Boy+in+the+Striped+Pyjamas+3



This page looks at three important elements of any text study:

 * ==Setting - Where and when the story is set ==
 * ==Characterisation - how the characters are portrayed by the author ==
 * ==Themes - the main ideas of the story. ==

=SETTING =

John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas takes place in Nazi Germany. The main character, Bruno, moves with his family from Berlin to "Out-With," which is actually Gretel's way of pronouncing the name of one of Germany's most notorious death camps: [|Auschwitz]. Gretel (Bruno's slightly older sister) explains: Though the concentration camp bore this name, it was also the name of the town where it was located, on the border between two countries: Germany and Poland. Auschwitz had originally been Polish, but it was "incorporated within the German Reich" in 1939. It was not returned to the Polish until after World War II. The "extermination" (concentration) camp was built there in 1940.  Bruno's father originally works in Berlin, though Bruno is not sure what he does. For those familiar with the history of World War II and of Nazi Germany, "Fury" refers to the Fuhrer, the name by which [|Adolf Hitler], the leader of the Nazi movement was called.  The people Bruno and Gretel see from the window are boys and men: As the inmates at Auschwitz were separated men from women, Bruno and Grete are only able to see the males. Later Bruno will meet the "boy in the striped pajamas," when he goes where he is absolutely not allowed to go—called "Out Of Bounds At All Times And No Exceptions." The boy's clothes are not pajamas, but a uniform issued to the captives at Auschwitz. The boy's name is Shmuel, and because he has a star on his "pajamas," the reader will realize that Shmuel is a Jew. Of all the races of people the Nazis endeavored to destroy, they passionately tried to exterminate the Jews more than any other group.  So the story is set some time after 1940, when the labor camp was built, but prior to the end of the war (1945) when those who remained alive at Auschwitz were freed by the Allies—in this case, the Red Army (soldiers of the Soviet Union). And Bruno's father is a member of the Nazi army.
 * I heard Father say that whoever lived here at Out-With before us lost their job very quickly and didn't have time to make the place nice for us.
 * But when they asked Bruno what his father did he opened his mouth to tell them, then realized that he didn't know himself. All he could say was that his father was a man to watch and that the Fury had big things in mind for him. Oh, and that he had a fantastic uniform too.
 * There were small boys and big boys, fathers and grandfathers. Perhaps a few uncles, too.

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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Using Google Maps - grab a screen shot of both Berlin and Auschwitz. Circle both locations. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Then find 3 pictures of each location from about 1940. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Research 4 facts that you can find about Germany in 1940. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Who was in charge? What was life like for Jewish people at that time? What was the Holocaust? <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> What was a Concentration Camp?

=<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">CHARACTERISATION = <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Complete the Following.
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Copy and paste the Character information from below.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">For each character find an image from the Web that you think best matches the description and your visualisation of the character.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">For each of the main characters, find THREE QUOTES from the novel that best summarise the character's ideas and personality.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Bruno** – He is a nine year old boy from Berlin that moves to Poland because his father is the Military Commandant and they have to go and live by a concentration camp that the Jews are being held captive, but he is still confused and not sure why he is there. He is very curious and loves going on new adventures and discovering new things. He has a twelve year old sister names Gretel that is always in his business, she thinks that she knows what is best for him, and he was secretly scared of him. When on one of his adventures he met Shmuel on the other side of the fence and became friends with him as they shared stories with each other and took food to him.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Gretel** - Bruno's twelve year old sister, known as the 'Hopeless Case' is always interested in everyone else's business. She does not really get along with Bruno, she likes to treat him like he is six, and made sure that he knew that she was in charge and he was to do what she told him to do. She really does not like new things, and is always playing with her dolls. Has a crush on Lieutenant Kurt Kotler that Bruno really does not like.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Mother** - Bruno and Gretel's mother, snobby and knows what she wants and then gets it. Mother is tall with long red hair that is usually up. She is very dependant on their maid Maria. Did not speak of Father that much and tries to always look on the bright side. She also tries to hide what is going on from the children.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Father** - The father of Bruno and Gretel, a Military Commandant. He and his family were re-located out of Berlin and into Poland right outside a concentration camp. He is always out or in his office that no one is allowed in. Also, he does not spend much time with his family, his work takes up most of his time.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Maria** – She is the family maid that they all take advantage of besides Bruno. Her and Bruno get along very well and enjoy talking to each other. Her mother knew Father when they were little; she helped Bruno's grandmother with her clothing arrangements when she was in concert. When her mother became very ill Father took Maria into his household, and paid for all of the hospital care out of his own pocket. When she passed away he paid for all of the expenses for her funeral as well and now Maria still lives with them and works as their maid.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Shmuel** - A nine year old Jewish boy that is from Poland, he is very confuse on where he is and what he is doing in the concentration camp on the other side of the fence. He is stuck with hundreds of other families in this camp and has nothing for himself. Him and Bruno share the same birthday and they have a lot of things in common. Bruno was on one of his adventures he met Shmuel and they became friends. Bruno took food to him and they talked and kept each other company.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Pavel** - The Butler of the house that had been placed there because he is Jewish. He helped Bruno patch up his knee once he fell from the swing.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Lieutenant Kurt Kotler** - A mean, strict eighteen year old that is in the military, hangs around Bruno's house and thinks that he controls it when Father is gone.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Herr Liszt** – He is Bruno's tutor that helps him with his education and wanted him to be less adventurous and more into school work.

=<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">THEMES =

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">"The major theme of this novel is the question of who chooses those who are one side of the fence and those who are the other."

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Innocence
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Innocence is an important theme throughout the novel. Although Bruno and Shmuel share a certain childlike innocence, the reality is that Shmuel is a prisoner in Auschwitz and has certainly seen horrific sights. Bruno, on the other hand, is fiercely protected by his parents who do not want him to know about the horrors of the reality that is the Holocaust; in particular, they go to great lengths to keep the details of Bruno's father's job a secret from him. The juxtaposition of such innocence with the inherent evil of the Holocaust sets a poignant tone. This theme reinforces the idea that hatred and prejudice are learned behaviors.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Friendship
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Another significant theme in the novel is friendship. The desire for friendship is universal and at no time is it more important than during childhood. Bruno and Shmuel exist in two completely different worlds but share a mutual desire for companionship during a difficult and lonely time. In spite of their remarkably different circumstances, Bruno and Shmuel forge a meaningful friendship. As their friendship develops, it is tested on many occasions as the boys navigate their individual realities. When Shmuel is brought to Bruno's house to work as a servant, Bruno denies knowing him and giving him food; consequently, Shmuel is punished for stealing food (which Bruno had given him). Both boys know that they would be in terrible trouble if anyone were to find out about their friendship so they keep it a secret. Ultimately, the boys unknowingly march to their death hand in hand with no one in the world but each other.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Choose Three questions from below to respond to.... **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Why do you think Bruno and Shmuel become friends and stay friends?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">How do the friendships that Bruno has in Berlin at the beginning of the movie compare with his friendship with Shmuel?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Does the friendship between Bruno and Shmuel evolve in the story? How?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Why doesn’t Bruno try to protect his friend when Shmuel is attacked by Lieutenant Kotler?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Have you ever done something to a friend that made you feel bad or ashamed? How does shame and remorse figure into the friendship between Bruno and Shmuel? How does Bruno show his remorse?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Why does Shmuel forgive Bruno? How?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">How is it possible for Bruno and Shmuel to have fun together and maintain their friendship in the midst of their circumstances?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">How does Bruno justify continuing his friendship with Shmuel despite what his father, sister, and tutor have said about Jews?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">The barbed wire fence is a physical separation between Bruno and Shmuel. What other types of separation does the fence represent in this story?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">How do Bruno and Shmuel demonstrate the essence of friendship despite their many differences? What are their differences?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">How can people use the power of friendship to cross boundaries of race, religion, and culture?

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Acts of Humanity
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">The author of the book and the creators of the movie crafted the story as a fable. A fable is story with a moral, one that teaches a lesson about humanity.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Choose Three questions from below to respond to.... **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Think about fables you know and the lessons associated with those fables. What are the lessons to be learned from this fable, and the moral of this story?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Contrast Pavel’s treatment of Bruno when the boy fell from the tire swing with the way Pavel is treated by Bruno’s family.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mother saying “thank you” to Pavel for treating Bruno is an important turning point for her. What has changed for the mother at this point?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">At times, Father is shown as a loving parent and husband. How is that possible given his role as a Nazi officer giving orders to treat people inhumanely?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bruno tried to help Shmuel find his father despite being frightened and wanting to go home. Why?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">What does Bruno say and do to show his growing understanding of the inhumanity going on around him, including to his friend Shmuel?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Have you ever been in a situation where a person was mistreated? What actions did you take? How did you feel after acting or not acting?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bruno secretly took food from his house to give to Shmuel because it was one concrete way he could help his friend. Have you ever done something to help people who didn’t have enough food? What can people do today to help people who are starving around the world?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Do you know anyone, or have you read about Jews or other persecuted people, who survived the Holocaust or other grave circumstances due to the courageous actions of others? Share those stories.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">What do you think causes people to treat others in such horrific ways as was done during the Holocaust? Are there people being treated like this anywhere in the world today? What is or can be done to stop it?

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Exploring Prejudice and Discrimination
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">The story takes place during a traumatic period in the world’s history.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Choose Three questions from below to respond to.... **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Prejudice is an attitude while discrimination is a behavior. Explore these differences?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Have you ever been discriminated against? When have you witnessed discrimination against other people or discriminated against someone else?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">What is a stereotype? Why do people stereotype groups that are different from them? How does the movie depict Nazis stereotyping Jews?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">A scapegoat is blamed for things they are not responsible for. During the Holocaust, Jews be- came scapegoats, blamed for all the troubles in Germany. Why were they made scapegoats?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gretel becomes prejudiced against Jews. Who influenced her? How does she show her prejudiced views?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">What is Mother’s reaction when she sees Gretel’s room decorated with Nazi posters?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">What happens to cause Mother to question her own prejudice against Jews?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">When Bruno first finds out that Shmuel is Jewish, he says: “You’re a Jew. You can’t be. I think I should go now.” Why does Bruno react that way at first?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">When you hear someone make a biased comment about a group of people, what do you usu- ally do? How hard is it to stand up to prejudice and discrimination? Why?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the story, who fights against prejudice and discrimination? Give examples of people in his- tory who fought against prejudice and discrimination.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">What conflicts around the world today are the result of prejudice? What are its effects on innocent people, including children?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">In your opinion, what does the end of story symbolize? Why?

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Human Nature
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">The theme of human nature also proves to be central to the story. Readers will question how Bruno's father and sister, along with so many other Germans, can be such staunch believers in the Nazi propaganda while Bruno remains compassionate and even, some might argue, resistant to the same ideas. Bruno and Shmuel represent all that is kind and decent in humans as well as the potential that they have to do good. Conversely, Bruno's father and Lieutenant Kotler reveal man's capacity for evil. The novel points out the choice humans must make regarding how they treat others. On a similar note, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas also considers the dangers of conformity and people's reluctance to take a stand in the face of adversity.

=<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Definitions** = <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Concentration Camps:** prisons set up by German Nazis where Jews and other people considered “undesirable” were starved, tortured, killed, or left to die of disease. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Discrimination:** treating people differently simply because they belong to a certain race, religion, gender, or other group. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Gas Chambers:** buildings constructed to allow poisonous gas to be used for the extermination of Jews and others during the Holocaust. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Genocide:** the intentional killing of people who belong to a particular race, religion, culture, or other group. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Holocaust:** refers to the mass killing by German Nazis of six million Jews in Europe during World War II. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Prejudice:** biased attitude toward individuals based solely on their race, religion, nationality, or other characteristic. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Propaganda:** information purposely distorted to sway people’s thinking in a particular direction Shoah: the Hebrew word for “tragedy” that is used to refer to the Holocaust

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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Time to go to the last page in our unit.......