The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
John Boyne
Historical Fiction
50/216

Summary

Bruno is still extremely unhappy about the move. As he was laying on his bed he noticed that on the ceiling above him the paint is peeling and cracked. This sight is just another reason for Bruno to hate the new house. Just when he has that thought his maid comes in and he asks her whether she likes their new home or not. She doesn't want to give him a straight answer so she just says that she preferred the back garden in their old house in Berlin. Soon enough Marie and Bruno have a big conversation, it is mostly about Marie and her family and how she explains that her mother had worked for Bruno's fraternal grandmother. Once Marie's mother had retired she still stayed close to the family and now Marie works for Bruno's and Gretel's father and mother. After a few weeks in the new house Bruno has found himself being quite bored most of the time. He decides that he will try and find something to do or he will lose his mind. He comes to the conclusion that he will build a swing on Saturday. In need of the materials he needs to make the swing, one of the things he has to ask Lieutenant Kotler for is a tyre. Lieutenant Kotler is a soldier that Bruno had met on his first day in the new house. The Lieutenant agrees to supply Bruno with the things he will need. Bruno goes on to create the swing he desires to. As he is finalizing the swing, he is holding on to the tyre at a high point and manages to fall. He later on finds a giant gash on his knee. Bruno is starting to miss his grandparents terribly. His grandfather is retired and his grandmother loves to sing on stage. She hopes that one day Bruno or Gretel will also be stars on the stage. Both Bruno and Gretel had once joined their grandmother in a play but that didn't end too well. Finally Bruno starts to adjust to his new home; "Out-With." Herr Liszt is hired as a tutor for Bruno and Gretel. Bruno keeps on observing the people behind the fence outside his window. He sees a 'new' group but they are wearing bright red and black armed bands and clothing varying for material and decoration. He wonders why they are not also wearing grey striped pajamas like the boys and old men he had seen previously. 

Response 

I wonder why it has taken Bruno so long to adjust to his new home. I wonder why Bruno is so fascinated by the soldiers behind the fence outside his window, and why he spends so much time observing them. I think that Bruno might not have adjusted to his new home just yet but is trying to forget all the fond memories he has because he realizes he cannot keep on hating his new house and life. 

Passage 

"Nothing changed for quite a while at Out-With" (Boyne 95). 

I chose this passage because this is the point at which Bruno finally realizes that he should stop hating his new home and when he starts to but aside the memories he has been thinking about for a while. He has now finally decided to adjust to his new life and house. This situation sort of reminded me of when I first moved to Belgrade. The school and my whole life was completely different but soon enough I found a way to accept the changes and now I don't want to leave. This also shows that Bruno is changing as a person but we don't know if it's for the worse or the better yet.