The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

by John Boyne

2006

What an amazing and heartbreaking book.

This 216 page “fable” is about a nine year old boy in Nazi Germany, named Bruno.

Originally from Berlin, Bruno moves to just outside a concentration camp where his father serves as Commandant.
That is, he’s in charge.

Here, at his new home, Bruno lives his life on the outside looking in.

Bruno gazes out his bedroom window, across the fence, across the forest and into the countryside beyond.

He wonders why there are so many people over there.

Is there a village?

He wonders why the children have so many playmates.

Can he join them?

He wonders why everyone wears the same striped “pajamas”.

Don’t they have other clothes?

Bruno eventually makes friends with a boy named Shmuel, a resident of the camp.

Through the fence.

Every afternoon the boys meet and every afternoon Bruno complains about his dull life, his small home, his annoying older sister.
Shmuel just listens.

Bruno sometimes brings a snack for his new friend, but gets hungry along the way and eats it.
Shmuel just nods. 

Despite months and months of looking out the window and months and months of meeting with Shmuel, Bruno remains completely unaware about life on the other side of the fence.

Until the end.

 

For all its heartbreak, I truly loved this book.

Written in the first person, the author's voice is perfectly nine year old. How Bruno speaks, how Bruno thinks, how Bruno sees, how Bruno understands his surroundings.

Great writing.

For the sake of discussion,

I have often wondered why local German people didn't stand up to the concentration camps, the extermination camps, the endless transports.

When I asked this question the answer I was given was, “Nobody knew.”

Personally, I think the answer is more involved. Naivete, as demonstrated by Bruno, was only part of it.

But, people have been debating this answer for over 60 years so I won't pretend to answer it in the lines of this blog.

On another note, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was made into a movie in 2009. Staying true to the book, the movie was just as amazing and just as heartbreaking.

I would recommend both.

Reading on...