The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas Argumentative Essay Example
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas Argumentative Essay Example

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas Argumentative Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (876 words)
  • Published: October 20, 2016
  • Type: Analysis
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The novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne is a cautionary tale told through the eyes of nine year old Bruno. It is a story about an innocent friendship between two boys, one is the son of the commandant of a concentration camp in Poland and the other is a jew. The only thing between them is a fence that separates, but eventually interweaves their lives. it demonstrates how even in the most dreary and dark circumstances nothing stands in the way of true friendship and human kindness. Even though this novel is ? ctional, it is based on a very real and tragic events.

Auschwitz concentration camp located in Poland during the holocaust is where the events of the story unfold. Over 6 million jews were murdered by the Germans, 1. 1 mill

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ion at Auschwitz alone. Hitler displayed typical signs of prejudice and had a stereotypical view that all Jews were untrustworthy and disloyal. Jews were forced to wear an armband with the star of David on it and carry identi? cation papers with them at all times. They were starved and treated extremely cruelly. "Bruno looked down at Shmuel's hand, which looked like the hand of a pretend skeleton. Hitler used propaganda to brainwash people into believing that Germany was the greatest country and the Jews did not belong to it. Heir Liszt, Gretel and Bruno's tudor pushes the children to learn about Germany's history and greatness and the insigni? cance of the Jews.

"Bruno, if you ever found a nice Jew, you would be the greatest explorer in the world. " Bruno's father had bee

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brainwashed by Hitler and was made to believe that his job as commandant of Auschwitz concentration camp was important work for the country, wearing a Nazi uniform and giving orders makes him feel powerful and important. If you wear the right out? t, you feel like the person you're pretending to be" Many acts of kindness and compassion are present regardless of the terrible circumstances. Jews and Germans were raised to be enemies, but this didn't mean that was always the case. Pavel shows kindness toward Bruno by building him a swing and attending to his wounded knee when he falls off despite the fact it could potentially cost him his life if he was to get caught. Mother appreciates Pavel's kind act and protects him against possible punishments that he could have faced.

Maria shows kindness to Father, she's grateful for everything that he has done for her because she understands that she would be dead if it weren't for him. 'If it wasn't for your father, where would I be now after all? ' Bruno is kind towards Shmuel on many occasions, by bringing him food, even though he usually eats most of it before it even reaches Shmuel. He doesn't understand why everybody around him is so convinced that the Jews are ? lthy and evil. “What exactly was the difference? he wondered to himself.

And who decided which people wore the striped pajamas and which people wore the uniforms? ” Shmuel and Bruno's friendship grows and blossoms over the course of the novel. They share many similarities and differenced between them. Both boys the same age and share the

same birthday and have been brought to Auschwitz without their consent "Well, you've been brought here against your will, just like I have. If you ask me, we're all in the same boat. And it's leaking. " Both boys want something that the other has, Bruno wants children to play with and Shmuel wants food.

Bruno doesn't mind the fact that Shmuel is Jewish and continues to stay friends with him despite this. 'We're not supposed to be friends, we're supposed to be enemies, did you know that? " The friendship is tested when Bruno betrays Shmuel to save his own skin, he feels terrible afterwards and wants to make it up to Shmuel by helping him ? nd his papa. "He had never felt so ashamed in his life, he had never imagined that he would behave so cruelly. " The fence between them signi? s the imaginary barrier between the two completely different worlds that Bruno and Shmuel belong to. It is ironic that an object as simple as a fence can signify the many things that separated them and that nothing could stand in the way of their friendship.

Although it is done blindly, in the end Bruno is willing to give up his life for Shmuel, his best friend for life. "Despite the chaos that followed, Bruno found that he was still holding Shmuel's hand in his own and nothing in the world would have persuaded him to let go. Hope is still present through the acts of friendship and kindness even in dif? cult times of human suffering and cruelty. The novel demonstrates this through a fable and

is a lesson for humanity. This is a story about the horrors of the past and through the innocence of two boys in a cruel world of prejudice and discrimination we are taught that no matter what race, religion or beliefs you have, two people can always share the gift of friendship.

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