set of striped pajamas behind a barbed wire fence

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

by John Boyne

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Student Question

Does Boyne's The Boy In The Striped Pajamas challenge or reinforce society's dominant values and beliefs?

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Bruno absolutely challenges the dominant beliefs in his society.  A boy Bruno's age, in German society during World War II, is asked to do two things (among others):  do what he is told and believe that Jewish people are less than human. Bruno defies both of these things.  Doing both of these things would begin a child's initiation into the Nazi way of life.  We can see Bruno's challenge of the Nazi ideals through two specific examples.

First, Bruno continually defies his Nazi Commandant father by not following the rule (originally about Father's office, but also about the concentration camp) that there are definitely places that are "Out Of Bounds At All Times And No Exceptions." The best examples of this are Bruno's continual visits to the fence.  These visits are first to satisfy his curiosity; however, they are later to continue his friendship with Shmuel.  Bruno's ultimate act of defiance comes when he enters the fence and tries to help Shmuel find his father.

Second, Bruno completely rejects the Nazi idea that Jewish people "are not really people at all."  Bruno shows this rejection of Nazi beliefs by becoming "best friends for life" with Shmuel.  As Bruno notices, meets, talks with, and becomes friends with Shmuel, he realizes that Shmuel is a person: a human with a soul who deserves respect.

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