The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne
Main Characters: Bruno, Shmuel
Chapters: 20
Setting: Auschwitz, Poland

The book I have read is The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.  The main character, Bruno, lives in Germany in a city called Berlin.  Bruno's mom, dad, sister, grandparents, and best friends love Germany.  Bruno had very good times with his best friend.  He loves to play with his friends and they love to explore.  he wants to be an explorer.  Now he has to leave them.  Bruno does not know what his father's job is, but he does know what his friends' father jobs are.  All he knows is that his father has an office at home, where many soldiers come to talk to him.  His father talks about someone called the Fury [Hitler] his boss.  He said that they have to move, because he is being given a promotion by the Fury.  They moved to Auschwitz, Poland.

Bruno misses his friends and his grandparents.  Mother said he'll make new friends, but he still begs, cries, and pleads to go back home.  Bruno does not know how to say Auschwitz so he says out with house, out with town, and out with camp.

Bruno gets really bored and asks Lieutenant Kolter for a rope and a tire.  Lt. Kolte ris another soldier in the Fury's army.  He hangs around Bruno's home like they are his family and it is his home.  Bruno makes a tire swing but is still bored.  Father tells Bruno to stay away from the camp.  He and his sister try to figure out what kind of camp it is.  They know it's not a good one, because the people at the camp are dirty and they wear the same pajamas everyday the striped ones.

One day Bruno gets so bored that he breaks a rule.  He goes walking near the camp.  Bruno saw a boy on the other side of the fence.  Bruno and the boy talk together.  The boy's name is Shmuel.  They told each other where they are born.  Bruno in Berlin, Shmuel in Poland.  Bruno and Shmuel are living in Poland.  Bruno did not know that.  It turns out that Shmuel and Bruno have the same birthday 4/15/34.  They almost felt like twins, except Bruno is healthier looking.  Bruno asks what is is like on that side of the fence.  Shmuel said it was cruel.  He said soldiers gathered men and boys and put them in this camp but neither of them knew what kind of camp it was.  The women and girls were taken somewhere else.  Bruno asked what kind of food he eats.  Shmuel said he eats very little.  So every day Bruno went to the fence and gave Shmuel food like bread and cheese, and they talked about their lives.

Mother was having a party so Kolter came over and brought Shmuel to help clean.  So when Bruno went in to the kitchen both boys were surprised to see each other.  Shmuel did not know Bruno lived here.  Bruno did not know what Shmuel was doing.  Shmuel explained Kolter brought him to clean.  Bruno took out turkey and offered Shmuel some but Shmuel said he would get in trouble.  Bruno said he would not get in trouble so he just stuffed it in his hand.  Shmuel gobbled it right up.  Kolter thought Shmuel stole food.  Shmuel said his friend gave it to him.  Bruno said he had never seen him in his life.  Nothing much happened except Kolter told Bruno to stay away from Shmuel.

The next day Bruno said he was sorry.  Shmuel told Bruno that he could not find his papa.  Bruno said he would help.  Shmuel said he would get him some striped pajamas.  Again they felt like twins, except Shmuel looked thinner and paler.  Bruno now felt like a Jew.  They had become best friends.  Then Bruno lifted up the fence and rolled under.  He thought that there would be children playing and there would be food and grown ups would be sitting on porches.  But he was surprised that there was not.  People were looking at the ground, scared and sad.  Bruno wanted to go home but Shmuel told him that they had to find his papa.  They spent one hour and thirty minutes looking for Shmuel's papa and did not find him.  It started to get dark.

They heard a loud whistle and 10 soldiers came out.  Bruno got nervous and wanted to go home.  The boys were surrounded by grown (prisoners) men and shoved along to a building (gas chambers).  The boys were holding hands, squeezing tight.  it is assumed they died.  They were never heard from again.  Later Bruno's parents discovered his clothes his father sat thought and finally figured what happened.

To me the moral of the story is don't judge somebody before you know them and you can become friends with anybody regardless of differences, and true friends are there for you no matter what.

--TK, 6th