The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas Analysis Essay

the boy in the striped pajamas analysis essay

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas Themes

Boyne’s novel uses these techniques to create these ideas, giving us an insight into the experiences of the Jewish people during Nazi Germany. John Boyne explores the theme of prejudice and discrimination in his novel through his use of narrative voice, dramatic irony and juxtaposition. In Boyne’s novel, Shmuel is discriminated and is sent to a concentration camp, while Bruno enjoys the luxuries of upper class Nazi Germany, even though they are of the same age. Shmuel was discriminated as he was Jewish, while Bruno enjoyed luxuries as he was the child of a high-ranking Aryan officer.

Set during World War II, the story follows the journey of Bruno, a young German boy who ventures out from behind the safety of his family’s fence to explore the strange and unfamiliar world beyond. The novel explores themes of innocence, friendship, and human cruelty in the face of war and atrocity. Written with literary sensitivity and emotional depth, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is considered a modern classic that continues to resonate with readers both young and old.

Narrative Techniques In The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

The novel uses several narrative techniques to tell its story. One of these is foreshadowing, which is when the author hint at events that will happen later in the story. For example, early in the book, Bruno’s father tells him that he will be moving to a new house far away from Berlin. The events that unfold in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas are quite tragic, and many readers believe that these tragic events may have been foreshadowed early on in the book.

Another narrative technique used in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is symbolism. The main symbol of the novel is the striped pyjamas worn by Shmuel, which represent the concentration camp where he lives. The imagery of these pyjamas serves as a haunting reminder of the horrors that took place at Auschwitz during World War II.

the boy in the striped pajamas analysis essay

Dramatic Irony In The Boy In The Striped Pajamas

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, by John Boyne, is a novel that uses dramatic irony to great effect. The story is set during World War II, and follows the friendship between two boys, one of whom is Jewish and the other German.

The Jewish boy, Bruno, is sent to live in a concentration camp with his family after his father is promoted in the Nazi party. There, he meets a boy named Shmuel, who is wearing striped pyjamas. The two become friends, despite the fact that they are supposed to be enemies.

The irony of the situation is that Bruno does not realize that Shmuel is a prisoner in the camp. He thinks that Shmuel is just another boy playing in the “farm” that his family has moved to, and does not understand why he cannot leave the camp or go near the fence. Through Bruno’s naïve perspective, readers are able to see the true horrors of war through a child’s eyes.

Overall, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a powerful novel that uses dramatic irony to explore one of the worst tragedies of modern history. It is a must-read for anyone interested in this dark period of history, as well as those looking for an engaging read with powerful themes and messages.

Boyne uses third person limited narrative to show us the perspective of the characters on the world around him. For example, in Boyne’s novel, when Shmuel sees Bruno in the pyjamas, he thought that “It was almost as if they were exactly the same really”. This quote strengthens the idea that the Jewish minority at the time of Nazi Germany were discriminated against. This narrative voice in turn creates dramatic irony, to show us the perspectives and beliefs of a young innocent child in a much more sinister reality. By using dramatic irony, he emphasises how pointless the discrimination against the Jewish people were.

Bruno is originally jealous of Shmuel, as he believed that “You get to have dozens of friends and are probably playing for hours every day” This quote supports the idea that dramatic irony is used in Bruno’s perspective, as he believes that Shmuel plays in the camp everyday. However, this use of dramatic irony gives a darker sense to the reader, of the actual reality of the camp. The author uses juxtaposition in his novel, to show how little difference there was between the Jewish and Aryan race, and how meaningless the discrimination against the Jewish people were.

Boyne uses juxtaposition in this thought provoking statement. “What exactly was the difference? And who decided which people wore the striped pyjamas and which people wore the uniforms? ” This excellent quote explores the ideas of prejudice and discrimination, and manages to leave the reader pondering about the cause for the Anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany. The way Boyne wrote this novel shows the reader clearly the author’s position on the discrimination and prejudice the Jewish people faced in Nazi Germany. John Boyne explores the theme of the power of friendship in this novel through narrative voice, setting and symbolism.

In BITSP, Bruno and Shmuel, two unlikely people from different ends of the social structure of Nazi Germany become the best of friends. They manage to become best friends, even though one of them is in a concentration camp surrounded by barbed wire. By using third person limited narrative, the author is able to elaborate and emphasise more on the power of friendship. This also makes the friendship seem more realistic and believable. Near the end of the book, Bruno says to Shmuel “You’re my best friend, Shmuel.

My best friend for life. This quote strengthens the idea that friendship is unbreakable, and gives us insight into Bruno’s friendship with Shmuel. Boyne uses certain settings to reinforce the power of friendship. In the excerpt, there is a certain sentence that gives the reader a sense of the power of their friendship. In the excerpt, it says that “A dot in the distance became a speck and that became a blob and that became a figure” This quote depicts the idea that the setting where they meet daily is far away, and that the boys travel long distances just to meet each other.

Boyne employs author voice to suggest his view of the war through other characters and narration. Bruno’s grandmother, a constant source of rationality throughout the book, has a voice that may be heard in her comments about the conflict. Grandma attacks the war and Adolf Hitler’s role in it from the outset, which allows Boyne to present his own ideas on the subject. Colonel Commandant Kotler’s statement denouncing anything that does not support Nazi ideology is also an expression of opinion by Boyne.

Through his interactions with the other prisoners, including Bruno’s enigmatic grandmother, readers slowly begin to see the horrifying realities of war and the devastating effects it has on those caught up in its wake. Ultimately, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a haunting tale that serves as both a heartbreaking reminder of humanity’s capacity for darkness and an ultimately hopeful testament to our enduring capacity for good.

The novel tells the story of Bruno, a nine-year-old boy who is sent to live with his grandmother after his father is appointed as the Commandant of Auschwitz.

Bruno befriends a boy named Shmuel, who lives on the other side of the fence that surrounds the concentration camp. One day, Bruno decides to sneak into the camp to see what life is like for Shmuel. However, he does not realize the true nature of the camp until it is too late.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a powerful story about friendship, innocence, and the horrors of war. John Boyne uses his grandmother’s experiences during the Holocaust to bring the events of the past to life for readers. The novel is a moving tale that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.

In the book, the fence dividing the Jewish people and the Aryan people symbolises the imaginary rift that the Nazi Party had created. When “Shmuel reached down and lifted the base of the fence” it symbolised the two boys breaking the imaginary rift, with the power of friendship. This quote supports the idea that the power of friendship is more powerful than anything else. In the end of the book, Bruno and Shmuel die in the gas chamber holding hands, showing that nothing can break the power of friendship. John Boyne explores the theme of innocence in his novel through narrative voice, dramatic irony and juxtaposition.

A famous quote by Thomas Grey is ‘ignorance is bliss’. For Bruno and Shmuel, ignorance would have been bliss, as they had been thrown into a dark and sinister time and place unwillingly. For most of the book, Bruno and Shmuel had innocent theories about their experiences. However, towards the end of the book, they started having more sinister theories about Auschwitz. By using a third person limited narrative voice, the author is able to emphasise the innocence of the young children. Boyne uses this narrative voice to suggest the boys’ innocence.

For example, in the book, Bruno states, “I don’t understand why we’re not allowed on the other side of the fence. What’s so wrong with us that we can’t go there and play? ” This quote suggests that Bruno is innocent, and does not know the true purpose of the camp. He also believed that the fence was preventing them from going to the other side, and not vice-versa. Dramatic irony is used all throughout the book, to show us the truth through an innocent young boy’s mind.

When Bruno gets injured, he asks Pavel “If you’re a doctor, then why are you waiting on tables? This quote strengthens the idea that Bruno has an innocent mind. Bruno cannot comprehend why a doctor would become a waiter, but the actual reason is clear to the reader. Pavel could not practise as a doctor, as he was Jewish. The author uses juxtaposition to emphasise the innocence of the boys’ minds. When Shmuel and Bruno meet for the first time, they find out that they have the exact same birth date, when Bruno says, “My birthday is April the fifteenth too. ” This quote highlights the idea that Bruno and Shmuel are not very different.

They live on the opposite ends of the Nazi Germany society, yet they do not understand why. It is evident that Bruno and Shmuel do not understand the differences. They have an innocent mind, and do not believe that race is the cause for this segregation. Boyne has placed two innocent children in a much more sinister reality. As has been explored, John Boyne uses narrative voice and other literary devices to convey the ideas around prejudice and discrimination, friendship and innocence in his novel “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas”.

He conveys these ideas through techniques such narrative voice, dramatic irony, juxtaposition, setting and symbolism. In the end of the book, the author states that “Of course this happened a long time ago and nothing like that could ever happen again. Not in this day and age” Boyne refers to the current conflicts and issues currently happening, and implies that these events are still being mirrored. Boyne has written an extremely intricate and though provoking novel.

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set of striped pajamas behind a barbed wire fence

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

by John Boyne

Literary Criticism and Significance

Teacher (K-12), Professional Writer

M.A. from Tufts University

Educator since 2009

215 contributions

I've been teaching history for a decade.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas  continues a literary tradition of exploring the evils of the Holocaust through the eyes of a child. In the same vein as Jerry Spinelli’s  Milkweed,  this novel contrasts the dichotomy of man’s inhumanity with man’s capacity for care and love.

Author John Boyne has said that he believes that the only way he could write about the Holocaust respectfully was through the eyes of a child. He does so masterfully in this novel, demonstrating how Bruno and Shmuel maintain the innocence of their childhood in spite of what is happening around them. Boyne acknowledges that the only people who can truly comprehend the horrors of the Holocaust are those who lived through it. Boyne’s novel gives a voice to the victims, especially the millions of innocent children who perished at the hands of the Nazis.

What makes  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas  so effective is that rather than examining the big picture of the Holocaust and its atrocities, the novel instead focuses on individual relationships and gives readers an intimate portrait of two innocent boys seeking the same thing: friendship. Readers are cautioned, however, that even though the novel is about two nine-year-old boys, the novel is most definitely not geared toward this age group. The novel’s devastating conclusion is not only beyond children’s ability to comprehend but also in defiance of their worldview.

Interestingly, Boyne classifies  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas  as a fable, a story that bears a moral lesson. This is a fitting category for the novel as it imparts many lessons. Among these valuable lessons, perhaps the most significant is the final sentence, which suggests that “nothing like that could ever happen again. Not in this day and age.” It forces readers to confront the grim reality that hatred, discrimination, and intolerance remain potent forces in the world. Readers consequently consider their own prejudices and actions, perhaps wondering if they have been guilty of mistreating others. Additionally, some may even consider what their role might have been in the Holocaust: bystander, resister, perpetrator, or victim.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas  has received much acclaim. The novel won two prestigious awards in Boyne’s native Ireland: Children’s Book of the Year and People’s Choice Book of the Year. In addition, the book was short-listed for numerous awards, including the Ottakar’s Children’s Book Prize, the British Book Award, the Paolo Ungari Prize, and the Border’s Original Voices Award. Additionally, the novel spent eighty weeks at number one in Ireland and topped the  New York Times  best-seller list. The film adaptation, released by Miramax in 2008, received many independent film awards and much critical praise.

Cite this page as follows:

Garran, Daniella. "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - Literary Criticism and Significance." eNotes Publishing, edited by eNotes Editorial, eNotes.com, Inc., 8 Sep. 2024 <https://www.enotes.com/topics/the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas/critical-essays#critical-essays-literary-criticism-and-significance-essentials>

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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 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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Themes and Analysis

The boy in the striped pajamas, by john boyne.

John Boyne’s 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas' is one of the most popular young adult novels of recent years. He explores various themes, like innocence, and symbols, like the striped pajamas, throughout.

Emma Baldwin

Article written by Emma Baldwin

B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University.

The novel ‘ The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ‘ is written from the perspective of Bruno, a nine-year-old boy who cares about his friends, goes on adventures, and tries to keep out of trouble with his parents. His very normal youth is interrupted by the events of World War II, which culminate in his family moving to a home outside the Auschwitz concentration camp where his father is working as a new commandant.

Throughout, Bruno’s innocence is seen through the author’s style and use of language. He has no idea what’s going on or what the consequences of putting on the striped pajamas and going into the camp could be.

Themes 

Innocence is one of the key themes of this novel. The main character is a nine-year-old who has little to no understanding of what’s going on in Germany and Poland during the events of the book. He is innocent of the discriminatory ideology that drives the Nazi Party and does not see people the same way his father does. But it’s because of his lack of knowledge regarding the state of the world and what exactly the camp is he lives next to that he dies at the end of the novel.

Friendship 

Friendship is another key theme in this novel. From the beginning, readers learn that Bruno is a kind-hearted young boy who loves spending time with his friends. He’s heartbroken when he learns he has to move away from his three best friends in Berlin. He expresses a desire to play with other children and jealousy for his friend Shmuel who gets to spend time with people his age. 

Nationalism

Nationalism is another important theme in the novel. Although Bruno is not aware of what’s going on in the world around him, his experience does provide the reader with some information about the Auschwitz concentration camp, Germany, and Poland during World War II. German nationalism, which is expressed through the actions of the Nazi party, is an unavoidably crucial part of this novel. 

Key Moments in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas 

  • Bruno finds out he’s moving to Poland. 
  • He and his family arrive at Auschwitz.
  • He falls off a swing and meets Pavel, who used to be a doctor and is now a servant. 
  • Bruno meets Shmuel while walking along the fence. 
  • Bruno and his sister attend classes. 
  • Bruno’s father decides to send his family back to Berlin.
  • Bruno goes to tell Shmuel what’s happening and learns that his friend’s father has disappeared. 
  • He puts on the striped pajamas and goes into the camp to help his friend find his father. 
  • The two are brought into a dark room (a gas chamber), where they die together, holding hands. 

Tone and Style 

The author uses a child-like tone and style throughout the story of ‘ The Boy in the Striped Pajamas .’ It is on early written from Bruno’s perspective. This means that people, places, and events are seen in a very different light from how they would be understood by an adult. Bruno uses language in a unique way, having no understanding of the actual nature of words. For example, calling Hitler “The Fury” and Auschwitz “Out-With.” 

It’s in because of the author’s unique stylistic choices that this young adult novel is as popular and effective as it is. While it would still be incredibly moving, if this novel was written from the perspective of an adult, it would be very different. Plus, John Boyne chose to compose the book from the perspective of a German child rather than a Jewish child.

Symbols in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas  

The fence between Bruno’s home and the Auschwitz concentration camp is one of the first things that the young boy notices when they move into their new home. He doesn’t understand why it’s there or who the people are in the striped pajamas on the other side. It symbolizes the division that the Nazi party has created between those they believe are “not people at all” and the non-Jewish, German population.

The Pajamas

As a young boy, Bruno lacks a clear understanding of what’s going on in the world. This is perhaps seen no clearer than his belief that the people on the other side of the fence are wearing striped pajamas. At the end of the novel, he puts a pair on, with no knowledge of what that could mean for him, and slips under the fence into the concentration camp.

Language 

Bruno’s use of language, especially his mispronunciations, are symbols of his innocence and the incredible cruelty of bringing children into a situation like that in which Bruno finds himself. Similarly, Shmuel, the Jewish boy he becomes friends with, finds himself in a far more horrifying situation without a proper understanding of what’s going on. When his father and grandfather disappear, he doesn’t know where they’ve gone and believes that Bruno can help him find his lost family members somewhere in the camp. 

What is the conclusion of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ?

The conclusion of this young adult novel depicts Bruno and Shmuel dying in a gas chamber and, later, his father discovering what happened to his young son.

What lesson does The Boy in the Striped Pajamas teach us?

There are a few different lessons that one might take from this moving novel. One of the most important is that one should treat others as they would like to be treated for that, from a child’s perspective, everything is far simpler and has a more reasonable explanation than the truth.

What is ironic about The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ?

The novel contains a few examples of irony. One of the most important is the author’s use of dramatic irony. This occurs when a character in a novel, poem, or play doesn’t know something that the audience does. In this case, Bruno is completely in the dark about the nature of the Auschwitz concentration camp and who the people are on the other side of the fence.

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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

the boy in the striped pajamas analysis essay

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Theme Analysis

Innocence and Ignorance Theme Icon

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 Holocaust, features Bruno as the narrator. Though he attends school, Bruno is mostly ignorant of the political situation at the time. He refers to Hitler, who visits their home with “a beautiful blond woman” ( Eva Braun ) for dinner, as “the Fury ,” the young boy’s incorrect pronunciation for “the Führer.” When the family is moved to Auschwitz (which is only ever referred to as “ Out-With ” by Bruno, another mispronunciation), Bruno continues to be left in the dark as to why they had to leave Berlin to be near the camp full of people in “ striped pajamas ”—the Jews and other prisoners brought to the camp to work or be killed. Though Bruno and his sister Gretel, three years his elder, have a private tutor, Bruno has little to no idea as to what is going on in the camp, or in Germany as a whole. He thinks that Shmuel , the identically-aged Jewish boy whom he befriends through the fence to the concentration camp, lives there with his family voluntarily, and Bruno never understands exactly why Shmuel is there, or why he is so thin.

Bruno’s enduring innocence, and his sense that perhaps there are some questions best left unasked, is a prevailing theme throughout the novel. Bruno’s Mother and Father, as well as his sister Gretel, continually answer his questions about what is happening in Berlin and “Out-With” with overgeneralizations and euphemisms. When Bruno asks Gretel who the people on the other side of the fence are, she tells him that they are Jews, and are simply the “opposite” of what she and Bruno are. When he asks, over and over again, why the family must leave Berlin, his Mother tells him that Hitler has “big plans” for his father, but never explains what those plans are. The nature of what Bruno’s father is (a Commandant in the SS, and a director of the concentration camp Auschwitz) and why people are scared of him is never explained in the novel either. Presumably, Bruno is left in the dark about so much of what his family does and why they do it in order to preserve his innocence. However, this innocence is entirely based on ignorance, and it ultimately leads to his death.

Many critics have claimed that the novel is unrealistic and oversimplified in its portrayal of the Holocaust, but it mostly functions as a “fable”—almost an allegory. Thus Bruno’s ignorance of what is happening in Germany during the 1940s comes to represent the German soldiers and citizens who, for whatever reason, complied with, did not interfere with, or otherwise stopped themselves from even thinking about the realities of the Nazi Party’s actions. The innocence enforced on Bruno becomes a damning echo of the ignorance that so many others enforced on themselves.

Innocence and Ignorance ThemeTracker

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas PDF

Innocence and Ignorance Quotes in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

“It’s a very important job,” said Mother, hesitating for a moment. “A job that needs a very special man to do it. You can understand that, can’t you?”

Family and Friendship Theme Icon

“We don’t have the luxury of thinking,” said Mother. “…Some people make all the decisions for us.”

Boundaries Theme Icon

He put his face to the glass and saw what was out there, and this time when his eyes opened wide and his mouth made the shape of an O, his hands stayed by his sides because something made him feel very cold and unsafe.

“But what does it mean?” he asked in exasperation. “Out with what?” “Out with the people who lived here before us, I expect,” said Gretel. “It must have to do with the fact that he didn’t do a very good job and someone said out with him and let’s get a man in who can do it right.” “You mean Father.”

…all of them—the small boys, the big boys, the fathers, the grandfathers, the uncles, the people who lived on their own on everybody’s road but didn’t seem to have any relatives at all—were wearing the same clothes as each other: a pair of grey striped pajamas with a grey striped cap on their heads.

“Ah, those people,” said Father, nodding his head and smiling slightly. “Those people…well, they’re not people at all, Bruno.”

Complicity Theme Icon

“Bruno, if you have any sense at all, you will stay quiet and concentrate on your schoolwork and do whatever your father tells you. We must all just keep ourselves safe until this is all over. That’s what I intend to do anyway. What more can we do than that after all? It’s not up to us to change things.”

“Young man,” said Pavel (and Bruno appreciated the fact that he had the courtesy to call him ‘young man’ instead of ‘little man’ as Lieutenant Kotler had), “I certainly am a doctor. Just because a man glances up at the sky at night does not make him an astronomer, you know.”

Herr Liszt made a hissing sound through his teeth and shook his head angrily. “Then this is what I am here to change,” he said in a sinister voice. “To get your head out of your storybooks and teach you more about where you come from. About the great wrongs that have been done to you.”

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.

“Poland,” said Bruno thoughtfully, weighing up the word on his tongue. “That’s not as good as Germany, is it?” Shmuel frowned. “Why isn’t it?” he asked. “Well, because Germany is the greatest of all countries,” Bruno replied, remembering something that he had overheard Father discussing with Grandfather on any number of occasions. “We’re superior.”

What a horrible man, thought Bruno.

Shmuel looked very sad when he told this story and Bruno didn’t know why; it didn’t seem like such a terrible thing to him, and after all much the same thing had happened to him.

“Dinner isn’t served until half past six. What time do you have yours?” Shmuel shrugged his shoulders and pulled himself to his feet. “I think I’d better get back,” he said. “Perhaps you can come to dinner with us one evening,” said Bruno, although he wasn’t sure it was a very good idea. “Perhaps,” said Shmuel, although he didn’t sound convinced.

“There aren’t any good soldiers,” said Shmuel. “Of course there are,” said Bruno. “Who?” “Well, Father, for one,” said Bruno. “That’s why he has such an impressive uniform and why everyone calls him Commandant and does whatever he says. The Fury has big things in mind for him because he’s such a good soldier.” “There aren’t any good soldiers,” repeated Shmuel. “Except Father,” repeated Bruno, who was hoping that Shmuel wouldn’t say that again because he didn’t want to have to argue with him. After all, he was the only friend he had here at Out-With. But Father was Father, and Bruno didn’t think it was right for someone to say something bad about him.

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. Even though it made Bruno cry and Gretel grow pale.

“What are you doing here?” repeated Bruno, for although he still didn’t quite understand what took place on the other side of the fence, there was something about the people from there that made him think they shouldn’t be here in his house.

“I’m asking you, if we’re not Jews, what were we instead?” “We’re the opposite,” said Gretel, answering quickly and sounding a lot more satisfied with this answer. “Yes, that’s it. We’re the opposite.”

“I look just like you now,” said Bruno sadly, as if this was a terrible thing to admit. “Only fatter,” admitted Shmuel.

He paused for a moment and looked out the window to his left—the window that led off to a view of the camp on the other side of the fence. “When I think about it, perhaps she is right. Perhaps this is not a place for children.”

Shmuel bit his lip and said nothing. He had seen Bruno’s father on any number of occasions and couldn’t understand how such a man could have a son who was so friendly and kind.

Bruno found that he was still holding Shmuel’s hand in his own and nothing in the world would have persuaded him to let it go.

He looked into the distance then and followed it through logically, step by step by step, and when he did he found that his legs seemed to stop working right—as if they couldn’t hold his body up any longer—and he ended up sitting on the ground in almost exactly the same position as Bruno had every afternoon for a year, although he didn’t cross his legs beneath him.

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The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: Analysis

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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.

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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
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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
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Wikipedia Entries for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

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the boy in the striped pajamas analysis essay

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

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The Boy in The Striped Pajamas: Movie Review and Critique

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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 analysis essay

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An In-Depth Analysis of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" by John Boyne

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Introduction

Cruelty, discrimination, and abusive power.

Doctor Jennifer

The Holocaust from a Child's Perspective

Stylistic techniques: capitalization, misinterpretations, and mispronunciations, discrimination and its ongoing relevance.

An In-Depth Analysis of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" by John Boyne. (2017, Jan 12). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/john-boynes-the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas-holocaust-from-a-childs-perspective-essay

"An In-Depth Analysis of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" by John Boyne." StudyMoose , 12 Jan 2017, https://studymoose.com/john-boynes-the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas-holocaust-from-a-childs-perspective-essay

StudyMoose. (2017). An In-Depth Analysis of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" by John Boyne . [Online]. Available at: https://studymoose.com/john-boynes-the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas-holocaust-from-a-childs-perspective-essay [Accessed: 8 Sep. 2024]

"An In-Depth Analysis of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" by John Boyne." StudyMoose, Jan 12, 2017. Accessed September 8, 2024. https://studymoose.com/john-boynes-the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas-holocaust-from-a-childs-perspective-essay

"An In-Depth Analysis of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" by John Boyne," StudyMoose , 12-Jan-2017. [Online]. Available: https://studymoose.com/john-boynes-the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas-holocaust-from-a-childs-perspective-essay. [Accessed: 8-Sep-2024]

StudyMoose. (2017). An In-Depth Analysis of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" by John Boyne . [Online]. Available at: https://studymoose.com/john-boynes-the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas-holocaust-from-a-childs-perspective-essay [Accessed: 8-Sep-2024]

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An In-Depth Analysis of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" by John Boyne essay

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  4. Boyne's "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" and Film

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COMMENTS

  1. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Study Guide

    Full Title: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. When Written: April, 2004. Where Written: Dublin, Ireland. When Published: 2006. Literary Period: Contemporary Young Adult. Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction. Setting: Berlin, Germany and Auschwitz, Poland. Climax: When Bruno, who seeks to understand the world on the other side of the ...

  2. The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas Analysis Essay

    The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, by John Boyne, is a novel that uses dramatic irony to great effect. The story is set during World War II, and follows the friendship between two boys, one of whom is Jewish and the other German. The Jewish boy, Bruno, is sent to live in a concentration camp with his family after his father is promoted in the Nazi ...

  3. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Critical Essays

    The Boy in the Striped Pajamas continues a literary tradition of exploring the evils of the Holocaust through the eyes of a child. In the same vein as Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed, this novel ...

  4. "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"

    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 ...

  5. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Study Guide

    The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Study Guide

  6. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

    Title: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. When Written and Published: 2004 and 2006. Literary Period: Contemporary Young Adult. Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult Fiction. Setting: Berlin and Auschwitz. Climax: When Bruno climbs under the fence and puts on a prisoner's uniform that he sees as "striped pajamas.".

  7. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Themes

    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.

  8. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: Themes & Analysis

    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. 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 ...

  9. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Essays

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

  10. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Themes and Analysis

    The novel 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas' is written from the perspective of Bruno, a nine-year-old boy who cares about his friends, goes on adventures, and tries to keep out of trouble with his parents. His very normal youth is interrupted by the events of World War II, which culminate in his family moving to a home outside the Auschwitz concentration camp where his father is working as ...

  11. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Essay Questions

    The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Essay Questions. 1. The experiences of women during wartimes have historically differed from those of men. How does Boyne use the character of Mother to explore this issue? Father's literal silencing of Mother in most of their arguments and conversations is representative of the figurative silencing of women's ...

  12. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

    Innocence and Ignorance Theme in The Boy in the Striped ...

  13. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas: Analysis

    Sana Ibrahim -3202. John Boyne is an Irish novelist born in Dublin. He wrote 70 short stories and many novels focused on adults and young readers. The Boy in Striped Pyjamas is a novel focused on a younger audience. Several film adaptations were done to this film and in 2006 film adaptation was an award-winning Miramax.

  14. Crossing the Line: A Discussion of Motives within The Boy in the

    The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Ashlyn S. Hegg Southern Illinois University Carbondale, [email protected] ... essay holds its own sense of importance within the analysis. The critic should begin the essay with an introduction explaining the rhetorical artifact chosen and the research question asked within the study. Next, the critic should include a ...

  15. Analysis of The Themes in The Boy in The Striped Pajamas

    "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" Essay Example. John Boyne's most famous novel, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, is an intricate story about two boys that meet at a concentration camp during the Second World War. In this novel, several themes are made evident, such as the innocence of childhood, prejudices, fear, regret, and boundaries.

  16. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Themes

    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

  17. Holocaust Through The Eyes of a Child in The Boy in The Striped Pajamas

    Analysis of the Themes in The Boy in The Striped Pajamas Essay. ... John Boyne's Use Of Rhetorical Techniques In The Boy In The Striped Pajamas Essay. In the New York Times Bestseller novel, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, a tragic story of the World War II Holocaust is described. A German boy and his family moved to Poland for their father ...

  18. A Critical Review Of The Movie The Boy In The Striped Pajamas: [Essay

    The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: summary and analysis A young, fun-loving 8-year-old boy lives his days to the fullest in the city of Berlin, Germany where his family resides in the 1940s. This all changes when his father is promoted to commandant of the German Nazi army.

  19. An In-Depth Analysis of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas ...

    Introduction. "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" by John Boyne is a powerful narrative that provides a unique perspective on the Holocaust through the innocent eyes of a child named Bruno. This poignant story unfolds as Bruno forms an unlikely friendship with another boy living a mysterious existence on the other side of the adjoining wire fence.