In What Ways are the Differences Between Bruno and Shmuel Represented in Chapter Twelve of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas? Consider the Methods used by Boyne to Display these Differences.
It should come as no surprise that a book about the Holocaust for children would be a target of criticism. However, despite the opinions of critics, this novel does an excellent job of illustrating concepts like power and privilege in a way that is accessible for a younger audience. In The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, the differences between Bruno and Shmuel are abundant. These differences become extremely clear in this chapter, with the author portraying Bruno as innocent and ignorant, while Schmuel is shown as more serious and sad. Their contrasting life experiences, differences in social status, and young age make it difficult for the characters, particularly Bruno, to see things from the other’s perspective.
“We weren’t able to get out of our carriage.”
“The doors are at the end,” explained Bruno.
“There weren’t any doors,” said Shmuel.
“Of course there were doors,” said Bruno with a sigh. “They’re at the end,” he repeated. “Just past the buffet section.”
“There weren’t any doors,” insisted Shmuel. “If there had been, we would all have gotten off.”
Bruno mumbled something under his breath along the lines of “Of course there were”, but he didn’t say it very loud so Shmuel didn’t hear. (Boyne 70)
This disagreement between the two characters highlights some major differences in their personalities and experiences, with Bruno seemingly believing that he knows better than Shmuel does, despite being quite ignorant himself. Furthermore, the narrator uses the phrase “… said Bruno with a sigh” to describe the tone Bruno uses when insisting Shmuel’s family could have left the train. The fact that Bruno says it so matter-of-factly could indicate his desire to appear intelligent and knowledgeable. Earlier in the story, Bruno tries to sound intelligent to impress Shmuel and ends up saying something completely wrong.
“I think Poland is in Denmark,” said Bruno, growing more confused even though he was trying to sound clever. “Because that’s many miles away,” he repeated for added confirmation. (Boyne 61)
This makes it obvious how desperate he still is to impress his new friend, without even realizing how incorrect, and perhaps even insensitive, he sounds. In both of these moments, it appears as though each character feels they are having a different conversation; Bruno trying to boast while Shmuel explains a traumatic experience. Moreover, repetition is used in this chapter to highlight key differences in Shmuel and Bruno’s points of view. Shmuel is trying to explain the reality of his situation and the story of how his family ended up in the concentration camp, while Bruno completely misreads what he is saying. Bruno clearly doesn’t understand the severity of what Shmuel is telling him, and insists there was a way for him to leave the train. Their conflicting ideas being repeated back and forth in this dialogue emphasizes how different their perspectives are, and how difficult it can be for a child to put himself in someone else’s shoes. Although the narration style can be omniscient at times, it is often unreliable. Third person unreliable narration and stream of consciousness are used because the author wants to make it appear as though the readers are witnessing the thoughts and feelings of Bruno, a young child. By establishing his perspective in such an innocent and naive way, this makes it easy for readers to understand the immaturity he shows while talking to Shmuel about his experiences. The author of this book, which was written approximately 50 years after the Holocaust, had a clear purpose in mind. He wanted to bring awareness to the reality of the Holocaust, and make the topic more understandable for a younger audience. Showing the contradictory viewpoints of two children, one who was imprisoned in a concentration camp, and one whose father has a high status within the Nazi Party, offers some perspective that is understandable and necessary for young people.
Work Cited
Boyne, John. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. New York: David Fickling Books, 2006.
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