The End, the Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The end of the book literally made me feel sick. They are all so innocent! Now I understand why they chose to tell the story from the child's perspective. Bruno sees how it is, without knowing or understanding the real truth. But, the story is told in such a way that we know what is actually going on. Like how Out-With is Auschwitz and it somehow gives the story a much greater impact than if it were just told to us with a complete explanation of what is going on. Despite how annoying Bruno was in the beginning, he was an honest boy and only meant well. I don't really know how to describe my emotions, it was so hard-hitting! I really liked the book. It was very slow in the beginning, but definitely worth it when the end comes. I only wish I had more patience.

Ch 11-15, the Boy in the Striped Pajamas

I found chapter 11 to be really interesting. We got to see the dinner when "the Fury" comes over and Mother and Father argue about moving away from Berlin. Hitler seems to be really uncaring, I was sort of hoping he would have some compassion like Eva, but he showed none. Then it goes back to where chapter 10 left off. I really like how the author did that little flash back, because by now we know enough to understand why those things were going on. Back at the fence, Shmuel tells Bruno about how he came to the camp, and it kind of annoyed me how Bruno kept interrupting him with his own little stories. I felt so bad for Shmuel! His mother was probably killed, and it seems like he knows a lot about what is going on. Bruno is just clueless throughout the whole conversation and at the end he even thinks that what happened to Shmuel wasn't that terrible! Was he not paying any attention to the story? But I guess Bruno IS only nine and he hasn't really been told anything about these people. When Lieutenant Kotler came to dinner was a really awkward time. First, Father really put him on the spot asking him about his father. I think that the Lieutenant's father must not agree with the war, so he felt really awkward talking about it or maybe he would be punished. Pavel seems to be too old to do his job, and what the Lieutenant did to Pavel must have been so mean, I'm glad it didn't go into detail. Now Bruno has seemed to grow up a little, and he knows that he shouldn't tell anyone about Shmuel. I was relieved that Bruno lied to Gretel, and told her that Shmuel was only imaginary. Next, Shmuel is in Bruno's kitchen! I really wish that Bruno would've at least taken some of the blame for helping Shmuel in front of the Lieutenant, then Bruno sees Shmuel with all the bruises over his face! I really dislike Lieutenant Kotler now. He and Bruno's mother definately have something going on and he just seems so rude and ignorant about everything.

Ch 6-10, the Boy in the Striped Pajamas

1These chapters were basically more of Bruno moaning about the house, with a few pointless stories on the side. The tire swing incident made me wonder about Pavel. Why does Lieutenant Kotler call him a bad name? Why does Mother not want people knowing that Pavel cleaned up Bruno? I think that Pavel must be somehow related to a Jew, or something that the Nazi's don't like. Another one of these stories was about a Christmas after Father became a Commandment. There was a big arguement involving Bruno's grandmother, and we learn that she doesn't support the war at all. I wonder if she will come over to this house for Christmas, despite its close proximity to Auschwitz. Things got interesting when Bruno finally went exploring. The story seems like it is actually starting to go somewhere and I'm excited to find out more about Shmuel and how he is going to be involved.