The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” was written by John Boyne who was a novelist born in Ireland in 1971. He has won Irish Book AwardsChildren’ Book of the year for this novel. It also turned into the same name film.

This is tragic storytelling from Bruno, the hero in the book, perspective. The story has three parts. The first part is talking about how much Bruno is missing Berlin and why Berlin is more fun than the new place, “Out-With”. The second part is talking about how Bruno is slowing adapting and trying to explore the new environment, include new places or new friends. The last part is how Bruno enjoyed his new life and trying to help his new friend, Shmuel, to find his father.

Bruno is a German commandant’s son, who is optimistic and always try to find out answers from asking others or exploring himself. His father got a promotion and had to move the whole family, Bruno, Bruno’s older sister, Gretel, and Bruno’s mother to the new place. The Maid, Maria, was also coming with the family to take care of them. Bruno did not like the place because he did not have any friends to play with or talk to. He would think about all the great memories back in the old home, Berlin. He missed his grandmother and grandfather the most. Bruno missed grandmother’s Christmas singing and her handmade costume for Bruno and Gretel for the Christmas party. Grandfather has been running the restaurant for this entire life and proud of his son being German commandant who is responsible for supervision of a concentration camp siteOut-With. But grandmother was not the case at all. She felt that the soldiers should be ashamed of themselves for doing the terrible things to other countries, not a patriot at all.

Bruno remembered that he used to enjoy exploration around his old house. He continued the exploration within the Out-with neighborhood. He did not listen to his parent’s warming about walking anywhere near the fence or the camp. It led him to meet the Poland boy, Shmuel, who was sitting with cross-legged inside the fence. This is the turning point for Bruno. He felt happy for the first time ever since at Out-With.

Shmuel started to share his story and feeling with Bruno about his background and how he ended up in the camp. In the end, he askedBruno’s help on finding his father. But sadly, both died in the gas room while holding each other hands. His father later found out how Bruno was possibility died from.