Summary
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne follows Bruno, a nine-year-old German child, during World War II. Bruno and his family relocate near Auschwitz, where his father works as the Commandant. The story presents themes of innocence and friendship amid the realities of a Nazi concentration camp. Bruno befriends Shmuel, a Jewish boy across a barbed-wire fence, capturing the wonder of children’s capacity for curiosity, kindness, and compassion amid the divisions and hatred of war.
Plot
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas centers on Bruno, a nine-year-old boy who moves from Berlin with his family when his father is appointed the Commandant of Auschwitz. Bruno, mistakenly calling the camp "Out-With," finds a fence separating his new home from the nearby camp. There, he meets Shmuel, a boy his age wearing what Bruno perceives as "striped pajamas."
Despite warnings, Bruno befriends Shmuel, regularly visiting and sharing food. Their friendship grows, unaware of the grim realities around them. Bruno eventually dons the "striped pajamas" to help Shmuel search for his missing father in the camp. This leads to their unintended inclusion in a group heading to the gas chamber, where they hold hands.
The father contends with the aftermath, weighed down by guilt. The narrative highlights the impacts of prejudice and war through a child's perspective.
Characters
Bruno: A nine-year-old who moves to Auschwitz with his family due to his father's military role. His friendship with a boy on the other side of the fence is central to the narrative.
Shmuel: A captive in Auschwitz who forms a friendship with Bruno. Their shared birthdays highlight their understanding despite different circumstances.
Father (Ralf): Auschwitz’s Commandant, responsible for camp operations. He embodies the ideological and moral conflicts of his position.
Mother: She struggles with the moral implications of her husband's role at Auschwitz and the family's relocation.
Gretel: Bruno’s sister, who adopts Nazi ideologies under her tutor’s influence, reflecting the impact of propaganda.
Lieutenant Kotler: An Auschwitz officer whose presence introduces tension within Bruno's family.
Pavel: Formerly a doctor, now serving at Auschwitz, Pavel represents the loss of identity among prisoners.
Herr Liszt: The tutor for Bruno and Gretel, Liszt promotes Nazi propaganda that influences the children's beliefs.
Maria: The family maid, navigating the complexities of loyalty and moral conflict.
Grandmother: She opposes her son’s involvement with the Nazis, providing a voice of moral resistance in the family.
Grandfather: He supports his son’s military role, reflecting familial divisions.
Themes
Innocence
In The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, innocence is central to the narrative, depicted through Bruno's naive perspective and lack of understanding of his harsh environment. Bruno perceives the world with simplicity, which contrasts with the grim reality of Auschwitz. His mispronunciations, such as "The Fury" for Adolf Hitler and "Out-With" for Auschwitz, indicate his innocent misunderstanding.
Bruno's friendship with Shmuel, a Jewish prisoner, further reflects this theme. Bruno does not comprehend the societal and racial divides of the Holocaust and sees Shmuel, in his striped pajamas, as just another boy. This innocence fosters a friendship without prejudice. Bruno's lack of awareness leads to tragic consequences, underscoring the theme of innocence against the backdrop of war.
Symbolism of the fence
The fence in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas symbolizes division and segregation. It separates Bruno, a German boy, from Shmuel, a Jewish boy imprisoned at Auschwitz. This barrier embodies the reality of Nazi ideology, which divides lives and humanity. On another level, the fence represents the divide between innocence and the brutal truths of war. Despite this, Bruno and Shmuel's friendship grows across it. This connection suggests shared humanity that challenges the barriers of prejudice.
Quick facts
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, written from a child's perspective, emphasizes innocence and friendship against the grim backdrop of the Holocaust.
John Boyne completed his first draft of the novel in roughly two and a half days.
Bruno, the story’s nine-year-old protagonist, is the son of a high-ranking Nazi Commandant stationed at Auschwitz, causing the family to move nearby.
Bruno mispronounces Auschwitz as 'Out-With,” highlighting his innocence toward the camp's horrific reality.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas explores the friendship between Bruno and Shmuel, a Jew, representing unity and innocence amid societal division and prejudice.
The symbolic use of the “striped pajamas” represents the systematic dehumanization of concentration camp prisoners.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas has been translated into 58 languages, selling over 11 million copies globally.
The story was adapted into a successful film in 2008, a ballet in 2017, and an opera in 2023.
A book sequel titled 'All the Broken Places' was published by John Boyne in 2022.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is frequently used in schools, despite criticisms of its historical inaccuracies and oversimplifications of the Holocaust.
Film adaptation
The 2008 film adaptation of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas maintains the novel’s themes and the core story of Bruno and Shmuel’s friendship, while introducing new elements and character nuances. Directed by Mark Herman, the movie stars Asa Butterfield as Bruno and features Vera Farmiga as his mother, a minor role in the book that receives more attention in the screen version. The climax features a visual portrayal of Bruno's family's search for him, revealing the consequences of innocence amid historical events.
About the author
John Boyne is an author known for exploring complex themes and historical settings in his works of fiction for both adults and young readers. Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1971, he studied English literature at Trinity College Dublin and earned a master's degree in creative writing from the University of East Anglia, receiving the Curtis Brown Prize. Shortly after, Boyne began writing novels, including The Thief of Time (2000) and Crippen (2004). His notable success came with The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2006), a middle-grade novel capturing the innocence of childhood amid the horrors of the Holocaust through the friendship of a German boy and a young Jewish prisoner at Auschwitz.
