Background and Summary: 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas'

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The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas takes place during WWII and is a story told through a young, 8 year old boys eyes. Bruno is the son of the commandant at a concentration camp. They lived in Berlin but were forced to relocate because his father was put in charge of a prison camp. When the get to their new home, Bruno is told that there are certain places that are forbidden for him to go, no exceptions. Unable to fight his adventurous spirit, he wonders off one afternoon to explore the forbidden area. Bruno would sneak through the window in the shed and run around exploring in the woods. He reaches a fence that he follows until he sees a young boy sitting on the other side of it. The young boy is shoeless, and is wearing striped pajamas and cloth cap, along with an armband with a star on it. Bruno and the young boy, Shmuel, get acquainted and become friends in a very short amount of time. They talk about where they are from and tell each other about themselves. At the end of the visit, Bruno asked Shmuel why there were so many people on his side of the fence and what they are doing there and he headed back home. After a few days of getting situated into the new house and the new surroundings Bruno’s father had a dinner party, inviting over “the Führer”, who Bruno thought was called “the Fury.” Bruno’s sister, Gretel, had her first crush. She would try to impress “the Führer” every chance she got. Bruno was disgusted by his sister’s behavior and her budding romance with a young soldier. Bruno would bring Shmuel food and they would sit and talk meaning they were on different sides of the fence. They couldn’t do what regular friends did like play a game of football. Shmuel confided in Bruno that he was unable to find his father. Bruno promised that he would help Shmuel find his father. He was going to keep that promise, whether is
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