Chapter 11+12

What are the main themes of the novel so far?


Fear, Ignorance, Innocence and mistreatment

What are the main techniques?

Juxtaposition, imagery, alliteration, simile, irony.

Think of 5 important questions for each of these two chapters about how important motifs and themes play a role in each chapter.

Chapter 11:
Who is the Fury?
How is Juxtaposition used in this chapter
What are Mother and Father arguing about
Who is Eva
How is the Fury portrayed (Bruno's perspective.)

Chapter 12
Why does Maria 'freeze' when Bruno tells her
Why is Shmuel made to wear and armband
How is Juxtaposition used in this chapter
Why does Bruno mumble under his breath on page 130

Chapter 10 Questions

(105) What does the progression of 'dot' to 'boy' tell us about the role of exploring and meeting the people in the camp? What does this represent about how other Germans view the Jews?
The progression of the dot to boy tells us that Bruno's sense of exploration is important and allows him to meet new people and find answers he's been searching for. This represents the other Germans views of Jews as just an object to explore.
(109) What effect does the boys both having the same birthday have?
The boys having the same birthday represents the similarity of people put into the camp and people outside of the camp. It shows us that Shmuel and Bruno are actually quite alike. 
(113-4) What do Bruno and Shmuel 'argue' about? What does Bruno decide to stop the argument?
Bruno and Shmuel argue about German being the greatest country. Bruno decides to stop the argument because he doesn't want to sound rude in front of his new friend and he wants to make the most out of talking to someone on the other side of the fence. 
(115) What does Bruno's last question reveal to Shmuel? What do you think Shmuel thinks of Bruno because of asking this question?
Bruno's last question reveals to Shmuel that Bruno doesn't know whats happening and who he is. I think Shmuel thinks of Bruno as an ignorant German and also innocent.

Chapter 9 Questions

(pg95-96) How is Lt Kotler portrayed? Why is he portrayed this way? (remember that 'how' is asking about literary techniques)


Lt Kotler is portrayed as the typical soldier from the Holocaust. They use alliteration to emphasize it.


What is Herr Liszt going to 'change' for Bruno? (98)
Herr Liszt is going to change Bruno's knowledge of the Holocaust and the German history.(100) What connection does Bruno make between the people in the camp and the people that come and visit his house all the time?
Bruno thinks that the people in the camp are working for the men that come and visit him all the time.
What some of the things that Bruno begins to take notice of regarding the relationship between the soldiers and the people in 'pyjamas'?
Bruno starts to notice that the soldiers tell the people in pyjamas what to do and they're their bosses.

Chapter 7 questions

How is the mother's defence of Herr Roller entirely ironic?
Mother's defense of Herr Roller is ironic because she deeply cares about him because he is less able and is defenseless against Bruno yet the camp is right next to them and her husband is running it. 

What role does Kotler represent historically in the novel? (think beyond being a soldier)

Kotler represents the ignorant and bad Germans. and the "perfect" German

What character is Kotler juxtaposed with in this chapter? What effect does it have on understanding each of these characters?

Kotler juxtaposes Maria because Kotler is a bad evil German that orders around the Jews and thinks nothing of them and uses bad words which Bruno doesn't even know towards them whilst Maria is a kind German that thinks well of everyone and is trying to keep Bruno out of trouble and is doing what she thinks is right.

How would you compare the interaction Bruno has with Pavel to all the other interactions Bruno has had with adults?
 Bruno is interested and wants to know more about Pavel and has a feeling that Pavel is an interesting man. He also gets confused with Pavel for why he isn't in a hospital because he doesn't understand why Pavel is there. He also talks to Pavel as sort of a friend and can understand him a bit more.

Why is juxtaposition a key technique employed in Holocaust texts? How has it been used in The Boy in the Striped PJ's?

Juxtaposition is a key technique in the Holocaust text because it helps us see both sides of what it was like for the Germans and for the Jews.  It has been used in The Boy is stripped PJ's by describing everything to do  with the Jews or the camp by describing one side then the other to highlight all the key differences.

Chapter 4 questions

• (pg 31) How does the author continue to use juxtaposition in regards to the two housing situations? (the Jews and Bruno's family)

The author continues to use juxtaposition between the Jews and Bruno's family by describe the ground they're on. The lively garden of greenery and flowers and nice paths for Bruno's family and then a huge wire fence surrounding the Jews with huge walls and telegraph poles

• What is it about the children that makes it difficult to understand exactly what they see through the window and just how bad it is?

What makes it hard to understand what they see is that they think its a farm and they don't really know what it is. They also don't have a full understanding of the whole Jew situation so they don't know how bad it is.

• Summarise how Gretel describes what she sees.

Gretel describe it as a countryside farm

• What does Gretel attempt to do when she sees the Concentration Camp? How does she attempt to understand what she sees?

When Gretel sees the concentration camp she tries to make herself believe its the country side and not something bad. She does this by thinking back to geography class and trying to think of a possible solution

• Is her attempt successful? Does she convince Bruno that she understands? What does she eventually give in to? What does she say/or not say? (pg 32)

Her attempted is unsuccessful, she does not convince Bruno that she understands and she eventually gives in to not fully knowing what it is either. What Gretel does not say is that she doesn't know what it is because she always wants to be right and smarter than Bruno

• What can't the children do when they see the Concentration Camp that the adults seem to be able to do? Which group can understand what they see? Why do you think that this is the case?

The children can't understand nor feel bad for the people in the Concentration Camp and the adults can. Younger groups can understand what they see, I think this is the case because older people would of been aware of the situation and would know whats going on and would find this ironic

• How does the author use understatement through the children's description of the Concentration Camp?

Hitler at a Nazi rally

This is an image of a political rally in 1934, a staple of the Nazi regime. In your own blog post answer the questions below and include the image.

1. How are vectors used in this image? What effect does it have?

Vectors are used in this angle to create complete Symmetry and 'perfectness', it creates the illusion that the Germans are in fact the master race and also gives the viewer a sense of power. The flags are vectors lines, these lines are leading up to Hitler making him the focal point (as he was). Additionally, vector lines separate the crowd form the Nazi soldiers in the far middle of the photo. 

1. Describe the composition of the image and what is tells us about the Nazis and Hitler.

Everything in the photo is organised and neat, it tells the viewers that the Nazis and Hilter are efficient

1. How is symmetry used? What effect does it have? 

Symmetry is used to create the illusion of the 'perfect race' not only are the Nazi banners are perfectly composed but the masses of people are also the same. 

1. What effect does this picture being in black and white have?

The absence of color represents the emotionless state of Germany, the color difference of the Nazi soldiers and the crowd creates a sense of a social hierarchy (hope vses abusive/evil power) 

1. Discuss the use of line in this image. What effect does it have?

Responding to a Poem

Holocaust
by Barbara Sonek

We played, we laughed
we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our
parents and thrown into the fire.
We were nothing more than children.
We had a future. We were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. We had dreams, then we had no hope. We were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering, crying, starving, dying. Separated from the world to be no more. From the ashes, hear our plea. This atrocity to mankind can not happen again. Remember us, 
for we were the children whose dreams and lives were stolen away.




1. Construct a response to this poem using the same style and structure.

You played, You laughed

You were loved.
You were ripped from the arms of your
parents and thrown into the fire.
You were nothing more than children.
You had a future. You were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. You had dreams, then you had no hope. You were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering, crying, starving, dying. Separated from the world to be no more. From the ashes, we hear your plea. This atrocity to mankind can not happen again. We Remember you, 
for you were the children whose dreams and lives were stolen away.

2. Be mindful of your perspective. Your poem should be from your perspective.


3. Utilise the same techniques employed by the authour.

Chapter 2 - The boy in striped Pyjamas

• Using quotes, how is the new house described?

The new house is described as the exact opposite of their old home. It is describe as being alone and cold "the new house however stood all on its own in an empty desolate place and there were no other houses anywhere to be seen

• How does it compare to the house in Berlin? How is this an example of juxtaposition?

This house compares to the house in Berlin by being the complete opposite. The house in Berlin was happy and big and had lots of people around it, but the new house Bruno says is cold and has a weird feeling about it. This is an example of juxtaposition because it shows the difference between Berlin being a happy place and the new house being next to a concentration camp to be cold and weary. 

• How is Bruno's reaction and discussion of the new house taken by the other characters? What is ironic about the way people treat Bruno's comments regarding the new house?

Bruno's reaction and discussions of the new house are taken lightly upon by other characters. He talks to Maria about how he feels and asks how she feels but she tells Bruno it is what it is and they have to do it for his Fathers job. Whats ironic about Bruno's comments towards the house is that everyone agrees with him, but they don't express that because they're not allowed to. Everyone has the same mind frame as Bruno but go along with the move because they know it will keep them safe.

• Do you feel empathetic towards Bruno's new home? Why/why not?

Yes, i feel empathetic towards his new home because he doesn't have any neighbors or friends to pay with and hes in the middle of no where. As a kid all he would care about is playing with friends, but he can;t even do that

holocaust poetry

We played, we laughed
we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our
parents and thrown into the fire.
We were nothing more than children.We had a future. We were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. We had dreams, then we had no hope. We were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering, crying, starving, dying. Separated from the world to be no more. From the ashes, hear our plea. This atrocity to mankind can not happen again. Remember us, for we were the children whose dreams and lives were stolen away.

1. What is your initial reaction to this poem?

Upon reading the poem i immediately related it to the Jews and pictured the German grottoes and concentration camps. 

1. How does the author use 'we' in this poem?

The author uses 'we' numerous times to create the feeling that we are actually reading a real holocaust story, thus making the poem believable. 

1. What are the verbs used in the first sentence?

Played and laughed

1. What are the verbs used in the second sentence? How do they contrast with those used in the first sentence?

Loved, all 3 of the verbs are ordinary aspects of normal human lives, specifically children in this case because of the verb 'played' 

1. What effect does the listing of 'lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers'? What is it meant to signify?

These professions all signify Jewish roles, specifically in Germany at the time when the Jews were heavily involved in the banking industry

1. What simile is used in the poem and what effect does it have?

'...We were taking like cattle in cars...." it creates the effect that theses people that the author is talking about are insignificant. 

1. How has the poet represented herself in the last sentence?

She represents herself by saying that her or 'we' were the people whose lives were taken away

1. If you could communicate to this person, a victim of the Holocaust, what would you want to say? What do you feel that you must do in your life as a response to this poem?

I guess i would try to do something to undo the past or make it more bearable. 

Chapter 2 - The boy in striped Pyjamas

• Using quotes, how is the new house described?

• How does it compare to the house in Berlin? How is this an example of juxtaposition?

• How is Bruno's reaction and discussion of the new house taken by the other characters? What is ironic about the way people treat Bruno's comments regarding the new house?

• Do you feel empathetic towards Bruno's new home? Why/why not?

Chapter 1 Questions - Boy in striped pyjamas

Bruno - Bruno is a polite innocent child - "he asked in as polite a tone as he could muster"


Maria - Maria is the maid that just does the house work - "maria shook her head and pointed towards the staircase behind him"


Bruno's Mother - Bruno's Mother seems like a woman that tries to do whats best for her kids and doesn't want them knowing anything about what Bruno's Father does. - "said mother, for she was a great believer in not playing favorites"


Bruno's Father - We're not told much about Bruno's Father but from what we ARE told is that he seems a bit mysterious and is doing a job that shouldn't be told to kids.


Gretel - We're not told much about Gretel either but from Bruno's thoughts, she also seems like she gets into trouble. - "if gretel was being sent away because she was a hopeless case"
Who are presented as victims in this chapter and what are they victims of? Do you think that it is 
fair to consider them victims?


I think Bruno is a victim in this chapter because he was surprised with moving house, isn't being told what his father does as a job and has to abandon his friends. I don't think its fair to consider him as a victim because he means well and should of been told about the move advance to find Maria packing his stuff.


Irony is an important element of the story. How is it used here in the first chapter? Give examples to support your answer.


How is the setting presented in this chapter?The setting in this chapter is quiet, suspenseful, nervous and worrying. we get Bruno's thoughts about how he doesn't want to move, but he also does want to, and his mother's movements and how they describe her movements.