The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (1-54)

Summary

The story starts out with 9-year-old Bruno coming home and finding out that him and his family are moving. Maria, a family maid, is introduced as well as Lars, a family butler, who are busily helping with packing. Bruno is surprised by the unexpected the move and starts to question why it is that they are doing so. His initial thought was that they were going to stay in Berlin, their hometown, or relatively close. Bruno’s mother seems like she definitely does not want to move. Her eyes were red, as from crying. They are moving far away (from Berlin and extended family). Bruno is highly upset at the thought of leaving his beloved house and 3 best friends. They are moving because of Bruno’s father’s job, which isn’t blatantly said. He left to the new home a few days prior to when the story begins. Bruno’s father is an important man. He wears a uniform and had his family picked up in a car with red and black flags on the outside. Instead of having a numerical address their new house is called “out with”. Bruno doesn’t like the house at all and wants to move back. In the house Bruno encounters a soldier that works for his father, who too wears a uniform and is very serious. Has also has boyishly light blonde hair. After awkward encounter Bruno wanders and finds a window in his room to look out of. Even though he doesn’t quite get along with his sister Gretel, 12 years old, he rushes to her to show her what his view. They see high barbed wire fences, soldiers, and groups of males chained together in striped pajamas, some even crying. Bruno was told never to go into his father’s office, however since his soldiers where gone and he hadn’t seen his father in days, Bruno thought it okay. Bruno’s father was happy to see him and shook his hand. Bruno immediately tells him he wants to go back to Berlin. His father sternly tells him no and to get used to the new house. Before leaving Bruno asks his father who the people he saw out of his window were. His father says that they weren’t people and not to worry about them. Bruno’s father salutes Bruno and says “Heil Hitler” as he exits.

Quote

“At the top of the fence enormous bales of barbed wire were tangled in spirals, and Gretel felt an unexpected pain inside her as she looked at the sharp spikes sticking out all the way around it" (Boyne 32).

Reaction

Even though Bruno and Gretel do not know exactly what it is they are looking at, they get a sense that it is an unpleasant place. Bruno seems to empathize with the people outside of his window then his sister does. Gretel is not really concerned with the fact that they all look unhappy, but with the fact that the people are filthy. She keeps asking why they don’t just take showers, as if it were that simple. She also fails to realize that the men are filthy as a result of heavy labor. Gretel has sort of has a know-it-all attitude unlike her younger brother, her brother who, before making any judgment, tries to understand the gravity of the situation. Bruno senses that they are under strict order of the soldiers, so much so that they may not even permit the men to shower daily.