THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS by John Boyne
OVERVIEW
Teaching suggestion:
Students can be asked to
look up background
knowledge on Nazi
Germany,and the Holocaust
and the part these played in
World War II. A short quiz can
be conducted to test
knowledge acquired. See
Annex A
Teaching suggestion:
Students can be directed to
the important themes
(i) through defining the overall
meaning
(ii) recognizing the themes as
expressed by actions, events,
symbols
1 1
Published in 2006, John Boynes story of a nine-year old
German boys friendship with a Jewish prisoner of his
own age in the concentration camp at Auschwitz is
described as a fable, possibly to counter criticisms that
it is impossible that the young Bruno should be so
unaware of the persecution of the Jews at this time. A
fable after all is a fictitious tale with moral implications.
In spite of controversial reactions , the work became an
immediate best-seller. It became no. 1 on the New
York Times best-seller list. More than 5 million copies
have been sold throughout the world and translated into
40 languages. A film version was produced in 2008.
The appeal of the tale lies in the innocence of the
uncorrupted Bruno through whose eyes the reader is
made to view the horrifying realities of the Holocaust. It
reads like an ordinary boys adventure story of
exploration and discovery, the buoyancy and humour
masking the grimness and inhumanity of the persecution
of the Jews in Nazi Germany. Increasingly, the sombre
overtones take over while the reader is led to the
searing climax which is as unexpected as it is tragic.
Author
John Boyne is an Irish novelist (born April 30, 1971) and
educated at Trinity College where he started writing and
getting published. He studied Creative Wriitng at East
Anglia University where he received the Curtis Brown
Award. He is the author of eight novels, most notably
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, and many short
stories, though this novel was the first he wrote for
younger readers, and one which he wrote within a very
short time. He finished the entire first draft in two and a
half days, writing almost non-stop. He is also the
recipient of the IIrish Times Literary award, British Book
award and he Carnegie Medal.
THEMES
A shared humanity, friendship and universal
brotherhood, equal treatment in spite of racial or
class differences
The message seems positive, that mans trust and
goodness will prevail over hatred and violence if he
retains the purity of heart that Bruno symbolizes. Bruno
seems to have learned from his mother the kindness and
See Annex B (i)
Teaching Suggestion:
Class debate can be held with
one group asked to take the
view that the message is
optimistic and the other that it
is pessimistic See Annex B(ii)
1 2
equality of treatment towards others,irrespective of
their social status. Even his father has demonstrated
kindness towards their maid, Maria, though, somehow
this has not translated into his treatment of the Jews.
The shared humanity and intertwined destinies of all
men is illustrated in Bruno and Shmuel holding hands
even as they go to their deaths. The similarities
between the two boys are constantly emphasized, as are
the loving ties within their respective families.
Importance of family ties
The fundamental love between human beings is
emphasized through the family relationships of both
boys. Shmuel constantly refers to his parents and
grandparents while Bruno is said to miss his
grandparents, and has a loving relationship with his
mother and father, and to his sister, in spite of their
differences.
The cruelty of a family divided, or children killed and
taken away from their parents is obviously realised by
the German aggressors when the Commandants own son
goes missing and he feels the pain that he has caused so
many Jewish families.
The corruption of political ambition
While we see Brunos father as a loving parent, we also
see how political ambition and misguided patriotism has
led him to mercilessly send Jews to their death. Lt
Kotler is another demonstration of the evil of a
leadership that has corrupted its citizens. Brunos
grandmother is one of a moral minority that resists such
corruption while his grandfather sees support of the
Fuhrers aims as nationalistic.
Childhood and innocence
In the book, childhood is presented as a time of
innocence, a state of purity and lack of awareness of the
ugly realities of the world. At the same time, it is
possible that Boyne also questions the innocence of
the German people at the time of the atrocities
committed by Hitler and his Party. How far were they in
ignorance of the suffering and persecution of the Jewish
people, and of what happened in the concentration
camps? Did they just turn a blind eye to such cruelties
out of fear and cowardice? Such indifference may also
be viewed as evil. In that case, the message of the book
may be viewed as negative, that destruction and
injustice prevails while the innocent are not spared.
Students can be encouraged to debate the nature of the
overall message - positive or negative, using evidence

Teaching Suggestion:
Students attention may be
drawn to the authors use of
contrast to highlight
(i) the differences between
Brunos old home and his new
one at Auschwitz
OR
(ii) the difference between
characters and their values
and priorities
See Annex B (iii)
Teaching Suggestion:
The class can be shown the
introductory scene, in the film
trailer, and then the
concluding scene, and asked
for the effectiveness of each
part. See Annex C
1 3
from the events as well as the tone of the narrative.
SETTING AND ATMOSPHERE
Auschwitz Camp (Out-With) is presented as an enigma to
Bruno who has no idea where the family has moved to,
but even he is able to feel the difference between their
old home in Berlin and their new house which he
describes as isolated, cold and nasty. The barbed wire
fence is a symbol of division, between the masters and
the prisoners, the Germans and the Jews, the human
and the non-human as even Gretel is taught to
believe. From the young boys point of view, it is still a
place to be explored and he misses all the signs of
oppression and abnormality. Though the ground is
barren and those on the other side are thin and starved,
he and Gretel merely think they are in a country house.
PLOT AND STRUCTURE
The narrative bears a superficial resemblance to the
typical mystery and adventure tale for young boys, with
its element of new and unexplored surroundings that are
unpleasant and threatening, much like Treasure
Island, a book Bruno enjoys. However, here, the truth
about Brunos new home is far darker than the discovery
of pirates and hidden treasure, and is never revealed to
him.
Only the reader is made aware of the grim
circumstances at every step of the exploration and
discovery Bruno undertakes.
The progression of events follows the theme of
displacement, the uprooting and dislocation of a family
from a settled place to one that is unfamiliar and
fearful. Thus, there is a deliberate parallel between the
displacement of Bruno and that of Shmuel, both taken
from a place of happiness and security to one that is
hostile and bewildering. It is seen to be cruel and
unnatural, but much more so in Shmuels case than in
Brunos.
The introduction
The opening chapter aptly deals with the crucial move,
from Berlin to Auschwitz in Poland (though we only find
this out much later, and incidentally through Shmuel) as
it dislocates and disorientates Bruno who has to find new
friends in this new and lonely place. It upsets his
mother and sets her against the husbands priorities,

Teaching suggestion:
Students attention can be
drawn to the point of view
presented by Brunos
observation of events and
how it contrasts with the grim
reality of actual events in the
Holocaust. See Annex E
1 4
bringing about a conflict which is minor compared to the
conflict tearing the country and its peoples apart.
The conclusion
The ending provides a shocking climax, especially as the
narrative seems to move towards the repatriation of
Bruno and his mother and sister to Berlin. Just when the
reader thinks that Bruno will return safely to Berlin
where he can rejoin his friends and embrace his former
life, he goes over to the other side of the fence and joins
Shmuel. The two boys apparently wait for their final
end.
Students should be invited to discuss the emotional
impact of this conclusion. How do they feel as the boys
are marched into the gas chamber, and how far is it a
suitable conclusion?
STYLE USE OF VIEWPOINT AND LANGUAGE
Since events are presented through the nine-year old
Brunos eyes, there is a childish naivete and lack of
specific knowledge in his interpretation of all that is
happening around him. He writes with the limited
knowledge of a child protected by his parents from the
ugly truth of war and its inhumane practices. Thus he
may think the camp is a farm, he cant even pronounce
the name, Auschwitz correctly, and calls it, not
inappropriately, Out-With. The Fuhrer, is the Fury,
which again is strangely apt.
There is an element of boyish humour in his
representation of people and places as well as a general
euphemism which make the sinister and threatening
seem harmless. He likens the star of David that Shmulel
has to wear on his sleeve to the swastika his own father
wears, unaware that the latter is the sign of the
aggressive party that subjugates the Jews with wearing
of the degrading mark of their race.
This has an ironical and poignant effect, most noticeably
when Bruno puts on the striped pyjamas, unaware that
this is prison garb, and goes into the gas chamber,
thinking that the doors are closed to prevent the storm
from coming in.
TONE
Thus, there is a deceptively light-hearted tone in the
narration, reinforced by Brunos constant sparring with
his older sister whom he calls A Hopeless Case.

Teaching suggestion: The
use of imagery in
emphasizing important
themes should be pointed
out. See Annex F for
worksheets on the clothing
imagery and the use of
symbols
Teaching suggestion: The use
of symbols in the text and in
literature in general should be
carefully taught to ensure that
young readers grasp the
function and effectiveness of this
important technique. The
worksheet on symbols in Annex
F is meant to introduce students
to the ideas and associations
suggested by the symbols in the
text and in ordinary life
1 5
However, the irony of such name-calling reminds us of
the actual hopelessness of the victims of the Holocaust.
Perhaps the ignorance of Bruno is meant as a rebuke of
the majority of Germans who turned a blind eye to what
was going on in the concentration camps.
Then again, the blithe and oblivious tone of the
narrative also brings out the full horror of the suffering
and oppression of the innocent, that such atrocities are
committed by seemingly rational men as Brunos father
who has shown kindness and responsibility as a father
and as Marias employer.
IMAGERY
Certain stark images stand out. There is the use of signs
and symbols, clothes especially uniforms as part of the
imagery, as well as the use of houses and dwelling-
places, land and territory.
Symbolism
Symbols are persons, objects, drawings, logos and even
buildings and places that stand for abstract qualities eg.
the sun is usually used to represent brightness and
happiness.
In this respect, Auschwitz has come to stand for all the
horror and inhumanity of the Holocaust, the swastika not
only as a sign of the Nazi Party but also its oppression
and cruelty, and on the other hand the Star of David as
the mark of the Jew, and therefore one of discrimination
and humiliation. The prisoners were also shaven bald, to
further humiliate them and strip them of their human
identity. Later, when Bruno had to have his head shaven
because of lice infestation, the two boys draw closer in
common identity. This emphasizes the theme of a
shared human identity.
The fence is probably the most important symbol of
division, between two classes of people, the powerful
and the powerless, the privileged and the dispossessed,
those perceived to be human and those who are
classified as non-human though the obverse could be
truer. Brunos innocence and kindness crosses this
artificial barrier and breaks down the division set up
between human beings.
Clothing imagery
Clothes, especially uniforms, give a common identity but
also discriminate against a certain community. Soldiers
uniforms give the Secret service their pride and power,
as in Brunos fathers smart new uniform while the
striped pyjamas of the Jewish prisoners condemn them
as a lower class, and indeed, not even human. At one

Teaching suggestion: Students
attention should be drawn to the
similarities and the differences
between Bruno and Shmuel
and how this is related to the
themes of discrimination and a
common humanity. See Annex
G
1 6
point, Bruno muses over who decides which group wears
what and why there is this distinction. This is an
important philosophical question on the inequalities that
man creates between human beings, choosing to
intimidate the weak over the strong.
Brunos grandmother, however, ridicules the uniforms
worn by Brunos father, saying that he is dressed like a
puppet on a string. Bruno unwittingly lends to this
shaming by drawing attention to his own costume as a
circus ringmaster which of course, brings in the element
of farce in performing according to orders and
commanding others to obey in a theatre of the absurd.
Imagery of rooms and houses
Rooms and houses are usually places of warmth and
security, providing rest and shelter. However, the
moving of homes signifies a loss of such essentials, both
for Bruno and for Shmuel. Sliding down the banisters in
their old home in Berlin meant freedom and carefree
play, their old house had many rooms, they had friends,
neighbours and a garden, all that is congenial to life.
The house at Auschwitz was isolated, cold and hostile
while the grounds were barren and uncultivated.
Finally, the warmth and security that rooms provide is
totally contradicted when the gas chamber into which
the boys are herded take their lives rather than protect
them from the storm outside.
CHARACTERS
Bruno
Bruno is presented as a kind and thoughtful boy who
treats all around him with respect regardless of their
station in life. His only intolerance seems to be of his
older sister, Gretel, whose sarcasm he resents, but this
appears to be the inevitable sibling rivalry and the usual
lack of understanding of the female by boys his age.
Attached to his family, he admires his father and writes
loving letters to his grandmother.
He values friendship, and constantly recalls his three
friends for life back in Berlin. It is no surprise then,
that he turns to Shmuel, and with the best of intentions
tries to give him extra food and help him find his missing
father. It is also his love of play and adventure that
leads him to explore the other side of the fence.
However, it is difficult to believe that a boy with a
private tutor so fervent about his fatherland should be
ignorant about the political situation and not even know

Teaching suggestion:
Students should be directed to
how each character represents
certain attitudes to World War II
and the treatment of Jews at this
time by Hitlers Nazi Party
1 7
who the Jews are. This does not prevent him from
having shrewd instincts about who to like and dislike, as
seen in his aversion to Lieutenant Kotler and the Fury.
Shmuel
The Jewish boy also projects the innocence of childhood.
Though he has been subjected to harsh treatment, he
has no real understanding of the political situation, and
does not regard Bruno with hostility or suspicion.
Although he believes that there are no good soldiers and
wonders how such a kind boy as Bruno has a father who
is in charge of such atrocities, he does not express these
sentiments to his friend. The lack of bitterness and the
trust in his friend may seem too idealized to the reader,
but we are made to sympathise with his misery and
hunger as well as the displacement which is an extreme
version of Brunos.
Brunos mother
Brunos praiseworthy values of equality and lack of
discrimination seem to have been inculcated by his
mother who has taught him to treat Maria with respect
even though she is a maid in the househiold. She is
careful not to play favourites with her own children, and
obviously disagrees with her husband about his job and
political affiliations though it appears that she has very
little choice in the matter. Thus she is unhappy in the
new situation but struggles to support her husband
publicly while trying to maintain the childrens respect
for him. Her dalliance with Lieutenant Kotler seems to
be an outlet for her frustrations,
Brunos grandmother
There is some similarity between Brunos mother and her
mother-in-law, a former singer and actress who boldly
criticizes her own son and is ashamed of him and what
he is doing out of ambition. She is obviously in
disagreement with her own husband who is proud of
their sons success. Sadly, she passes away, but
Brunos attachment to her speaks of her courage and
vitality, probably a reflection of the minority of Germans
at the time who opposed Hitlers maniacal policies.
Brunos father
Presented more as a father figure than the abhorrent
Commandant of a concentration camp, we only get
glimpses of the harsh overseer of an inhuman
establishment. He seems to have replaced an inept
former Commandant but apart from the respect and awe
his soldiers seem to have towards him, his treatment of
 his own son, though authoritarian, is patient and
tolerant while we learn from Maria that he has been
generous towards her and her family.
This could be the double standards practised even by the
Mafia who had strong family values and treasured ties
within their own family and expressed gratitude for loyal
service.
However, we do hear him dismiss the people on the
other side of the fence as not being people, the result
of mass brainwashing which could also explain Gretels
holding of that belief which she expresses to Bruno.
He also seems to operate on strict rules and procedures
laid down to his family as well as to his staff eg his office
being out of bounds with no exceptions and how he
expects his children to behave when important visitors
come.

Gretel
Brunos sister seems to have inherited her fathers
characteristics, enjoying control over those who are
weaker like her own brother and Maria, whom she orders
around. Her close friends also enjoyed tormenting
Bruno, making fun of his small size. She herself fancied
the sadistic Lieutenant Kotler and flirted with him
before his transfer elsewhere.

Lieutenant Kotler
A somewhat stereotyped portrait of the SS (Secret
Service) officer with his unnaturally blond hair and
bullying ways, Kotler is the villain of the piece, abusing
the old Jewish servant, Pavel and Shmuel, whom he
suspects of having a friendship with Bruno. He appears
to have a skeleton in the cupboard with his own father a
dissident of sorts. His situation reflects the turmoil of
the times when fathers and sons could be on opposite
sides, as could have been the case with Bruno and his
father, if the boy had not met with such an untimely
end.

Pavel
The old man who has to serve as kitchen help and waiter
is one of the victims of the Holocaust where
trainedJewish professionals were not allowed to practise
in Germany and occupied territory in Europe. He was
one of other servants taken from the camp to serve in
the household, those noticed by Bruno to be whispering
and unhappy.

1 8
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These questions may be used for group or general class discussion:

1. Why do you think this story is called a fable? What are the features of a fable
, an allegory or a fairytale? Consider which genre or definition best suits The
Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and justify your answer by referring to the themes
and ideas as well as the method of narration.

2. What is the effect of presenting the events through the eyes of a nine-year old
boy?

3. How far can the events in the story be seen as an exploration or adventure?

4. How important is the theme of friendship in this novel? Does it seem to you to
overshadow the importance of family love and ties?

5. Discuss the relevance of Brunos relationship with his sister Gretel. What
does it tell you about the way a child thinks and feels, and how does it reflect on
major themes in the novel?

6. Consider the role played by Lieutenant Kotler in the novel. What qualities are
noteworthy in his character and how are these relevant to the major themes?

7. Discuss the impression Brunos father makes on you and how would you
reconcile his role as father, son, Marias employer and his position as the
commandant of a concentration camp?

8. What do you think of Brunos mother and her conflicting attitudes and
behaviour in the course of the story? How far is she a sympathetic figure or one
to be criticized?

9. Write a critical commentary on the presentation of the friendship between

Bruno and Shmuel. To what extent is it realistic and to what extent is it
idealized?

10. Discuss the use of events and observations that foreshadow the grim
ending. How effective are these methods of preparing us for what happens
eventually?

11. Discuss the importance of setting, especially the use of rooms ,windows,
houses and open spaces, to create mood and emotions in the main characters.

12. How has reading this story affected the way you look at the world, history
and the treatment of people? Has it made you more optimistic or more
pessimistic?

1 9
 SUGGESTIONS FOR CREATIVE WRITING AND DRAMATIZATION

The class may be divided into groups with four in each group and assigned these
creative writing tasks. The group decides who is to write the speech in question,
and who is to speak and act it out, probably with a back-up chorus, sounds or
music:

1. Imagine that you are Brunos father and that you have now left your job at
Auschwitz after Brunos disappearance. Write a short speech to be delivered as
a dramatic monologue, reflecting on your discovery of his clothes and boots at
the fence, and how you feel about your sons disappearance.

2. Write a short dialogue between Brunos father and mother shortly after they
discover Brunos disappearance. The exchange can take place anywhere, at the
fence, in the house, or when they are back in Berlin.

3. Write and act out a speech made by Maria, the overpaid maid, after Brunos
disappearance. She may be speaking to herself or addressing Brunos mother or
Gretel.

4. Imagine that you are Lieutenant Kotler after you have been transferred from
your position at Auschwitz and deliver a short speech on how you feel about
having to leave.

5. Imagine that you are Gretel and that you are speaking to one of your friends
about Brunos disappearance, and how you feel now that he is gone.

6. Imagine that you are a survivor of Auschwitz Concentration Camp and learn
about the possible death of the Camp Commandants young son in the gas
chamber. Express your feelings on the matter in a short speech to other
survivors of the Holocaust.

7. Assume the identity of Herr Liszt, Brunos tutor and deliver a lesson to your
student on how you think injustice has been done to the German people.

8. Imagine that you are Pavel, still working at Auschwitz, and having heard of the
disappearance of Bruno, make a short speech regarding your recollections of the
boy and how you feel about what could have happened to him.

1 10
 USEFUL WEBLINKS

On Adolf Hitler, World War II and the Holocaust

http://www.history1900s.about.com/od/holocaust/tp/holocaust.htm
A simpler, clearer presentation of essential facts about the Holocaust, ghettos
and concentration camps, the various signs and symbols (swastika, yellow star)
used and their origins and meaning. Students can access the website
themselves and learn about the basic facts on the Holocaust.

Videos from the Miramax film(2008) directed by Mark Herman, The Boy in the
Striped Pyjamas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-bR1WBOttU
The horrific closing scene from the film, juxtaposing the frantic search conducted
by Brunos parents with the marching of the two boys into the gas chamber
where they undress thinking it is just a shower, before the screen goes black.

http://www.filmeducation.org
An illuminating 17- minute interview with the author, John Boyne, on his
gratification at the public reception to his book, how he feels about the number of
translations made, the fable aspect, the importance of Brunos character on the
effectiveness of the book, the presentation of family life, what each character
represents, and what Bruno might grow up to be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BysBHJCirfI
Excerpt from the documentary Memory of the Camps, which includes horrific
scenes of terror from Dachau, Buchenwald, Belsen and other Nazi concentration
camps.

Other Websites
http://bookbrowse.com/reviews
A summary is given that highlights the book as a fable, there are brief reviews
from media like The Guardian and The Observer.

http://www.aish.com/j/as/48965671.html
Very useful as the comments here reflect the critical voices of the Jewish
community, especially Rabbi Benjamin Bleck who condemns the book as a
profanity, not just a lie and fairytale, because it alters the truths of the Holocaust
and considers the subject matter of the Holocaust too grim for Grimms
Fairytales.
This bitter denunciation is rebutted by another reader, also a Jewish rabbi, who
says that the book does not purport to be a historical account.

1 11
http://www.exclusivebooks.blogspot.sg/2009/06/discussion-questions-for-boy-in-
striped.html
Contains discussion questions on the novel which are quite similar to those on
other websites but there are more questions on Brunos father and his
relationship to Bruno. There is also a question on Lieutenant Kotler which
probes what drove him to be so cruel. A question on Brunos mother seems to
view her as morally responsible in not doing enough to stop the atrocities at
Aushwitz.

(Website and video links last accessed 11 January 2013)

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING

Holocaust-related literature for young adults:

Diary of a Young Girl (1947) by Anne Frank

The diary entries of a young Jewish girl hiding in an Amsterdam attic at the time
of the Holocaust

Devils Arithmetic (1988) by Jane Yolen

12 year-old Hannah Stern is transported by time travel to 1942 Poland where the
tragedy escalates tot eh gas chambers

Number the Stars (1989) by Lois Lowry

A young Jewish girl, Ellen Rosen, is taken in by a Copenhagen family and
passed off as the daughter of the Johansens

The Book Thief (2005) by Markus Zusak

Liesel Meminger is given up by her communist parents to help save her life, and
she survives by stealing or borrowing books to learn about the world around her

Torn Threads (2005) by Anne Isaacs

This is the true-life story of the survival of two Polish jewish sisters, 12 year old
Eva and her sickly sister, Rachel, at a Czech Nazi work camp.

The Cage (1988) by Ruth Minsky Sender

From the German invasion of Poland in 1939 to the liberation of her
concentration camp in 1945, this is a survival story of a young girl whose
adolescence was shaped by the horrors of the Holocaust which strengthened her
will to survive.h

I Have Lived A Thousand Years : Growing Up in the Holocaust (1977) by

Livia Bitton Jackson

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Poetic and graphic, these are the memoirs of a 13 year old Jewish girl who
endured the round-ups, transports, torture and forced labour of the Nazis when
they invaded Hungary in 1944.

No Pretty Pictures: A Child of War (2000) by Anita Lobel

This is a gripping memoir of surviving the Holocaust told through a childs eyes,
in the first person as she suffers capture and degradation from the age of 5-10,
while protecting her younger brother.

Four Perfect Pebbles: A Holocaust Story (1999) by Lila Perl

Based on Marion Blumenthal Lazans experiences in the concentration camp of
Bergen-Belsen where the nine-year old tries to gather four perfect pebbles every
day on the barren grounds, the author re-tells the story. Anne Frank was
deported to this camp and died there, but left no written record of her existence
there.

Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps (2002) by Andrea Warren
This is the story of a 12 year old Jewish boy in a concentration camp in Poland
whose friends tell him to treat it as a game, work hard and not take anything
personally in order to survive.

Survivors: True Stories of the Children in the Holocaust (20005) by Allan

Zullo, Mara Bovsun
These are true-life accounts of nine Jewish boys and girls whose lives were
charged with fear and danger as the Holocaust overtook Europe, but whose
courage saw them through.

In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer (2004) by Irene Gut Opdyke,

Jennifer Armstrong
A non-Jew,16 year old Catholic nurse has her training interrupted when the Nazis
invade Poland, but her Aryan good looks and her courage and resourcefulness
enable her to help Jews in the ghettos and to escape. Conscripted into th
service of the German army, she steals food and supplies and hides Jewish
prisoners in the home of a Nazi major for whom she worked as a housekeeper.

1 13
Annex A
Teaching Suggestion:
Building Prior Knowledge - What is the Holocaust and its place in World War
II?

Assigned Activity 1. Students are asked to read up on the Holocaust

(Internet sources) and make short notes on the
following:
The conclusion of World War I and the treaty of
Versailles
Germanys disgruntlement with the terms of the
treaty
The rise of Adolf Hitler capitalizing on national
resentment
Nazi Germany and militarilism
The Jewish problem and the Final Solution
Main figures eg Himmler, Eichmann, Mengele
The Gestapo and the Secret Service
Ghettoes and concentration camps
Auschwitz camp
The liberation by the Allies

Suggested Quiz
Activity
1. Class is divided into 2 groups and answer a series of
questions based on the above material.

2. Points to be scored by the winning team or prizes given

Alternative Presentation of research findings

activity Class can be divided into groups of four persons each, and
asked to take charge of different areas for presentation eg.
Adolf Hitler, Nazi Germany, the persecution of Jews,
concentration camps

1 14
ANNEX B (i)
Students Worksheet

THEMES

INTERPRETING THE OVERALL MEANING

What is the book all about?

Readers may react to the book differently. Here are some interpretations of the
meaning of the book. Show how far you agree with each response by filling in
your own response in each box:

The book is about perceptions, how we choose to view the world

The book is a criticism of the adult world

This book alters the truths of the Holocaust

1 15
ANNEX B (ii)
Students worksheet
THEMES

Fill in the boxes with the relevant details:

Friendship
Symbolic action

What Bruno does for Shmuel:

Quotation:

Family love and ties

Brunos admiration for his father is shown when

1 16
Shmuels pride in his mother is shown when ...

Discrimination
Abusive treatment of another race, class or group

Incident 1

Incident 2

Incident 3

Quotations to illustrate...

1.

2.

3.

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ANNEX B (iii)

Teaching Suggestion
CLASS DEBATE

Question: Does the novel present an optimistic or pessimistic view of

human nature?

Two teams of four members each can be chosen with one proposing that the
view of human nature presented in the text is optimistic (Team A) and the other
(Team B) opposing this view.

These are the areas each team can consider in coming up with their argument:

Team A Team B

Tone of narrative -
any evidence of
humour, light-
heatedness, love
and happiness or
anger, frustration,
violence?

Symbols,
metaphors, imagery

Attitude of
characters

Bruno and Shmuel

Brunos father
Brunos mother
Brunos
grandmother
Brunos grandfather
Gretel
Lieutenant Kotler
Pavel

Events that take

place, especially the
conclusion

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ANNEX C

Teaching Suggestion: EXAMINING THE NARRATIVE STRUCTURE

How effective is the opening chapter in conveying the mood and themes of
the novel?

How far would you consider the concluding chapter to be a satisfactory

end to the novel?

Trigger Activity for discussion of the opening chapter

1. Students watch the trailer from the Miramax film of The Boy in the Striped
Pyjamas (available on Youtube.com) which shows the opening scene of the film.

2. Teacher points out how the film version may differ from the actual opening
chapter of the book OR elicits these responses from the students themselves.

Main Activity
1. Class is divided into groups and asked to discuss how far the opening chapter
of the novel introduces the mood and themes effectively.

2. Presentation of points from each group follows, with a general class

discussion and conclusions reached.

Trigger Activity for discussion of the concluding chapter

1. Students watch the concluding scene from the Miramx film (also available on
youtube.com).

2. Teacher points how the differences and similarities between the film version
and the book OR elicits responses from the students themselves.

Main Activity
1. Class is divided into groups and asked to discuss how far the concluding
chapter is a satisfactory ending to the novel.

2. Presentation of points from each group follows.

3. Teacher is encouraged to entertain different points of view as there may be

students who feel strongly about the dramatic and powerful ending, viewing it as
tragic, unsuitable, incredible and even laughable, or fitting and totally justiable.

4. Students can be asked to write a short response each or to re-write the

ending to their own satisfaction.

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Annex D
Students worksheet

USE OF CONTRAST

The author frequently uses contrast to highlight differences.

Differences in places

Show the differences between Brunos old home in Berlin and the new house at
Out-With and how he feels about the change by filling in the boxes with the
relevant details:
Bruno loved his old home because

However, the new home

Differences between people

Show the differences between Bruno and Gretel in the way they regard people:

Bruno

Gretel

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ANNEX E

POINT OF VIEW

The novel is written from the innocent nine-year-old Brunos point of view and his
lack of knowledge of the Holocaust causes him to represent events without their
grim implications. For each observation, provide the actual fact or conclusion
that Bruno is unaware of:

From the window, Bruno and Gretel see that the fathers and grandfathers and
other people were all in striped caps and striped pyjamas

Herr Liszt tells Bruno that he will inform him of the wrongs done him

The Fury asks Gretel why she would want to speak French

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Bruno observes that the servants in the new house whisper to each other and
Pavel looks very unhappy and angry

Pavel tells Bruno that he was a doctor before, and Mother takes the credit of
attending to Brunos injuries

Lieutenant Kotler calls Pavel names and shows his anger when Pavel spills the
wine at dinner

Grandmother scolds Father for being proud of his new uniform

After crossing over the fence, Bruno is surprised when the room they are
marched into seems warm and airtight without the rain coming in

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ANNEX F
Students Worksheet

SIGNS AND SYMBOLS

The author uses signs and symbols which represent groups/organizations or

qualities linked to certain ideas or qualities. In each of the boxes, make a
drawing of the sign/symbol and say what each represents:

Yellow star
Swastika

The barbed-wire fence

What do these signs and symbols mean on some national flags?

The moon and crescent............

The hammer and sickle..............

.Countries which bear this symbol on their national flag........

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Students worksheet
IMAGERY OF CLOTHES

Costumes and uniforms are mentioned frequently in the book, starting from the
reference in the title to striped pyjamas which are actually the prison garb of the
Jewish prisoners in the concentration camps.

Examine the importance of each of these references to clothes, uniforms and

costumes by filling in the boxes beneath each extract:

Father .. looked very smart in his freshly pressed uniform. His thick dark hair had
obviously recently been lacquered and combed, and as Bruno watched from above he
felt both scared and in awe of him.

I wonder if all the performances I made you give as a boy led you to this. Dressing up
like a puppet on a string (Brunos Grandmother to her son)

Do I look handsome in my ringmasters costume? asked Bruno, for that was what he
had been wearing for the party that night the red and black outfit of a circus ringmaster
and he had been very proud of himself in it.

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Well, if thats the case, said Bruno, and if I had a pair of striped pyjamas too, then I
could come over on a visit and on one would be any the wiser.

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