The Boy in the Striped Pajamas The Boy in the Striped Pajamas discussion


283 views
Would you go to the other side of the fence with the friend?

Comments Showing 1-29 of 29 (29 new)    post a comment »
dateUp arrow    newest »

Isaac Michelle wrote: "I wouldn't because it would be probably really hard to escape afterwards."

I don't want to spoil things to you, don't know if you finished the book, but Bruno is very innocent, and he just wants to play with his friend. He doesn't get what is going on. For him, he is alone and Shmuel has company - hundreds of other children, for all he knows. If I had the innocence Bruno has, I'd surely want to go to the other side.


Rue Fleur I would. Point blank I would


Amber I would go. All he wanted was a friend and even as we grow older some friends are still worth going to the other side of the fence for. Whether you know the consequence or not.


Catherine Byrne He didn't know. He expected something different. What a very clever, powerful book.


angel If I knew what was happening there.. then HELL NO, I'd be too scared. But Bruno didn't know what would happen; all he knew was that he could make new friends.


Nini I was studying this book in school, and something my teacher emphasized was Bruno's naivety. Like what others said, he didn't know what was going on. He lived quite a sheltered childhood and just wanted a friend.

I would cross the fence for a friend, but maybe not for the dangers it would bring me into.


Claude The whole point of the book was to show how the Nazi's killed the innocence
that all children should have.

Never forget.....and Never again


message 8: by Boyd (new)

Boyd Over one million Jewish children were killed and this book and this book belittles it by focusing on one dead German kid? Where are your tears for the over 1,000,000 children that were Jewish? Read the diary of Anne Frank if you want to cry for the girl who represented millions of others who were butchered by the Germans during the Nazi regime


Hannah Dear If I didn't know what was over there, I'd go. If I wouldn't understand that I could die. I would just be going to see where my friend lived.


message 10: by Arlene (last edited Mar 14, 2014 08:47AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Arlene Hayes I would go. I'd reckon that if it was okay for my friend, it would be fine for me too. Friends feel safe in each other's company, and with the innocence of childhood I wouldn't think of any possible dangers.


Jennifer Well it depends on who's perspective you are in. It could mean three completely different things.
1. You are Bruno and you know only what Bruno does. Bruno believed it was a fun happy place on the other side of the fence when really it was the complete opposite. Bruno believed what the Nazis wanted him to believe like many other people of the time. With that said if I was as under informed as Bruno and I had met the kid on the other side and was a friend to him. As a curios little kid with endless possibility on the other side. I can guarantee I probably would have been sucked in.
2. You could be Shmuel the boy on the bad side of the fence the poor Jewish boy that did nothing wrong. If I were him and had figured out people were going on marches and not returning, I wasn't getting feed, and I was under poor living conditions I would run to the other side of the fence. Unlike Shmuel who wouldn't leave his side I would have to get away from all the killing and horrible treating taking as much of my family with me.
3. I could be myself at the age I am at and with what I know now. I have studied WWII and all of the horrible things that went on in concentration camps. I also would know that what they were doing was not only wrong but in human on the other side of the fence. As the person I am I would know that I would face horrible scene on the other side of that fence, I know I would have to face the cruel people who brought and did horrible things to them there but I would still cross the fence. My reasoning would be who in their right sane mind would think this was ok. Once on that side of the fence I would help as many people from the camp as possible, even if it meant my own death. It is better to be someone who helps rather than someone who stands by
To answer your question truthfully you need to know perfective because sadly peoples actions chance when their perspectives change.
For example this quote
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.

You have posed an excellent question which really makes you think
Thank You


message 12: by Viktorija (last edited Mar 15, 2014 10:03PM) (new) - rated it 5 stars

Viktorija If I was naive and 8 years old and if I believed the fake footage and lies my dad told me about the camp yeah I probably would.


Samantha If I was myself than no, but if I was as clueless and innocent as Bruno I would.


message 14: by Laura (new) - rated it 1 star

Laura I would not. It would be hard to get out afterwards.


message 15: by Ann (new) - rated it 5 stars

Ann I would not just because I knew what was on the other side of the fence, but if I was oblivious to everything like Bruno, I would probably go on the other side because I like helping my friends and such


message 16: by Leah (new) - rated it 3 stars

Leah Heath I would want to go to the other side. But if I came back I would never want to do that again:(


Deborah Judah Boyd wrote: "Over one million Jewish children were killed and this book and this book belittles it by focusing on one dead German kid? Where are your tears for the over 1,000,000 children that were Jewish? Read..."

This is just a different perspective. It doesn't negate the horrors of the Holocaust in any way but is (in my opinion) a very clever book. It does focus on just one German child but by doing that it shows how a child's innocence and naivety coupled with propaganda can have terrible consequences.


message 18: by Mary (new) - rated it 5 stars

Mary I would but when they started marching and it was past time for me to be home I would just step out of line and tell the soldiers who I was


Alessandra Boyd wrote: "Over one million Jewish children were killed and this book and this book belittles it by focusing on one dead German kid? Where are your tears for the over 1,000,000 children that were Jewish? Read..."
Personally,I think the point the author wanted to make was to show that the Germans did not just erase whole families, kill innocent people in order to achieve the fanatic and, frankly, utterly mad idea to create a new, pure race and hence eliminate the "unclean" "races" and also, find a scapegoat for the deplorable state of affairs in the German Economy; but they also punished and killed their own people. The book erases the differentiation between Jewish and German people by letting both a Jewish boy and the son of a German officer die together, as both boys are utterly innocent. Thus, this is not just a heart-breaking, tragic ending to the book, but the author also incorporates a deeper meaning. This does, however, not mean that the deaths of the Jewish people are belittled, I think this book is not so much about the tragedy of Holocaust but rather a critique of the Nazi regime and at the same time, a tribute to humanity, a reminder of the fact that everyone who died during the atrocities of Holocaust is to be mourned and remembered. It does not matter who you are, where you are from, the death of a human, any human, is a tragedy.


Kayla I probably would. I would do anything for my friends


Jumana Hiasat He didn't know.. If he did I don't think he would. He simply thought he could easily and surely go back home


Jo'hari Payne-bullock I would totally go. I mean SHmuel needed a friend.


message 23: by Joan (new) - rated it 3 stars

Joan Me at that age, will definitely go.


GillianCarter I would not go to the other side. Mostly because I know what would happen. But if I was Bruno then I would go because a friend needed me.


Imaan Iddir In Bruno's position, I guess I would go.
But as me (in Bruno's body)... I would try and distract the guards while the prisoners escaped. Hopefully they wouldn't shoot me because they can't just shoot the big-shot officer's son.


Tiffany Hair It makes me sad but yes, I would have went!


Fef (hatius hatius) Peixes well if i was as innocent i...bursts into tears


message 28: by Roni (new) - rated it 5 stars

Roni I think I would if I was younger. I hate that this book made me sob in tears.


Jadyn yes i would because i would want to play with them and in this case i would die with them to.


back to top