno misunderstands the word and hears his new home referred to as “out with. This implies that the story is based on Auschwitz Shortly after their arrival, Bruno’s sister, twelve year old Gretel becomes increasingly more orientated towards the Nazi doctrine due to her attraction to the SS Lieutenant Kurt Kotler, her father’s underling. He subtly encourages Gretel’s feelings towards him, and it soon becomes clear that the SS Lieutenant is a particularly cruel psychopath. Bruno’s mother Elsa does not share the Nazi beliefs of her husband and daughter; however she is extremely afraid to voice her concerns. Bruno is too young to understand what is happening around him.

He asks his father why he sees people wearing striped pyjamas. His father tells him that they are not people, and that they are only Jews. Although he is told not the leave the boundaries of the house, Bruno, like most young boys, becomes bored and decides to explore. He finds himself at the perimeter fence of the concentration camp and it is here that he meets Schmuel. Schmuel is a Polish Jew; he is the same age as Bruno and is a prisoner within the concentration camp. Bruno finds him sitting behind the fence wearing his striped pyjamas, and it is here that they strike a friendship.

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Along with his father, Schmuel has been captured and taken away from his mother and siblings. The enormity of his suffering is apparent in his appearance, it is visible in his eyes, his body language, and he is extremely thin. When Bruno gives food to Schmuel, the extent of his starvation is obvious in the ravenous way that he eats. The two boys have polar opposite experiences of the war. Bruno is completely naive and Schmuel is experiencing the agonising consequences. It appears that the concentration camp has turned a young boy into an adult. Schmuel is never irritated by Bruno’s naivety he simply responds with patience.

It is clear that Schmuel is particularly sharp; he catches on quickly and almost instinctively seems to know what he can expect from Bruno. Schmuel appears to have accepted his way of life. A few days later Bruno visits Schmuel at the camp fence and finds him covered in bruises. It is clear by the condition of his face that he has received a particularly severe beating. As is his nature, Schmuel does not blame Bruno, and their friendship is untarnished. This is the beauty of Schmuel, many people, children and adults, would turn bitter at this experience and develop a real hatred for the Germans.

Schmuel understands completely that the fault is not with Bruno. He does not resent the fact that Bruno is not in danger, or that he lives a comfortable life with his Nazi family. Schmuel is a truly good natured, forgiving and incredibly wise little boy. Schmuel tells Bruno that his father has disappeared, and that he cannot find him within the concentration camp. Neither boy has any notion that he has probably been gassed, and Bruno agrees to enter the camp and help Schmuel to look for him. It is here that the most harrowing scene of the book takes place.

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