The Boy in the Striped Pajamasby John Boyne

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eNotes: Table of Contents

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: eNotes Synopsis1. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: eNotes Essentials2. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 Summary♦ Chapter 2 Summary♦ Chapter 3 Summary♦ Chapter 4 Summary♦ Chapter 5 Summary♦ Chapter 6 Summary♦ Chapter 7 Summary♦ Chapter 8 Summary♦ Chapter 9 Summary♦ Chapter 10 Summary♦ Chapter 11 Summary♦ Chapter 12 Summary♦ Chapter 13 Summary♦ Chapter 14 Summary♦ Chapter 15 Summary♦ Chapter 16 Summary♦ Chapter 17 Summary♦ Chapter 18 Summary♦ Chapter 19 Summary♦ Chapter 20 Summary♦

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Copyright4.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: eNotes Synopsis

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a fictional tale of the unlikeliest of friends: the son of a Nazi commandantand a Jewish concentration camp inmate. Written by John Boyne and published in 2006 by David Fickling

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas 1

Books, the story was made into a major motion picture in 2008.

The novel, set in Nazi Germany, begins when nine-year-old Bruno and his family must move from theirlovely home in Berlin to a new house in an unfamiliar place called "Out-With." Tempted to explore his newenvironment, Bruno is told that there are certain places that are "Out Of Bounds At All Times And NoExceptions." Unable to fight his adventuresome spirit, however, Bruno ventures forth into the unknown oneafternoon.

Bruno comes upon a fence that he follows until he sees a young boy sitting on the other side of the fence. Theshoeless boy is wearing striped pajamas and a cloth cap. Bruno also notices that the boy is wearing anarmband with a star on it. Bruno makes fast friends with the boy, Shmuel, and they quickly discover that theyshare the same birthday. The boys discuss their families and where they are from. At the end of their firstmeeting, Bruno asks Shmuel why there are so many people on his side of the fence and what they are doingthere. A few days later, Bruno's father has dinner guests; the man's name is "the Fury" and his date is calledEva. Bruno instantly dislikes the couple. Bruno's sister Gretel, whom he refers to as "the Hopeless Case," issmitten by the man and tries hard to impress him and his lady friend. Bruno, however, is disgusted by hissister's behavior and her budding romance with a young soldier.

Much like Bruno hears "Auschwitz" as "Out-With," he also incorrectly hears "the Führer" as "the Fury."Boyner masterfully tells the story from Bruno's perspective; it is clear that the innocence of Bruno's childhoodremains intact despite the fact that he is living on the periphery of a death camp and has met Adolf Hitler.

Bruno continues to explore the woods near his house and often finds himself at the fence spending time withShmuel. Bruno brings him food, and the friends lament the fact that they cannot explore together or play agame of football. Shmuel confides in Bruno that he is unable to find his father and he is worried. Bruno vowsto help Shmuel look for his father; to that end, Shmuel promises to get Bruno some pajamas so that he willblend in on his side of the fence.

One fateful day, Bruno sheds his clothes, dons the pajamas, and sneaks onto Shmuel's side of the fence. As theboys search for Shmuel's father, the soldiers herd the prisoners, Bruno among them, into the gas chamberswhere they meet their untimely death hand in hand.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas explores the beauty of a child's innocence in a time of war, the commondesire we all have for friendship, and the fences—both literal and figurative—that we must all navigate andchoose whether or not to break down.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: eNotes Essentials

SummaryThe Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a story about childhood innocence, friendship, and the importance ofbreaking down the fences we put up around ourselves.

The novel is told from the perspective of nine-year-old Bruno, the son of a Nazi commandant. Bruno arriveshome from school one day to find the family's maid packing their things. Unbeknownst to Bruno, his fatherhas been selected to oversee operations at Auschwitz (which Bruno hears as "Out-With") and the family willbe joining him. Bruno is devastated to leave his home, his friends and his grandparents in Berlin. The situationbecomes even worse when the family arrives at their new home which is stark and isolated. Bruno isinstructed by his parents that there are certain rooms that are "Out Of Bounds At All Times And NoExceptions." This includes the vast property behind the house which seems to beckon Bruno. With no ideawhat is happening just behind his home, Bruno laments the lack of children his age and fun activities in

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: eNotes Synopsis 2

"Out-With."

Bruno's twelve-year-old sister, Gretel, is an all-too-eager believer in the Nazi rhetoric being espoused toGerman youth. Her zeal for Nazi ideology increases when the family moves to Auschwitz and she develops acrush on a Nazi soldier, Lieutenant Kotler, who is a frequent visitor to the family's home. Bruno instantlydislikes Kotler, who patronizes him. Gretel is an all-too-eager student of Herr Liszt, the tutor hired by thechildren's father to home school them. He unabashedly promotes Nazi propaganda and anti-Semitism ofwhich Bruno is skeptical.

From his bedroom window, Bruno can see hundreds if not thousands of people wearing pajamas working onwhat Bruno believes to be a farm. When Bruno's desire to explore gets the best of him, he embarks on anadventure which leads him to an endlessly long fence. Bruno follows the fence and after walking for quite awhile, he sees a boy sitting by the fence. Bruno approaches him and notices that he is wearing the samepajamas as everyone else on that side of the fence along with a striped cloth cap. Bruno makes note of theboy's filthy feet which are bare. Bruno is struck by the boy's sad eyes and ashen skin. Shmuel introduceshimself and the two strike up a conversation. They soon discover that they share the same birthday: April 15,1934. Bruno realizes how lonely he has been since the family moved to "Out-With." He misses his friendsfrom school, Martin, Karl and Daniel. Shmuel tells Bruno how there are many boys his age on his side of thefence and Bruno instantly deems this unfair; he plans to speak to his father about how he wants to be able toplay with the boys on the other side of the fence. Bruno tells Shmuel he is from Berlin and Shmuel revealsthat he is from Poland; neither has ever heard of the other's home. Bruno suggests that Germany is better thanPoland because the Germans are "superior," remembering what he has learned in his geography lessons withhis tutor, Herr Liszt. The two boys continue their discussion and Bruno finally works up to courage to askShmuel why there are so many people on his side of the fence and what they are doing there.

Bruno continues to visit Shmuel, often bringing him food. Each and every day, Bruno suggests that he climbunder the fence so that he can play with Shmuel. Knowingly, Shmuel tells Bruno that it would be a bad idea.One day Shmuel appears in Bruno's home as a servant whose fingers are small enough to clear some crystalglasses. He begs Bruno for some food which he provides but when a Lieutenant Koter catches Shmuel eating,he accuses him of stealing the food. Bruno does not stand up for him and Shmuel is summarily beaten.

When the Führer (which Bruno hears as "the Fury"), Adolf Hitler, and his girlfriend, Eva Braun, come todinner, Bruno has no idea who they are aside from the fact that the man is his father's boss, and takes aninstant dislike to them. This scene speaks to the fact that children are excellent judges of character.

Bruno's mother faces the difficult task of supporting her husband and shielding her children from what hedoes. When she learns that prisoners are being put to death upon his command, she demands that she moveback to Berlin with the children because Auschwitz is clearly not a good place to raise the children. Ironically,whereas Bruno at one time was desperate to return to Berlin, he is reluctant to leave because of his friendshipwith Shmuel. Bruno feels terrible about having to tell Shmuel that he is going to be leaving so he tries to makeit up to him by promising to help Shmuel locate his missing father. The two hatch a plan which has direconsequences beyond anything they could imagine.

Bruno returns the next day with a shovel and Shmuel meets him at the fence with a spare set of pajamas.Bruno digs enough of a hole that he can shimmy under the fence in the hopes of helping find Shmuel's father.Initially, the two friends are thrilled that they are finally on the same side of the fence and each boy fights theurge to hug the other.

Bruno takes in the scene on the other side of the fence: emaciated, shaven-headed figures looking sad, soldiersshooting prisoners, and a distinct lack of fruit and vegetable stands and cafes as he had expected. Bruno saysto Shmuel, "I don't think I like it here," to which Shmuel responds, "Neither do I." Bruno decides that he

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should go home but it is too late. The boys are herded into a line with hundreds of other prisoners, taken to aroom, forced to undress, and sent to their deaths in a gas chamber. Throughout the quick ordeal, Shmuel andBruno hold hands, clinging to one another and to their friendship until the very end.

Bruno's family searches for him for several days until a Nazi soldier finds a pile of his clothes near the hole inthe fence. Eventually, Bruno's mother returned to Berlin with Gretel and Bruno's father disappeared with agroup of fellow soldiers.

The story ends with the caveat, "of course all this happened a long time ago and nothing like that could everhappen again. Not in this day and age." This is clearly a loaded statement that is intended to make readersthink about all of the instances of persecution in the years since the Holocaust. Readers are left to considerhow an act of kindness—or hatred—no matter how small can affect others.

ThemesInnocence is an important theme throughout the novel. Although Bruno and Shmuel share a certain childlikeinnocence, the reality is that Shmuel is a prisoner in Auschwitz and has certainly seen horrific sights. Bruno,on the other hand, is fiercely protected by his parents who do not want him to know about the horrors of thereality that is the Holocaust; in particular, they go to great lengths to keep the details of Bruno's father's job asecret from him. The juxtaposition of such innocence with the inherent evil of the Holocaust sets a poignanttone. This theme reinforces the idea that hatred and prejudice are learned behaviors.

Another significant theme in the novel is friendship. The desire for friendship is universal and at no time is itmore important than during childhood. Bruno and Shmuel exist in two completely different worlds but share amutual desire for companionship during a difficult and lonely time. In spite of their remarkably differentcircumstances, Bruno and Shmuel forge a meaningful friendship. As their friendship develops, it is tested onmany occasions as the boys navigate their individual realities. When Shmuel is brought to Bruno's house towork as a servant, Bruno denies knowing him and giving him food; consequently, Shmuel is punished forstealing food (which Bruno had given him). Both boys know that they would be in terrible trouble if anyonewere to find out about their friendship so they keep it a secret. Ultimately, the boys unknowingly march totheir death hand in hand with no one in the world but each other.

The theme of human nature also proves to be central to the story. Readers will question how Bruno's fatherand sister, along with so many other Germans, can be such staunch believers in the Nazi propaganda whileBruno remains compassionate and even, some might argue, resistant to the same ideas. Bruno and Shmuelrepresent all that is kind and decent in humans as well as the potential that they have to do good. Conversely,Bruno's father and Lieutenant Kotler reveal man's capacity for evil. The novel points out the choice humansmust make regarding how they treat others. On a similar note, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas also considersthe dangers of conformity and people's reluctance to take a stand in the face of adversity.

CharactersBruno is the son of a Nazi commandant who is forced to leave his home in Berlin and move to Auschwitzwhere his father has been reassigned. He is reluctant to leave Berlin where he has two good friends, is close tohis grandparents, and lives in a lovely home. Bruno is characterized by an endearing childhood innocencewhich becomes especially poignant when he meets a young prisoner on the other side of a fence near hishouse. Bruno remains strikingly unaffected by the war and unmoved by the Nazi beliefs and propagandawhich he confronts daily. This may well be due to his young age or the result of his character. In any case,Bruno represents man's capacity for kindness and compassion.

Shmuel is a young Polish Jew who is a prisoner in Auschwitz. Bruno meets him at a fence while exploringnear his house. Shmuel is as innocent as Bruno and seems not to quite understand why he is a prisoner.Shmuel reveals that his mother is a teacher who has speaks German (which she has taught him), French,

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: eNotes Essentials 4

Italian and English (which she plans to teach him). Until he deportation, Shmuel lived in with his mother,father and brother above his father's watchmaking shop. He tells Bruno about how he came home from schoolone day to find his mother making armbands for the family which the Nazis forced them to wear. Bruno has ahard time comprehending some of the stories Shmuel tells him because it seems so unimaginable to him.Shmuel becomes worried once his father goes missing in the camp and asks for Bruno's help in finding him.Bruno's willingness to help his friend results in both of them dying at the merciless hands of the Nazis.

Bruno and Shmuel seem to lead parallel yet mutually exclusive lives. They share common interests, the samebirthday, and a similar perspective on life. Their friendship is not just unlikely; it defies possibility. In a worldand a time where people were being told what to think, who to hate and what relationships were acceptable,Bruno and Shmuel demonstrate how resistant and resilient children can be and how important kindness andcompassion are.

Gretel, Bruno's older sister, annoys him a great deal; he refers to her as a "Hopeless Case" who does nothingbut cause him grief. Gretel fancies herself far more mature and worldly than Bruno, despite her doll collectionwhich would seem to symbolize her naivete. Gretel is increasingly interested in the beliefs and activities of theNazi party and, after their move to Auschwitz, befriends one of the Nazi camp guards. In an effort todemonstrate her devotion and dedication to the ideals of the Hitler Youth, Gretel gives up her doll collectionfor Nazi propaganda posters and literature. Gretel may represent those in German society who were aware ofthe horrors of the Holocaust but made a conscious choice to do nothing to help others.

Bruno's mother tries desperately to shield her children from the horrors of the Holocaust which is taking placevirtually in their backyard. To some extent, she seems to turn a blind eye to what her husband does for a livingand to what is taking place in the camp. She becomes distraught when she learns that Auschwitz is not aconcentration camp but rather a death camp. She is furious when she finds out that her husband has beenordering the slaughter of thousands of Jews in the gas chambers at Auschwitz. She concludes that Auschwitzis no place to raise children and decides to move back to Berlin with the children.

Bruno's father (referred to simply as "Father" throughout the novel) is a Nazi commandant who seems to trulyrevere Nazi ideology. When Bruno's grandparents learn of his father's promotion to Commandant, Bruno'sgrandfather is extremely proud of his son's accomplishments while Bruno's grandmother is horrified at thethought of what he will be doing. Once the family is settled in their new home, Father is thrilled to host Hitlerand his female companion, Eva, for dinner and is determined to make a positive impression. Despite Father'sprofessional inhumanity, he does try to shield his own family from the nefarious goings-on at Auschwitz.

Pavel is a Jewish servant who works in Bruno's home. Bruno believes that Pavel and the other people he seesfrom his bedroom window are pajama-wearing farmers. Pavel had been a well-established doctor before hisinternment and Bruno cannot understand why he gave up that career to be a farmer who peels potatoes forBruno's family. When Bruno falls from a tree swing in the garden Pavel uses his medical skills to care forBruno. One day, Pavel is beaten by Lieutenant Kotler and no longer comes to the family's home afterwards;the family's maid, Maria must clean up the bloody mess.

Lieutenant Kotler is an arrogant Nazi guard with aspirations of greatness. He relishes any opportunity to abuseand demean the prisoners who work in Bruno's house; not only does he seem to truly believe that he issuperior to them but he also seems to enjoy showing off for Gretel.

Herr Liszt is the tutor hired by Bruno's father who tries to instill him and Gretel with Nazi rhetoric. Gretel is awilling student while Bruno seems skeptical and inquisitive; he is not quite as willing as Gretel to accept HerrLiszt's version of history, in particular.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: eNotes Essentials 5

Each of the characters, though imbued with individual characteristics and personalities, represents a differentstereotype of someone who lived during the Holocaust. For example, Gretel symbolizes the members of theHitler Youth who blindly accepts the ideology and practiced modeled by the Nazi party. Lieutenant Kotler isbut one of countless ardent supporters of Hitler's policies and practices. Not only does he believe that theGermans are superior to the Jews but he clearly enjoys any chance he gets to point this out whether it is bymaking anti-Semitic comments or beating prisoners relentlessly. Bruno's mother is a bystander who likelyfeels badly about what is happening to the victims but chooses to do and say nothing. This kind of feignedignorance is one of the reasons Hitler was able to continue his systematic extermination of millions for as longas he did. Had all of the bystanders in Europe stood up against such persecution, it is possible that Hitler couldhave been stopped.

Literary Criticism and SignificanceThe Boy in the Striped Pajamas continues a literary tradition of exploring the evils of the Holocaust throughthe eyes of a child. In the same vein as Jerry Spinelli's Milkweed, this novel contrasts the dichotomy of man'sinhumanity to man with man's capacity to care and love.

Author John Boyne has said that he believes that the only way he could write about the Holocaust respectfullywas through the eyes of a child. He does so masterfully in this novel, demonstrating how Bruno and Shmuelmaintain the innocence of their childhood in spite of what is happening around them. Boyne acknowledgesthat the only people who can truly comprehend the horrors of the Holocaust are those who lived through it.Boyne's novel gives a voice to the victims, especially the millions of innocent children who perished at thehands of the Nazis.

What makes The Boy in the Striped Pajamas so effective is that rather than examining the big picture of theHolocaust and its atrocities, the novel instead focuses on individual relationships and gives readers an intimateportrait of two innocent boys seeking the same thing: friendship. Readers are cautioned, however, that eventhough the novel is about two nine-year-old boys, the novel is most definitely not geared toward this agegroup. The novel's devastating conclusion is not only beyond children's ability to comprehend but also indefiance of their worldview.

Interestingly, Boyne classifies The Boy in the Striped Pajamas as a fable, a story that bears a moral lesson.This is a fitting category for the novel as it imparts many lessons. Among these valuable lessons, perhaps themost significant is the final sentence which suggests that "nothing like that could ever happen again. Not inthis day and age." It forces readers to confront the grim reality that hatred, discrimination, and intoleranceremain potent forces in the world. Readers consequently consider their own prejudices and actions, perhapswondering if they have been guilty of mistreating others. Additionally, some may even consider what theirrole might have been in the Holocaust: bystander, resister, perpetrator, or victim.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas has received much acclaim. The novel won two prestigious awards in Boyne'snative Ireland: Children's Book of the Year and People's Choice Book of the Year. In addition, the book wasshort-listed for numerous awards, including the Ottakar's Children's Book Prize, the British Book Award, thePaolo Ungari Prize, and the Border's Original Voices Award. Additionally, the novel spent 80 weeks atnumber one in Ireland and topped the New York Times best-seller list. The film adaptation, released byMiramax in 2008, received many independent film awards and much critical praise.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: Chapter Summaries

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Chapter 1 Summary

When nine-year-old Bruno comes home from school one day, he is surprised to find the maid, Maria, packingup all his belongings. He tries to remember if he has done anything “particularly naughty” in the past fewdays that would warrant him being sent away as a punishment. He asks his mother, “a tall woman with longred hair that she bundle[s] into a sort of net behind her head,” what is going on. He is somewhat relieved tonotice that her things are being packed, too, by Lars the Butler.

Bruno’s mother goes into the large dining room, where the Fury, accompanied by a beautiful blond woman,had come to dinner the week before. Bruno notices that Mother’s eyes are “more red than usual” as she tellshim that the whole family will be going on “a great adventure.”

Mother explains that the Fury has “big things in mind” for his father and is sending him to a place wherethere is “a very special job that needs doing.” Bruno has never been entirely sure what his father does; unlikehis friends, whose fathers are ordinary workers like greengrocers or teachers or chefs, Bruno knows only thathis father wears a “fantastic uniform” and that there are always other men in uniforms and women withtypewriters visiting him in his office, which is “Out Of Bounds At All Times And No Exceptions.”

Bruno’s discomfiture is intensified when he learns that the place to which they will be going is quite faraway. The family’s house in Berlin will be closed up for the present, and Bruno will not be able to return tohis school. Bruno is particularly upset that he will have to say goodbye to Karl and Daniel and Martin, whoare his “three best friends for life.” When he protests, his mother first tries to reason with him. She says thatin light of all the recent changes in the city, it might be safer if they move away. When this argument fails toconvince Bruno, she snaps at him, telling him curtly, “We don’t have a choice in this.”

Disconsolate, Bruno goes upstairs, wondering whether their new home will be as nice as the one in which theyare living now. Bruno loves their house in Berlin, which has five stories and a fine banister for sliding down.The banister goes all the way from the very top floor, which has a window from which he can see clear acrossthe city, to the ground floor, where he jumps off into the dining room. In between are the floors for thebedrooms (his parents’ and his and his sister’s rooms), and beneath the ground floor there is a cellar, whereCook prepares the family’s food.

In Bruno's estimation, the best thing about the house, in addition to the banister, is that Grandfather andGrandmother live nearby, and he wonders if they are coming along to the new place too. From downstairs,Bruno hears the sound of his parents arguing, but the voices cease suddenly when his father speaks “louderthan Mother” can and the door to his father’s office closes loudly. Sadly, Bruno goes to his room to helpMaria pack his things.

Chapter 2 Summary

To Bruno’s extreme disappointment, everything about the family’s new residence is the exact opposite of thebeloved home in Berlin. The new house is the only building standing in “an empty, desolate place,” and it issmall, having only three stories instead of five. All of the bedrooms are crammed together on the top floor, theservants sleep in the basement, and the ground floor contains a kitchen, a dining room, and an office forFather, which Bruno assumes is governed by the same stern restrictions as the office back in Berlin. Brunothinks that his new home is in “the loneliest place in the world” and it seems that, in this God-forsaken place,there is “nothing to laugh at and nothing to be happy about.”

Bruno is so concerned about the family’s new living arrangements that he dares to tell his mother directly thathe thinks it was a “bad idea” to move here and that the family should all just go back home. Mother replies,

Chapter 1 Summary 7

“We don’t have the luxury of thinking.... Some people make all the decisions for us” and that they will haveto “make the best of a bad situation.” Bruno feels helpless; something inside him tells him that “the wholething [is] wrong and unfair and a big mistake,” and he cannot understand how all of this can be happening.

Having been reprimanded by his mother for his persistence in voicing his concerns, Bruno goes upstairs tohelp Maria unpack his things. He tries to talk about the situation with the maid, asking her what she thinksabout what is going on, but Maria is curiously evasive. There is a noise outside in the hallway, and Bruno seesthe door to his parents’ room opening. To his surprise, a young man with “very blond hair” and the sametype of uniform as his father comes out of the room carrying a box; after giving Bruno an uncomfortable nod,he goes down the stairs. Bruno asks Maria who the young man is, and Maria replies that she thinks he must be“one of [his] father’s soldiers.” Bruno says he does not like the man, and Maria tells him that it might be bestfor him to steer clear of the men who work in his capacity.

Bruno is sadly lamenting that there does not look like there will be anyone to play with in this new place otherthan his sister Gretel, when his eye is caught by a small window in the corner of his room that stretches fromthe ceiling down into the wall. He walks toward it, hoping that he might be able to see all the way home toBerlin, but when he puts his face to the glass to see what is outside, he sees something which makes him feel“very cold and unsafe” indeed.

Chapter 3 Summary

Bruno’s sister, Gretel, at age twelve, is three years older than him. He is “a little scared of her”; from as farback as he can remember, she has made it clear that she is in charge. Gretel has always been a challenge to herother family members—Bruno thinks of her as The Hopeless Case, and he has heard his parents refer to her as“Trouble From Day One.”

Gretel is a constant source of irritation for Bruno. She hogs the bathroom regularly, oblivious to his need touse it too, and she has a large collection of dolls arranged on shelves in her room that seem to stare at Bruno,watching whatever he does. Gretel also has “some very unpleasant friends” who make fun of Bruno,tormenting him about his small stature. This is “a particular sore point” for him because he knows he is smallfor his age, and Bruno reflects that perhaps one good thing about having to stay in the new house for a whileis that, by the time he returns to Berlin, he will hopefully have grown to be as tall as the other boys in hisclass.

Bruno runs into Gretel’s room. After being predictably reprimanded for entering without knocking, heexpresses to her his unhappiness with their new living arrangements. For once, Gretel agrees with him, tellinghim that Father has said that they will be staying there for “the foreseeable future.” When Bruno asks herhow long, exactly, that will be, Gretel sagely informs him that they might be there for as long as three weeks,which seems to both children to be an eternity. Gretel also tells Bruno that the name of their new home isOut-With and explains that whoever held Father’s position before him had not done a very good job and hadbeen forced to leave precipitously. Bruno concludes that his family is “here at Out-With because someonesaid out with the people before [them].”

The greatest source of frustration for Bruno at Out-With is that there is no one for him to play with. Hecomplains to Gretel about how much he misses Karl and Daniel and Martin, his three best friends, and addsthat the children in this new place do not look very friendly. Gretel is momentarily confused because she hadnot been aware there were other children living there. Bruno takes her into his room and invites her to lookout his window with him. Something about the way Bruno is acting makes Gretel feel nervous, as if she mightnot want to see the children after all, but her curiosity overcomes her. With her “golden pigtails perfectlybalanced on each shoulder” and clutching one of her classic dolls, Gretel goes to look out the window. As the

Chapter 2 Summary 8

sun disappears behind a cloud, she sees “exactly what Bruno had been talking about.”

Chapter 4 Summary

Directly below Bruno’s window is a small, well-tended garden with pavement surrounding it and a woodenbench highlighted by a plaque. Further out, however, the scenery changes drastically, and it is this sight thatso astonishes Gretel when she looks out of the window.

About twenty feet past the garden and the bench is a huge fence topped with bales of barbed wire extending asfar as the eye can see. The ground beyond the fence is barren, and there are dozens of low huts and large,square buildings with smoke stacks. What surprises Gretel the most about the scene, however, are the peoplewho are apparently living within the enclosed area. They are all male: “small boys and big boys, fathers andgrandfathers...they [are] everyone.”

Gretel wonders who the people are and why there are no women among them. She also does not understandwhat sort of place this is; it is so desolate and “nasty-looking.” Thinking carefully about what she is seeing,Gretel proposes that this must be the countryside, which she has learned about in geography class; in thecountryside, there are “huge areas like this where people live and work,” growing food to send to theinhabitants of big cities like Berlin. Bruno, however, who has learned a little about the countryside in schoolas well, argues that this cannot be the case because there are no animals here and the barren soil does not looklike it could sustain any crops. In the end, Gretel concedes that perhaps this is not the countryside after all.

Both children continue to muse about the situation outside Bruno’s window, trying to make sense of what ishappening “not fifty feet away from their new home.” There are people everywhere in the area behind thefence; some are standing perfectly still before a soldier, desperately trying to keep their heads up, while othersare pushing wheelbarrows from one side of the camp to the other. Many of the people are on crutches or havebandages around their heads. Overall, the atmosphere is sinister and full of dread. Bruno and Gretel areparticularly intrigued when a group of children being harassed by a group of soldiers emerges from a hut. Thesoldiers rudely force the children into a single line, then laugh at them, and Gretel suggests that perhaps whatthey are witnessing is “some sort of rehearsal,” ignoring the fact that several of the children appear to becrying.

Gretel concludes that the children on the other side of the fence are “not the type...[she] wants to play with”because they look like “they’ve never had a bath in their lives.” Bruno thinks that perhaps there is a reasonthe children do not bathe, but Gretel only shivers then goes back to play with her dolls in her room, where“the view is decidedly nicer.”

Bruno continues to observe the people beyond the fence outside his window, trying hard to understand what isgoing on. As he watches the poor souls go about their business, he notices that they are all wearing the samekind of clothes: “a pair of grey striped pajamas with a grey striped cap on their heads.”

Chapter 5 Summary

Bruno reflects upon his final morning in Berlin. The house had looked empty, “not like their real home atall.” Father had already left the city a few days earlier, and Bruno remembers that his mother had been verynervous. With tears in her eyes, she had said abstractedly:

We should never have let the Fury come to dinner...some people and their determination toget ahead!

Chapter 3 Summary 9

An official car with flags on the front had taken the family to the train station where two trains had beenwaiting on opposite tracks; oddly, both trains were headed in the same direction. Hordes of people surroundedby soldiers were gathered by one of the trains, but the one Bruno and his family boarded, a very comfortabletrain, had been almost empty. Bruno, who had only been able to catch a glimpse of the crowd waiting to geton the other train, had thought it curious that some of those people had not been directed to the empty seatsstill available on the train he was riding.

Bruno has not had the opportunity to speak to his father since coming to Out-With. Father, who looks “verysmart in his freshly pressed uniform” and his carefully lacquered hair, is present at the new house but alwaysseems to be surrounded by soldiers fighting for his attention. Thoroughly disturbed by the sight outside hiswindow, Bruno feels an urgent need to talk to his father, so, gathering his courage, he goes to his office andtaps tentatively on the door.

Father happens to be alone at the moment in the impressively furnished room. He invites Bruno to enter andseems delighted to see his son. He asks Bruno what he thinks about their new home, and Bruno truthfullyreplies that he is very unhappy with it and believes that they should all go home. Indulgently, Father tellsBruno that Out-With is their new home nonetheless, and that he needs to give it a chance. When Brunopersists with his complaints and even breaks into tears at the thought of having to stay at this awful place,Father remains firm, suggesting that his son needs to accept the situation and trust that his elders know what isbest for the family.

Desperate, Bruno asks what his father has done wrong to have made the Fury send him and his family toOut-With, and Father reacts by laughing and telling him that he does not understand the significance of hisnew position. When Bruno continues to protest, Father quietly but unyieldingly tells him to go to his room.Bruno continues to argue and receives permission to ask one more question. Bruno inquires about the identityof the people in the striped pajamas he can see from his window, and his father responds:

They’re not people at all...at least not as we understand the term....You have nothingwhatsoever in common with them.

Although he is unsatisfied with the answer, Bruno has no choice but to obey his father now and end theexchange. As he rises and goes to the door, his father calls him back, clearly waiting for something. Dutifully,Bruno stands at attention as he has been taught, clicking his heels together while raising his right hand in theair and shouting out, “Heil Hitler.” Bruno does not know the exact meaning of the salute but presumes that itis just another way of saying, “Goodbye...have a pleasant afternoon.”

Chapter 6 Summary

Out of boredom a few days later, Bruno is lying on his bed staring at the ceiling when he notices the paintabove his head is cracked and peeling. This observation only adds to his unhappiness with his new home. Hedecides petulantly that he “hate[s] it all...absolutely everything.” At this point, Maria the maid walks incarrying a stack of laundered clothes. Bruno attempts to strike up a conversation with her, asking her if she isas dissatisfied with their new living arrangements as he is.

Maria is very cautious in responding to Bruno’s question. She finally addresses his concern indirectly bytelling him how much she had enjoyed the garden back in Berlin. When Bruno persists, she says that what shethinks is not important. Bruno retorts, “Of course it’s important...you’re part of the family, aren’t you?”Maria comments wryly, “I’m not sure whether your father would agree with that.”

Chapter 5 Summary 10

Bruno, beside himself with frustration, asserts that Father has made “a terrible mistake” in bringing themhere; he mutters under his breath, “Stupid Father!” Maria reacts strongly to his insolence, admonishing Brunothat he must never speak thus about his father, who is “a good man...[who] takes care of all of us.”

In a rare moment of candor, Maria reveals that her mother had worked for Bruno’s fraternal grandmother,who had been a great singer and entertainer. When his grandmother had retired, she had remained friendlywith Maria’s mother and had given her a small pension. Times were hard, however, and when Maria’smother had been taken ill, Bruno’s father had paid for her hospital expenses and given young Maria aposition with the family out of the goodness of his heart. Because she knows that Bruno’s father can be a manof great kindness, she will not allow Bruno to speak disparagingly about him, although she wonders aloudhow such a man can act as he is apparently doing now. Bruno is confused, but before Maria can explainherself further, Gretel barges in and rudely orders the maid to prepare a bath for her.

Maria has been with Bruno’s family since he was three years old. Although it seems to him that she hasalways been around,

washing the clothes, helping with the shopping and the cooking...taking him to school andcollecting him again,

he has never until this moment considered her a person “with a life and history all of her own.” Hereprimands his sister for speaking to Maria in such a demeaning manner, expecting her to do menial tasks forher that she can do for herself, but Gretel, who has never thought about things in this way, snaps, “She’s themaid...that’s what she’s here for.” Maria, meanwhile, shakes her head at Bruno in warning and politely tellsGretel that she will “be right with [her]” as soon as she finishes putting Bruno’s clothes away.

When Gretel leaves, Maria tells Bruno urgently that he must not express his angry and negative opinionsabout his father aloud. With an attitude of “frenzied worry,” she exhorts him to “stay quiet” and do whateverhis father tells him to “until this is all over.” Inexplicably, Bruno feels the need to cry and notices that Mariais close to tears as well. Angry and confused, he runs down the stairs and out of the house.

Chapter 7 Summary

After several weeks at Out-With, Bruno concludes that he had better find a way to keep himself occupied orelse he will surely lose his mind. One Saturday, when neither Mother nor Father is at home, he decides tomake a swing in a large oak tree a good distance from the house. For this project, Bruno will need a rope anda tyre. He finds some rope in the basement of the house, but to secure a tyre he will have to ask LieutenantKotler.

Lieutenant Kotler is the soldier Bruno encountered on his first day at Out-With. The young man has been seenfrequently around the house since that time, coming in and out “as if he owned the place.” Bruno dislikes thelieutenant although he does not fully understand his own feeling, but as there is no one else to ask about atyre, he sets out to find him.

On most days, Lieutenant Kotler is dressed sharply in his carefully pressed uniform, but today Bruno findshim outside the house in street clothes, deep in conversation with Gretel, who is “laughing loudly and twirlingher hair around her fingers” as she interacts with the young man. Bruno is instinctively disgusted with hissister’s flirtatiousness. Wanting to take his leave as quickly as possible, he states his business directly,politely asking the lieutenant if he knows where he can find a spare tyre.

Chapter 6 Summary 11

The lieutenant responds by making a joke Bruno does not understand. Gretel, irritated by her brother’sinterruption, tells the lieutenant, whom she addresses as Kurt, that he must excuse Bruno’s stupidity, as he isonly nine. Bruno snaps back that Gretel is only twelve and shouldn’t be pretending to be older than she is,embarrassing her in front of the lieutenant.

Lieutenant Kotler finally arranges to get Bruno the materials he needs, rudely ordering Pavel, an old man whoprepares and serves the evening meal for the family each day, to take the boy to the storage shed and fetchhim a tyre. The harshness with which the he addresses Pavel makes Bruno feel ashamed. When Bruno gets histyre, he goes to the tree and spends the bulk of the afternoon constructing a swing. When he is done, he liesflat across its center, using his feet to push himself higher and higher.

When the swing is at a particularly high point, Bruno loses his grip on the tyre and plunges to the ground.When he rises, he discovers that he has sustained quite a wide gash on his knee. Fortuitously, Pavel comes outof the house and carries him back into the kitchen. The old man expertly cleans the wound on Bruno’s kneeand covers it with a bandage. Bruno thanks Pavel and suggests that when his mother sees his injury, she mightwant to take him to the doctor, but Pavel tells him that the gash is minor and that there will be no need.Irritated, Bruno demands, “Well, how do you know...you’re not a doctor.” To his surprise, Pavel repliesquietly, “Yes I am.” Bruno is confused and asks Pavel how he can be a doctor when he only peels vegetablesand waits on tables. The old man responds that he practiced medicine before coming to Out-With. Before hecan explain further, Mother returns, and Pavel does not speak to Bruno again.

When Mother hears from Bruno what has happened, she looks “distinctly uncomfortable” and sends him tohis room. As he leaves, Bruno hears his mother thank Pavel and tell him that should the Commandant askabout the incident, they should say she was the one who cared for Bruno’s injury. Bruno is surprised at hismother, thinking she is being very selfish for taking credit for something she had not done.

Chapter 8 Summary

Bruno misses his paternal grandparents terribly. Grandfather, who is retired from his job running a restaurant,is seventy-three years old and, in Bruno’s estimation, is “just about the oldest man in the world.”Grandmother, in contrast, is sixty-two; to Bruno, she “never seem[s] old.” Grandmother has long, red hairand green eyes because of Irish blood somewhere in her family. She loves to have parties and is anaccomplished singer; one of her favorite pieces to perform is La Vie en Rose.

Grandmother has secret hopes that Bruno and Gretel will someday appear on the stage too, and at everyChristmas and birthday party, she arranges for them to put on a simple play with her for Mother, Father, andGrandfather. In these plays, Grandmother always sings, Bruno does a magic trick or two, Gretel dances, and atthe end Bruno recites a long poem by one of the Great Poets. Although Bruno does not understand many ofthe words in these poems, the works “somehow [start] to sound more and more beautiful the more he read[s]them.”

Sadly, the last play Bruno and Gretel performed with Grandmother had ended in disaster. It was Christmas, inthe weeks after the Fury and the beautiful blond woman had come to dinner and Father had been promoted toCommandant. Father had worn his new uniform, which had a great number of decorations on it. Everyone hadapplauded when he appeared, and Grandfather in particular had been pleased beyond measure. ButGrandmother had seemed singularly unimpressed. After she and the children had completed their traditionalperformance, she had given voice to her dismay, saying:

Is this where I went wrong with you, Ralf? I wonder if all the performances I made you giveas a boy led you to this...dressing up like a puppet on a string...standing there in your

Chapter 7 Summary 12

uniform...as if it makes you something special. Not even caring...what it stands for.

Grandfather had tried to silence Grandmother, telling her that they had “discussed this in advance.” Hedeclared that it made him deeply proud to see his son helping his country “reclaim her pride” and, in doingso, being elevated to “such a responsible position.” Mother had also tried to intervene, pointing out howhandsome Father looked in his new uniform, but her suggestion had only served to agitate Grandmotherfurther. Bruno and Gretel had been sent up to their rooms at this point, and as they left, they heardGrandmother arguing heatedly:

That’s all you soldiers are interested in...looking handsome in your fine uniforms...dressingup and doing the terrible, terrible things you do.

The children had tried to listen in on the adults from the top of the stairs, but their voices were muffled. Soon,Grandfather and Grandmother had left, with Grandmother calling out that she was “ashamed,” and Fathercountering that he was “a patriot.”

Bruno, who had not had a chance to say goodbye before the family had moved to Out-With, misses hisgrandmother acutely and decides to write her a letter about how unhappy he is. In his letter, Bruno describesthe house and the garden and the tall fence beyond which lie the huts, small buildings, smokestacks, andsoldiers. He talks about the people who live on the other side of the fence—the people in the striped pajamas.

Chapter 9 Summary

As time passes, Bruno’s memories of home start to fade and he begins to adjust to his life at Out-With.Things remain pretty much the same: Gretel is “less than friendly” to him as usual and the soldiers go intoand out of Father’s office for meetings every day. The servants continue with their jobs, and LieutenantKotler still acts as if he owns the place; when Father is not there, he spends his time flirting with Gretel or“whispering alone in rooms with Mother.”

One day Father announces that it is time for the children to resume their education, and he hires Herr Liszt totutor them. Herr Liszt is a dour man who is “particularly fond of history and geography.” Although Brunoprefers literature and the arts, his new teacher dismisses these subjects as unimportant. It appears that HerrLiszt’s primary objective is to educate the children about The Fatherland and “all the great wrongs that havebeen done” against them as proud citizens of the country. Bruno hopes he will finally learn the reasons behindwhat he sees as the greatest wrong done to him in his short life: being taken from his beloved home in Berlinand relocated to Out-With.

Herr Liszt’s preoccupation with history leads Bruno to remember things in his immediate past; for him,history is personal, and a larger concept of it is nebulous at best. He recalls how much he had liked to goexploring, and he decides that it would be fun to resume this pastime in his current environment. For months,he has observed from his window the people in their striped pajamas who live beyond the fence, but he hasnever really reflected upon “what it [is] all about” until now. He compares the people there, all dressed alike,to the men who come through his house at all hours, clothed in

uniforms of varying quality and decoration and caps and helmets with bright red-and-blackarm-bands.

Bruno wonders what exactly is the difference between the two groups and who decides which people shouldwear the striped pajamas and which should wear the uniforms.

Chapter 8 Summary 13

Although to Bruno’s knowledge none of the people in the striped pajamas has ever been invited to the house,he has seen the soldiers with them on the other side of the fence. When this happens, it is clear that thesoldiers are in charge because the “pajama people” all jump to attention in their presence and, on occasion,some will fall to the ground and, for some reason, have to be carried away. Bruno is mystified as to the natureof what is happening here at Out-With. He resolves, in the spirit of exploration, to find out more about thesituation. He steps outside and first examines the plaque on the bench that sits beside the garden; he readsaloud, stumbling over the words: “Out-With Camp...June nineteen forty.” He then scans the tall fence, whichstretches as far as the eye can see in both directions, and decides to follow it as far as it will go to the right. Ashe begins his journey, he tries not to remember that both Mother and Father have expressly bannedexploration anywhere along the fence or near the camp—“With No Exceptions.”

Chapter 10 Summary

Bruno walks along the fence for the better part of an hour. He does not see anyone or any opening that willallow him to cross over to the other side. Just when he is about to turn back, he spies a boy sitting in the dirton the other side of the fence, “minding his own business, waiting to be discovered.” Cautiously, Brunoapproaches him and says hello.

The boy is smaller than Bruno and wears the same striped pajamas as all the other people who live beyond thefence. When he hears Bruno’s voice, he looks up. All Bruno can see are “an enormous pair of sad eyes”staring at him; he is sure that he has never seen “a skinnier or sadder boy in his life.” The boy returnsBruno’s greeting. Bruno wants to ask him why he looks so sad but he does not want to seem rude.

Bruno sits on the ground by the fence, facing the boy. He learns that the boy is called Shmuel, a name Brunohas never heard before but which the boy says is very common on his side of the fence. Shmuel is nine, justlike Bruno, and to their astonishment, the boys discover that they were born on the same day.

Bruno feels very happy to have found a friend. Shmuel says there are a lot of boys his age on his side of thefence but that they fight a lot, which is why he seeks solitude there where Bruno has found him. Brunocomplains that it is not fair that Shmuel has so many friends with whom he probably plays “for hours everyday,” and he resolves to talk to Father about the situation.

Shmuel tells Bruno that he is from Poland and that his mother, who is a teacher, has taught him to speak bothGerman and Polish. Bruno, who has never heard of Poland, remembers his father’s frequent assertion thatGermany, their homeland, is “the greatest of all countries.” He unthinkingly suggests to Shmuel that Polandis not as good as Germany. Shmuel does not respond to this observation. Bruno is uneasy because as he makesthe statement it does not seem quite right to him, and he does not want to be unkind. He asks Shmuel where,exactly, Poland is located. After a short hesitation, Shmuel says that they are in Poland now.

Bruno has always had trouble keeping the names of places straight in his head, and he promises himself thathe will pay better attention in geography class. Shmuel comments that, although they are in Poland, they arenot in a very nice part of the country. Bruno tells Shmuel about Berlin and how nice it was there before thingschanged and it became very noisy and scary at night, and everyone had to turn off all the lights each eveningthe minute it started to get dark. Shmuel says that in the part of Poland where he used to live, “everyone...isvery friendly” and there had been “lots of people in [his] family.”

Bruno tells Shmuel that he is going to be an explorer when he grows up, then he ventures to inquire aboutsomething that has been bothering him for a long time. Choosing his words carefully, Bruno asks Shmuel whythere are so many people over on his side of the fence and what in the world they are all doing there.

Chapter 9 Summary 14

Chapter 11 Summary

This chapter goes back to describe an evening in Berlin several months earlier, when the Fury comes toBruno’s house and everything changes. Father returns home one day in “a state of great excitement” andannounces that the Fury has invited himself to dinner on Thursday, two days from now, because he hassomething of great importance to discuss with Father. Bruno asks, “Who’s the Fury?” Father responds bytelling him he is pronouncing the name wrong and proceeds to pronounce it correctly for him.

Although he tries, Bruno still cannot say the Fury’s name correctly. When Father does not believe that hereally does not know who the Fury is, Gretel interjects in exasperation, “He runs the country, idiot.” Mother,who seems very nervous about the Fury’s upcoming visit, worries how she will get everything ready in time.

On Thursday, an hour before the Fury is scheduled to arrive, Bruno and Gretel receive “a rare invitation intoFather’s office.” Although the children will not actually dine with the adults, Father reminds them about theimportance of this evening’s visit and sets down a number of ground rules for their behavior. Three quartersof an hour later, the Fury arrives with a tall, blond woman, “the most beautiful woman [Bruno has] ever seenin his life.” After greetings are exchanged and the children are introduced, the Fury, whom Bruno thinks is“the rudest guest [he has] ever seen,” marches straight into the dining room and takes Father’s seat at thehead of the table.

The blond woman, whose name is Eva, stays behind to talk to the children. The Fury imperiously “roar[s]” ather to come join him, “clicking his fingers as if she were some sort of puppy dog.” The woman, who incontrast to her partner is very kind, ignores him and continues her conversation with Bruno and Gretel untilshe is done; she does not seem the least bit intimidated by the Fury.

The Fury and Eva stay about two hours, and Bruno watches from his window as they are leaving. He noticesthat the Fury does not open the car door for Eva, nor does he join his companion when she pauses to thankMother and say good-bye. Bruno thinks that the Fury is “a horrible man.”

That night, Bruno overhears his parents talking, as their voices are “unusually loud.” Father says somethingabout having to leave Berlin to maintain his position at his job. Mother, who apparently does not think theplace to which they will be going will be good for the children, protests. Father silences Mother, intimatingthat he has no choice if he wants to advance his career and remain in the good graces of his superiors. A fewdays later, Bruno learns they will be moving to Out-With.

Chapter 12 Summary

Bruno has asked Shmuel why there are so many people on his side of the fence and what they are doing there;Shmuel reflects upon his past in searching for an answer. He recalls that before he came there, he had livedwith his parents and brother in a small flat in Cracow. Shmuel’s father had been a watchmaker and had givenhim a beautiful watch that was taken away by the soldiers.

Shmuel’s idyllic life began to unravel when his mother made an armband with a star on it for each member ofthe family, and they had to wear it whenever they left the house. Bruno says that his father also wears anarmband, one that is “bright red with a black and white design on it.” Bruno draws the design on the groundso Shmuel can see it—it is a swastika.

Shmuel remembers that, after a while, his family was told they could not live in their house anymore. Bruno isdelighted to hear that he is not the only one who has been forced to move against his will. He asks his newfriend if the Fury had come to dinner at his house, too, just before everything had changed. Shmuel says no

Chapter 11 Summary 15

and goes on to tell how his family had been relocated to a part of Cracow where the soldiers had built “a bigwall.” There, he and his parents and brother had to move into one squalid room with another family—elevenpeople crammed in all together.

Then one day soldiers in trucks had forcibly taken all the people to a train. Conditions on the train had beenunspeakable. Bruno, remembering the two trains at the station when he had left Berlin, naïvely suggests thatShmuel should have ridden in the one that had brought him to Out-With. Shmuel goes on to describe ajourney in an airless, stinking boxcar, an experience completely beyond Bruno’s comprehension. When thetrain had finally stopped, the people had been forced to walk a long way in the freezing cold. Shmuel’smother had been taken away when they arrived where they are now, and he and his father and brother hadbeen put in the little huts where they have been ever since.

Shmuel looks very sad as he tells his story, and Bruno cannot understand why, because in his mind, prettymuch the same thing has happened to him. Bruno asks Shmuel if there are other boys on his side of the fence,and Shmuel responds that there are hundreds. Bruno assumes that they must play together every day and isindignant that he does not have the same opportunity. Shmuel then asks with embarrassment if Bruno has anyfood, but Bruno does not. Saying that if he is caught there by the fence he will be in a lot of trouble, Shmuelbegins to run back toward the camp. Bruno shouts that he will return tomorrow and sets off for home.

Bruno is excited about what has just happened and can hardly wait to tell his parents and Gretel that he hasfound a friend. The more he thinks about it, however, the more it seems that telling them about Shmuel willnot be a good idea. In the end, he decides that his new acquaintance will best remain “his own secret.”

Chapter 13 Summary

Every afternoon, after his lessons are finished, Bruno takes the long walk along the fence and spends timetalking to his new friend, Shmuel. One day as he is filling his pockets with food from the kitchen for his dailyexcursion, he notices the piles of vegetables waiting for Pavel to peel and is reminded of a question that hasbeen bothering him. In confidence, Bruno asks Maria why Pavel told him he was a doctor on the day he fellfrom the swing. Maria is startled and at first lies, but she is clearly troubled. She looks out the window tomake sure no one is coming and tells Bruno that Pavel was once a doctor “in another life.” Warning Brunothat he must keep what she is about to tell him a secret, Maria reveals to him what she knows about Pavel’spast.

When Bruno meets Shmuel a short time later, he tells him about Pavel, who also comes from Poland. Brunotells Shmuel that Pavel, who had been a doctor in his hometown, fixed his knee when he hurt himself and thatthere will be trouble if Father hears about what Pavel has done. Shmuel, knowing that Bruno’s father is theCommandant, replies that in his experience soldiers “don’t normally like people getting better,” but Brunodoes not understand. He changes the subject, asking Shmuel what he wants to be when he grows up. Shmuelwants to be a zookeeper, and Bruno wants to be a soldier like his father. Shmuel says that he would not wantto be a soldier and adds that “there aren’t any good soldiers.” Bruno feels insulted and describes for Shmuelhis father’s “impressive uniform” and

the big things...the Fury has...in mind for him because he’s such a good soldier.

Shmuel at first does not reply, then he very quietly says, “You don’t know what it’s like here.” Bruno tellsShmuel that he greatly dislikes one soldier in particular, Lieutenant Kotler; the simple mention of thelieutenant’s name causes Shmuel to turn pale and begin to shiver.

Chapter 12 Summary 16

To Bruno’s great disappointment, Lieutenant Kotler joins the family for dinner that night. During the meal,Bruno complains about his lessons, especially history, which he finds hopelessly boring. Lieutenant Kotlerreminisces that although his father was a professor of literature, he had enjoyed history most of all as a child.Mother innocently asks if his father still teaches, and the lieutenant replies that he does not know because hisfather “left Germany some years ago” and he has had not contact with him since. Calculating that thelieutenant’s father had left Germany “at the moment of her greatest glory and her most vital need,” Fatherwonders accusingly if the man had been in disagreement with government policy, which puts the lieutenant ina very uncomfortable position. As Lieutenant Kotler insists that he has no knowledge of his father’s politics,Father brings the conversation to an abrupt end.

Pavel, who has been unusually shaky and unsteady while performing his duties as a waiter this evening, dropsa bottle whose contents spill into Lieutenant Kotler’s lap. The lieutenant was already agitated and nowbecomes irate and does something unspeakable to Pavel. To Bruno’s great dismay, no one stops him. WhenBruno goes to bed that night, he reflects on what happened at the table and wonders if that is “the kind ofthing that [goes] on at Out-With.” If it is, he concludes that he

had better not disagree with anyone any more about anything....In fact, he would do well tokeep his mouth shut and cause no chaos at all.

Chapter 14 Summary

Bruno continues to meet Shmuel by the fence in the afternoons. He asks every day if he can come over toShmuel’s side so they can play together, but Shmuel says:

I don’t know why you’re so anxious to come across here.... It’s not very nice.

Bruno complains the difficulties of his own living conditions and even expresses envy over the advantages hethinks Shmuel has over him, which shows that he has absolutely no understanding of what life is like on theother side of the fence.

One day it rains heavily and Bruno is unable to go out to meet Shmuel. Bored, he is lying on his bed reading abook when his sister barges in and asks what he is doing. Unthinkingly, Bruno mentions that he should bewith Shmuel right now. Gretel is instantly suspicious and demands to know if he has found someone to playwith. Bruno considers telling Gretel the truth about his new friend, but after thinking about it he decides notto. Instead, he tells his sister that he has an imaginary friend. Bruno tries to act embarrassed to make his storymore convincing, and he knows he has been successful when Gretel begins to make fun of his immaturity.

Because she also has nothing to do, Gretel plays along and asks Bruno what makes his imaginary friend sospecial to him. Bruno, realizing that he is being offered the opportunity to talk about Shmuel withoutrevealing “the truth about his existence,” describes for his sister some of the things they talk about. Brunosays that he tells Shmuel about his life in Berlin and the friends that he still misses very much and that Shmuelin turn tells him about his family and

the adventures he had coming here...and the boys he used to play with but he doesn’t anymore because they disappeared without even saying goodbye.

Bruno remembers that yesterday Shmuel had told him that his grandfather is missing and his father crieswhenever he asks about him. As he repeats the things that Shmuel had said, Bruno becomes very quietbecause he had not really understood how sad these things must have made his friend feel until he repeatedthem out loud.

Chapter 13 Summary 17

Gretel interrupts Bruno’s reverie by commenting rudely that he had better keep the secret of his imaginaryfriend to himself or people will think he is mad. She says that she, at thirteen years old, is far too old to havean imaginary friend—as she “flounce[s] out” haughtily to go talk to her dolls.

Bruno sits by the window, watching the rain and thinking about Shmuel. He wonders if his friend misses theirtime together as much as he does.

Chapter 15 Summary

Father’s birthday is coming up, and Mother is planning a party for him with Lieutenant Kotler’s help.Repulsed by the soldier’s presence, Bruno decides to make a list of all the reasons why he hates him. Thelieutenant never smiles, and Gretel flirts with him shamelessly. Also, when Father is away, the young soldieris always around the house with Mother, acting “as if he [is] in charge.” Sometimes he is there when Brunogoes to bed and is back before he gets up again in the morning. One time Bruno saw Lieutenant Kotler shoot adog that was barking outside. He also has not forgotten what the cruel young man did to Pavel that evening atdinner when Pavel had dropped the contents of a bottle into his lap. In Bruno’s estimation, Lieutenant Kotleris a very unlikeable character.

Bruno is reading a book in the living room one day when Lieutenant Kotler accosts him and, feigning civility,torments him by taking the book and refusing to give it back. Just when Bruno manages to outwit thelieutenant and retrieve his book, his mother comes toward them. She does not realize that Bruno is there andaddresses the lieutenant with a term of endearment, telling him that she has a little free time now. Mother isstartled when she sees her son. She sends him to the kitchen because she needs “a private word” withLieutenant Kotler. Bruno retreats to the kitchen in anger and receives “the biggest surprise of his life—there,sitting at the table...is Shmuel.”

Shmuel is delighted to see Bruno and explains that he has been brought by the lieutenant to the house to cleanthe tiny glasses because his fingers are so small. Shmuel holds out his hand to show him. Bruno observes thatShmuel’s fingers look like “dying twigs” and wonders if whatever is going on at Out-With is not “a verybad idea.” Bruno goes to the refrigerator, takes out some slices of chicken, and begins stuffing them into hismouth. When he realizes Shmuel is watching him with an indescribable intensity, he becomes aware of histhoughtlessness and offers him some.

Shmuel reacts with extreme ambivalence; he is clearly terrified that Lieutenant Kotler will come back. Notunderstanding the problem, Bruno puts some chicken into his friend’s hand. After a moment of hesitation, thestarving boy gobbles it down. At that moment, the lieutenant enters and, perceiving immediately that Shmuelhas been eating, asks him if he has stolen something from the refrigerator. Desperate, Shmuel says that Brunohas given him the food and that they are friends. When Lieutenant Kotler turns to Bruno and asks if whatShmuel says is true, Bruno, remembering what the lieutenant did to Pavel, denies knowing his friend.

As he returns to the living room, Bruno realizes what he has done and is overcome with shame. He wonders

how a boy who thought he was a good person...could act in such a cowardly way.

When he goes back to the kitchen later, Shmuel is gone.

Almost a week passes before Bruno sees Shmuel again at the fence. Bruno runs to him and apologizes for hisbehavior, and Shmuel says, “It’s all right.” Bruno notices that Shmuel’s face is covered with bruises. Hesurmises that his friend must have fallen off his bicycle like he had done one time in Berlin, and he asks if ithurts. Shmuel responds, “I don’t feel anything any more.” When Bruno apologizes once again for letting him

Chapter 14 Summary 18

down, Shmuel smiles, and Bruno knows that he is forgiven. Shmuel lifts the bottom of the fence and reacheshis hand out to Bruno. Bruno takes his friend’s hand: “it [is] the first time they [have] ever touched.”

Chapter 16 Summary

Almost a year has passed since Bruno and his family moved to Out-With. Grandmother dies, and the familymust return to Berlin for her funeral. Bruno had missed his home acutely when they first had to relocate, butin the intervening time his memories of life in Berlin have slowly faded, and the two days they spend backhome are very sad. Father is particularly remorseful because he and Grandmother had fought before she diedand never made it up. Although he is very proud that one of the wreaths sent in her honor is from the Furyhimself, Mother says that “Grandmother would turn in her grave if she knew it was there.”

When Bruno returns to Out-With, he finds that the house there has now become his home. Bruno realizes thatthings have improved markedly since they first came. For one thing, after much arguing between Mother andFather, Lieutenant Kotler has been transferred away. Gretel, of course, is inconsolable, but she is experiencingchanges that result in her new tendency to leave Bruno completely alone. With the lieutenant’s departure,Gretel has decided she is too old to play with dolls and instead has adorned her room with huge maps ofEurope that she studies constantly, moving pins around on them daily after consulting the newspaper.

The best thing about Out-With in Bruno’s estimation is “that he [has] a friend called Shmuel.” Brunocontinues to visit Shmuel regularly, and he reflects on the strangeness of the arrangement because they neverget to play together. Bruno begins to think more and more “about the two sides of the fence and the reason it[is] there in the first place.” Unable to understand why things are the way they are, he decides to consultGretel about the phenomenon.

Gretel is experimenting with her hair when Bruno enters her room, and when he asks her about the situation atOut-With, she immediately interrupts him, telling him he is not saying the name of the place properly.Although she pronounces it correctly for him, he cannot tell the difference. He inquires about the fence andwhy it is there. Gretel, unable to believe that her brother is “perfectly serious,” at first laughs at him and thenexplains that the people on the other side of the fence, who are called Jews, must be kept together “with theirown kind.” When Bruno asks, in all sincerity, what they are on this side of the fence, in contrast to the Jews,Gretel cannot give a good explanation other than to say that they are “the opposite.”

Bruno persists, asking with perfect reasonableness why the Opposite and the Jews do not get along, but Greteldoes not answer because she has found “something unusual” in her hair and is examining it carefully. Whenshe discovers that it is a tiny egg, she screams in horror and Mother runs into the room. As it turns out, bothGretel and Bruno have lice in their hair. Gretel must be treated with a special shampoo, and Father shavesBruno’s hair off completely. When Bruno sees himself with his bald head and his “eyes...too big for hisface,” it occurs to him that he looks just like Shmuel.

Chapter 17 Summary

In the weeks after the discovery of lice in the children's hair, Mother's unhappiness with life at Out-Withbecomes increasingly noticeable. Bruno understands her situation perfectly because he remembers how lonelyhe had been before he had found Shmuel to talk to. Mother has no one, especially now that Lieutenant Kotlerhas been transferred away. One afternoon, Bruno overhears an especially vehement "conversation" betweenhis mother and father. Mother declares that she "can't stand it anymore," and although Father argues that they"don't have any choice" because of the gossip that will occur if he lets his family return to Berlin without him,Bruno gets the sense that his mother might get her wish. Surprisingly, he is not sure how he feels about thispossibility.

Chapter 15 Summary 19

Despite his initial dissatisfaction with the place, Bruno has grown used to his life at Out-With and looksforward to his "afternoon conversations" with Shmuel. Bruno knows, however, that he can do nothing toinfluence the choices his parents will make, so he resolves to accept whatever happens without complaint.

Nothing unusual occurs for the next few weeks. Father is absent most of the time, working either in his officeor "on the other side of the fence," while Mother takes "an awful lot more of her afternoon naps," and seemsto need quite a few "medicinal sherries." Gretel remains secluded in her room, while Bruno continues to enjoyhis time with his "secret friend."

Then one day, Father summons the children into his office and asks them if they are happy here at Out-With.Gretel replies that she is very lonely and misses her friends in Berlin. Bruno, on the other hand, says evasivelythat he "would miss people no matter where [he] went," and expresses the desire to return to Berlin only if thefour members of the family can stay together. Father responds that although this will be impossible right now,as the Fury still has work for him to do, he is thinking about sending Mother and them back home, as he hascome to the realization that this may not be "a place for children." Unthinkingly, Bruno comments that thereare "hundreds of children here...only...on the other side of the fence," and Father, taken aback, asks him whathe knows about "what goes on over there." Knowing that there will be trouble if he says too much more,Bruno answers carefully, saying only that he can see the children from his bedroom window, "all wearing thestriped pajamas."

Father, suspicious, is spurred into action by Bruno's words. The decision is made to send Mother and thechildren back to Berlin. Bruno is not as happy as he had thought he would be at this turn of events. He dreadshaving to tell Shmuel that he is leaving.

Chapter 18 Summary

Shmuel does not show up at their usual meeting place for a few days, and Bruno is worried that he will haveto leave Out-With without saying good-bye. Finally, on the third day, Shmuel is there again at the fence, buthe looks “even more unhappy than usual.”

He tells Bruno that something bad has happened and his father is missing. According to Shmuel, his fatherhad gone Monday on “work duty with some other men”; inexplicably, none of them have returned. Brunoproposes that “there must be a simple explanation,” but he cannot think of what it might be. He offers to askFather about the situation, secretly hoping that Shmuel will not take him up on his suggestion. To his relief,Shmuel says that this would not be a good idea because the soldiers hate the people on his side of the fence; asan afterthought, he adds that he hates them in return. Taken by surprise, Bruno asks if Shmuel hates Fathertoo, and Shmuel does not answer. He has seen Bruno’s father, the Commandant,

on any number of occasions and [cannot] understand how such a man could have a son who[is] so friendly and kind.

After a long, uncomfortable silence, Bruno changes the subject, telling Shmuel that he is going back to Berlin.Shmuel asks Bruno how long he will be gone, and Bruno responds, “I think it’s forever.” Shmuel realizessadly that he will never see Bruno again and laments that he will have no one to talk to anymore. Bruno wantsto tell Shmuel that he will miss him too, but he is too embarrassed; instead, he suggests that someday perhapshis friend can “come on a holiday to Berlin.”

Bruno reflects that he and Shmuel have never had the chance to play together, and he wishes that they coulddo so “just once...just to remember.” When Bruno expresses the desire to see for himself what it is like on theother side of the fence despite his friend’s observation that he “wouldn’t like it,” Shmuel lifts the bottom of

Chapter 17 Summary 20

the fence a little and asks, “Why don’t you then?” Feeling his head “where his hair used to be but was nowjust stubble,” Bruno recalls that he looks just like Shmuel and suggests that if he had a pair of striped pajamashe “could come over on a visit and no one would be any the wiser.” Shmuel, who hopes that Bruno might beable to help him find his father, says that he can easily secure an extra pair of pajamas. The boys resolve tohave one “final adventure” as “a good way to say goodbye.”

Chapter 19 Summary

On the day of Bruno and Shmuel’s scheduled “great adventure,” it rains heavily in the morning, and Brunoworries that he will not be able to see his friend before leaving for Berlin. Fortunately, the weather improvesin the afternoon, and Bruno is able to make his way down the fence to their regular meeting place. When hearrives, Bruno finds Shmuel waiting for him with an extra pair of striped pajamas “exactly like the one he [is]wearing.”

Bruno tells Shmuel to turn his back then he Bruno strips off his own clothes and dons the striped pajamas. Henotices that they do “not smell very nice.” When Bruno is ready, he tells Shmuel that he can turn aroundnow. Shmuel finds it “quite extraordinary” how much alike they look; it is “almost...as if they [are] exactlythe same.” Bruno comments that this experience reminds him of the plays Grandmother used to put on withhim and Gretel. Grandmother always had the right costume for him to wear in any given situation and had toldhim:

You wear the right outfit and you feel like the person you’re pretending to be.

Shmuel lifts the bottom wire of the fence and Bruno squeezes underneath, getting muddy in the process.When the two boys are on the same side at last, each has an urge to give the other a hug but neither does.Instead, they walk toward the camp, and Bruno is astonished to discover that it is nothing like what he hadthought it would be. Bruno had imagined that the huts would be “full of happy families” and that the childrenwould all be playing schoolyard games together on the grounds. As it turns out, all he sees are crowds ofpeople in striped pajamas sitting on the ground “looking horribly sad” and soldiers in their uniforms laughingor shouting at them.

Stunned, Bruno says that he does not like it here on the other side of the fence and thinks he should go backhome, but Shmuel reminds him that he has promised to help find his father. Not wanting to break his word,Bruno stays. The two boys search for clues to Shmuel’s father’s whereabouts for an hour and a half, but theyfind nothing.

When the skies begin to cloud over again, Bruno tells Shmuel that he is sorry their efforts have been fruitless,and Shmuel, who had not really expected to achieve success anyway, nods sadly. As the two boys head backto the fence, there is a loud whistle and soldiers surround the area in which they are walking. Bruno andShmuel are pushed to the center of a mob of people marching under the command of the soldiers. Rain beginsto pour down, but still the people are forced to march until finally they are pushed into a long room, which is“surprisingly warm” and seemingly airtight. Bruno thinks that perhaps they are being provided shelter fromthe rain, but Shmuel looks up at him in terror. Bruno tries to console his friend, taking his hand and tellinghim that he is his “best friend for life.”

At that moment, the doors to the room slam shut with a “loud metallic” ring, and Bruno cannot make sense ofwhat is happening. The people gasp, the room goes dark, and chaos of the greatest extent ensues; Bruno holdstight to Shmuel’s hand and does not let go.

Chapter 18 Summary 21

Chapter 20 Summary

After the incident on the other side of the fence, Bruno is never seen or heard from again. His parents arefrantic when he does not return home that day, and soldiers are sent out immediately to search “every part ofthe house and...all the local towns and villages.” Mother, who had been so happy about returning to Berlin,ends up staying at Out-With for several more months, hoping for news of her son. Eventually, she decides thathe must have made his way back home to Berlin by himself, and she goes to wait for him there. Gretelaccompanies her mother and spends a lot of time alone in her room crying. Despite her rude and impatientattitude toward her brother, she misses Bruno very much.

In the initial days of the search, one soldier discovers Bruno’s clothes in a neat pile by the fence a gooddistance to the right of the house. He notifies Bruno’s father, the Commandant, who examines the area butcannot figure out what has happened to his son. It seems to the Commandant that his son has “just vanishedoff the face of the earth and left his clothes behind him.”

Father stays at Out-With for another year and develops a very bad reputation for his ruthless treatment of hissoldiers. He is obsessed with thoughts about his son, and one day he finally develops a theory about whatmight have happened to him. Father returns to the place at the fence where Bruno’s clothes had been found.He again studies the area carefully, and this time he notices that the fence at that spot is not secured properlyto the ground but leaves a gap large enough for a small boy to get through. He looks into the distance andconjectures about the probable chain of events leading to his son’s disappearance. When the horrible truthbecomes evident to him, he falls to the ground in devastation and grief. A few months later, Father is removedfrom his command at Out-With, and soldiers are sent to take him away. The disgraced former Commandantgoes without complaint because he no longer cares what happens to him.

The author closes his fable by commenting that the story about Bruno and his family “happened a long timeago.” He then adds with chilling irony, “of course...nothing like that could ever happen again...not in this dayand age.”

Copyright

Chapter 20 Summary 22