Boy In Striped Pajamas

Very interesting story. Just when you think you have it figured out, it all changes! It will keep you on your feet!

Ottimo per chi ha bisogno di consolidare la conoscenza della lingua inglese. Non troppo facile, né troppo difficile.

It is quite possible that more has been written about The Holocaust than any other historical event in history. Not just in regard to hard research, but many of the world’s finest novelists have fictionalized the story, film makers have touched upon the subject, playwrights, composers, painters and poets. If there has been a way to express the shock- and shock is an understatement in this case- it has been attempted.
John Boyne, a gifted and now internationally known Irish author, wrote the book “The Boy In The Stripped Pajamas” in about two weeks time. As he said, in order to maintain “the voice,” once he began he was afraid to stop. The same is true when reading it- we are compelled to continue and it is evident from early in the book that Boyne has disguised the terminal words so that it can apply to any and all of the other holocausts’ that occurred prior to and after this one. In fact, only once does Boyne choose to use a “telling” word; on page 54 one of the officers says, “Heil Hitler” but then we are told that the boy assumed that this was like saying, “Well, goodbye for now and have a pleasant afternoon.”
The boy, his name Bruno; his age nine, misunderstands the key words and Auschwitz is written as “Out-With” every single time. The negative pun- the only way I could describe this- suggests the old work rhythm, “In with the good; out with the bad.” Then the boy mishears the Furher as The Fury” and this negative pun needs no description at all. We have a moment when Bruno meets “The Fury” as well as “her” when they come for dinner and Bruno is appalled at how small The Fury is, but how kind the beautiful blonde woman with him is (her name is simply Eva).
The innocence and ignorance of this young boy is as critical to the brilliance of this work as the story of the Titanic. (I speak not just of Cameron’s film, but Maury Yeston’s musical, “a Night to Remember” and the three other films made between 1938 and 1984) Boyne uses the literary tool that his audience not only knows so much more than Bruno, but that we are anticipating the sadness that ends the novel. So we are prepared to cry but when the end does come, Boyne shocks us in such a way that instead of tears, our mouths are opened in the O shape that he uses to describe several characters through the book.
This book is by no means a “Sophie’s Choice” though the horror is just as shocking, but few writers in history have been able to achieve what William Styron did. Still Styron’s novel and Boyne’s novel use a similar foundation but their books are about very different things. Where the ending is horrifyingly shocking and, like Styron’s “Sophie’s Choice,” completely unexpected (who in fact could have imagined an ending such as this one) the poignancy of “The Boy In Striped Pajamas” makes it impossible for this book- and the fame it will bring Mr. Boyne, you heard it here first- to become satirized in any way. Because the innocence and ignorance, as a result of the way his parents have shielded Bruno, is a metaphor for the way in which the population who was aware of the death camps were inactive; complacent and how the same continues to occur day after day from the beginning of recorded time to the continued genocide in Darfur- the world’s largest death camp- to which the UN has placed sanctions against while The full force of the American military tore apart Iraq in search of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
The current political winds in the United States suggest that Gay Americans and Female Americans are just as vulnerable. All of these circumstances suggest that you could very well be next. John Boyne manages to suggest all of this is his two hundred page fable using a modicum of brilliantly chosen words.
John Boyle has sub-titled his book, A Fable” and it is. His final words are like a double edged sword:
“And that’s the end of the story of Bruno and his family. Of course all of this
happened a long time ago and nothing like that could ever happen again.
Not in this day and age.”

The irony of this ending reminds us that this is a fable, but more so, it makes us stop and think of the responsibility that we all owe to anyone who has been maltreated, either in the form of Bruno, Anne Frank, Sophie Zawotoski or Carol Stewart, Amy Fitzpatrick, Dave Pelzer and the millions of others.
This novel is worthy of a prize. It’s not a children’s book, though my children should read it. It’s not an adult book, but all adults should read it. This would rule out the Newbury or Caldecott. In regard to its literary merit, the American version needs some editorial work (only once did the editors miss a pajamas and leave pyjamas) but the writing is pristine and brilliant and worthy of The Pulitzer. As far as The Nobel Prize for Literature, it is worthy there too. But mostly it’s is worthy of you. And, like “Sophie’s Choice” I am told that a motion picture is in the making. Depending on whose hands it falls into this could be a miracle. The innocent eyes through which Bruno’s story unfolds are critical and these innocent eyes are just as important as Sophie’s guilty and lying soul. If Benton could do it, perhaps “The Boy In The Stripped Pajamas” will as well.
But there are a lot of “Maybes” involved with the hopes of John Boyne, this critic and every other artist who has attempted to move us. As far as I can see, Boyne has done his part. This book, like Elie Weisel’s “Night” needs to be published in as many languages as possible and marketed toward as many customers as possible. No one should keep this book from the hands of a nine year old nor should anyone consider it a book too young for adults.
In short, this is a remarkable book in every way and perhaps, after more times has passed for thinking and another read through or so, l may well see that there is no other possible way for this story to have ended.
Not in this day and age.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne is a well-written piece of literature, in which we follow Bruno, a nine-year-old boy, while he goes through circumstances that will transform his life.
The book starts out in the city of Berlin, Germany, where Bruno is quite content with what his life consists of. He has a big house with five floors (if you count the basement and the little room at the top with the window), as well as three best friends for life. He comes home one day and discovers that the maid is packing all of his possessions into four large crates, then later finds out from his mother that they are moving. When he arrives at the new house he utterly loathes it. The new house only has three floors, is miles from any other dwellings, and there’s a strange tall fence behind it. Bruno meets a boy on the other side of the barricade and befriends him, but a perfect friendship doesn’t always promise a perfect ending.
Written from a child’s point of view, innocence is a major theme of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Bruno doesn’t know the difference between good and evil, and can’t seem to figure out the difference between himself and the boy on the other side of the fence. Bruno’s friendship with this boy demonstrates an extreme lack of knowledge. The people on the other side of the fence were Jews, and he was German. During that time there was extreme prejudice held against the Jews. They were considered less than human, and no German that wanted any respect would have anything to do with them. Innocence and prejudice go hand in hand, a lack of innocence can lead one to prejudice, but if one has innocence, there can be no prejudice. Innocence can keep you from harm, but in Bruno’s case, it led him straight into it.
John Boyne’s writing captures the very essence of equality. None of the adults realize that Jews are no different than they are, and yet Bruno can see past the mask of prejudice and recognizes that he is indeed the same as the boy on the other side of the fence. Boyne writes the way a child would think, for example: “[Bruno’s] mouth made the shape of an O (pg 6).” The average adult would not think this way. Boyne also supplants words like “Führer” with “Fury”. Because Boyne is writing from a child’s point of view, his writing corresponds with the mentality of a child. Boyne’s sentences are exceedingly lengthy and sometimes slightly confusing, which can make reading aloud quite difficult, rereading certain passages may be necessary. Silent reading will essentially eliminate this problem, and will keep the message unhindered. Reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a great experience, and it will definitely be worth your while.
John Boyne’s book reveals the major injustices of the Holocaust, while creating a bond between us and the characters. Overall The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a fantastic novel that everyone should take the time to read.

Such an amazing, heart breaking book. Well written and simplified to understand the horror they all went through during the early 90s

This book presented the horrors of the NAZI regime from the prospective of the family members of NAZIs. It is well written and grabbed my attention. It’s one of those books that I continue to think about long after I’ve read it.

The skibidi adventures were very interesting to learn and each character had aura. They all had goats tho. SIGMA OUT.