John Boyne’s “The Boy In the Striped Pyjamas” is a thoughtful novel about a nine-year-old boy in Nazi Germany, exploring the importance of preserving a child’s innocence, but also the consequences of doing so. Boyne explores questions of the Holocaust book through the perspective of a nine-year-old boy, in order to convey that all men are equal in this world. This novel also explores how knowledge can be a vital thing, but also too much knowledge will bring sadness. The similarity of the two boys is a central theme to the idea, showing us that although two perspectives may clash, deep down they are still the same. Another method is that Bruno is deliberately made innocent – linking back to the idea of similarity – Bruno thought that he and …show more content…
This is a result of Bruno and Shmuel meeting at the fence representing oppression, and discussing their similar physical qualities and birth date. In Chapter 10 Page 109, Bruno found out that “my birthday is April the fifteenth too”, John Boyne deliberately making these two characters similar in order to convey that Bruno and Shmuel are almost identical, ultimately conveying that every person of this Earth are the same. Boyne further conveys this idea when in Chapter 16, Bruno said “I look just like you now, said Bruno sadly, as if this was a terrible thing to admit”, conveying that if he tried to looked like Shmuel, he would easily manage, as the two are similar. It has now become evident that Boyne is deliberately making the characteristics of our two protagonists for a purpose – that being to convey that all people are equal. It is obvious Boyne believes that we should treat all men as equal – and we should follow his views on the people of our world – as they are morally righteous. Even though Boyne’s “The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas” was set in 1944, the concepts and values taught can be applied and used in the modern day. The book being set in the Holocaust serves as a reminder to the consequences of being prejudice to members of our …show more content…
This is a result of Bruno moving into his new house in Auschwitz, and meeting various people who’s dialogue includes literary techniques to convey that they believe that all people should be treated the same. In Chapter 6, page 62 of the book, the family’s maid, Maria, states that “makes me wonder… wonder what he... how he can”, the literary technique of repetition of the word “wonder” conveying that even Maria, being born and raised by the judgemental and racist Nazi Germany, still seeing what the Nazi’s are doing is wrong, implying that she believes that all men are equal. Boyne further conveys this idea when in Chapter 5, page 43, Bruno notices “As they left they stood in a row together like toy soldiers”, the simile which is comparing the Nazi soldiers to toy soldiers conveying that the soldiers do not really believe that Jews are different to Nazi’s, but they instead have been disciplined, under the mercy of their superiors, therefore being compared to “toy soldiers”. Narrative voice also plays a large role in conveying that all men are equal. “The Boy In the Striped Pyjamas” is written in the third person omniscient view, allowing us to compare the thoughts of Bruno and Shmuel. It is shown that Bruno thinks that Shmuel is the same, and Shmuel considers Bruno the same as well, showing that all men are equal. Even though literary techniques may not shape and
John Boyne's book "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" invites the readers to embark on an imaginative journey at two levels. At the first level, Boyne himself embarks upon an imaginative journey that explores a possible scenario in relation to Auschwitz. Bruno is a 9 year old boy growing up in a loving, but typically authoritarian German family in the 1930?s. His father is a
For, in Berlin Bruno has quite a more normal and homely life with friends and family always at his fingertips, and all of his favourite places has, and all of which set in a vibrant and happy city. Whilst his life at Auschwitz is lesser than that, as he is unable to do even half of the things he could back in Berlin, making his time there very bleak to him. These sorts of feelings are felt all throughout the novel through Bruno again and again by his constant repetition of comparison about these locations. We see this setting and theme as being a way to highlight the feelings the Jews must have felt, being moved from their luscious life of being free to the tough and death ridden. Whilst the Germans have all of the riches and pleasure of a normal life, while the Jews are forced into a life of death and pressed labour. We the reader take this on to give further division of the races, making any action to break such a boundary to be very prominent and clear to their meaning.
After that day, Bruno goes to the forest every day to find Shmuel. One day, Bruno saw Shmuel in his house polishing the glasses for his father’s birthday. He holds Shmuel’s hand and said "Our hands, they 're so different. Look!"(167). When Bruno holds Shmuel’s hands, immediately he noticed the differences between them. One is healthy, fat hands but certainly not fat for a nine year old and the other hands just talk about other stories,that is about how hard of a Jewish people at Auschwitz.At Auschwitz,Jews live in a really rough living condition,they need to live in a confined space.Despite their visible differences, Bruno still accepts Shmuel as a friend. However, although they accept each other’s different physical features, but there are more struggles waiting in this friendship.
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a novel by John Boyne. This novel is set during World War 2 and explores themes such as prejudice, racism, war, innocence and friendship. What sets it apart from other novels is that it uses a third person limited point of view, and mostly depicts events as they are seen by a young and naïve boy. This was one of the main narrative conventions that engaged me in this novel.
“The Boy In the Striped Pyjamas” by John Boyne gives an insight to the holocaust and the rule of Nazi Germany in WW2, Boyne’s novel demonstrates Friendship through protagonist Bruno. Boyne writes about the an inhumane period, even if his book is a fable it still is based on the hardship that the jewish people suffered during this dark time. Throughout the Novel Bruno’s perspective on Friendship changes, he realises that you shouldn’t judge a friend by there appearance. The characters show intricate acts of friendship for life, friendship between young and old. Mateship between four “best friends for life” (karl, Daniel, Martin and Bruno) and the protagonist, Bruno, “crossing the fence” by entering an concentration and extermination camp for his jewish friend, Shmuel. The book is set on the German Polish border in about the year 1942 in the middle of Nazi Germany.
John Boyne’s historical fable, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, is an optimistic narration of World War Two set in the “Out-With” concentration camp. In the background of the war, the story details the life of male protagonist Bruno, who befriends the unlikeliest of strangers in his attempt to adjust to life at Out-With. In Boyne’s portrayal of this dictatorship, the characters' go through life controlled by the notion of fear, only escaping its grasp through the most dramatic of circumstances. The didactic text paints a picture of how “we don’t have a choice” when we are being controlled by our fear (p.8). Thus,
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a novel by John Boyne that has recently been turned into a film. It tells the story of a young German boy (Bruno), and a Jewish boy (Shmuel)’s “forbidden” friendship. Bruno, located on the opposite side of a huge barbed-wire fence that guards the concentration camp where Shmuel is confined, has never had a friend he can’t play with. Throughout the novel, their friendship grows and both boys learn very important lessons. When the novel was made into a film, a few things were changed, some were
Friendship is a basic human need, especially for nine year old boys living their childhood. For Bruno who is lonely, bored out of his mind and could not find friends his age to play with and Shmuel a Jewish boy entrapped in a brutal concentration camp, their friendship is one of the only things that can spark a little happiness and lighten up their spirit. The boys meet in the least possible place – the periphery of Auschwitz concentration camp, where one is imprisoned and the other is the son of the Nazi commandant in charge. Although they are meant to see each other as enemies as a Jew and Nazi, there is no hatred between Bruno and Shmuel. They simply see each other as another kid to talk to out of the loneliness of Auschwitz. As the book
John Boyne has created a sophisticated and meaningful novel “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” through his portrayal of prejudice and discrimination. Throughout the text, he exposes society's perception, attitude and behavior towards different racial groups and people during the Holocaust in WW2. Bruno’s curious nature, captures the attention of the reader, and provides a platform from which to explore the atrocities of war. Bruno’s innocence shields him from the monstrosities of prejudice and discrimination, depicted by the attitude and behaviour of the people around him. In particular, Bruno bears witness to prejudice and discrimination propagated by Hitler, The Commandant and Lt Kotler.
The Boy in Striped Pyjamas One of the main ideas in the film The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas directed by Mark Herman is that friendship breaks all barriers, no matter the circumstances. This is conveyed through the characters Bruno, a naive Christian boy who loves exploring, and whose father is a head officer in Hitler’s army. And his unexpected friend Shmuel, a Jewish boy who lives in a concentration camp on the opposite side of the forest that Bruno and his family live at. This is a very unusual friendship , but because of the two boy’s naive and kind hearts, they physically and emotionally break every barrier in their way that stops them from being best friends. In this Film it begins with Bruno and his family living securely in Berlin,
‘The boy in the striped pyjamas’ written by John Boyne and directed by Mark Herman tells the disastrous story of a young boy Bruno and his family in Nazi Germany; the family move to the countryside when his Nazi officer dad got a promotion at a concentration camp less than a mile away from their house. Bruno meets a new boy who later becomes friends in a wild friendship. Gretel, Bruno’s sister, gets influenced by a Nazi soldier and by her teacher, which makes her drastically change into a young Nazi woman. The changes progress when looking at the five shots from the film and studying mise-en-scene.
In the novel, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne, the historical setting of Nazi Germany is of key importance. Although the novel is fictional having it set during a time period of such significance, such as Germany under the Nazi regime, gives a sense of reality to the book. This is important as this connects readers to the plot line as they understand the setting. This setting is interesting as it was a terrible point of history, filled with hatred, fear and bigotry. In this essay, I will be discussing the main points of the historical setting and the reasons this fits well with the book and how this historical setting came about. This historical setting had key relevance and was essential for the book.
Through the study of the novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne, it is clear that the concerns and issues, as well as the style and structure of a text, are what determines the reader’s involvement. In addition, the issues of the past (particularly those about war) still remain concerns today. The issues amplified within The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas include detachment in family relationships which can lead to disastrous consequences, and the withholding of information from the youthful and innocent which can create dangerous situations. Along with these, is the main issue of the
‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ is told through the eyes of an eight year old boy shielded from the reality of World War II.
As part of my literature review outline, I have decided to read the book, The Boy In The Striped Pajamas written by John Boyne, for two days. Moreover, I personally believe that this book was an excellent match for my personal interest of books that follow under the category of drama. This is not only because this book featured various melancholy scenes, including the many struggles that Bruno and his family encounter throughout the book, such as leaving their house in Berlin, in order to move to Auschwitz, but also because the tone of this novel strikes a sense of tragedy and horror – “...Despite the mayhem that followed, Bruno found that he was still holding Shmuel's hand in his own and nothing in the world would have persuaded him to let go.” This is an example of the tragic tone of this book. For instance, the style of the text and the method in which key ideas are proposed is deeply affective through the use of vocabulary and imagery. Another genre of books which I appreciate reading is adventure because it gives me the sense of excitement which further intrigues me to read a book. The Boy In The Striped Pajamas is also a book of adventure as a result of incorporating events in which explorations take place, such as the time in which Bruno decides to