Overall, Bruno has changed throughout the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, from feeling out of place and upset about Out-With, from meeting his friend-for-life Shmuel, and finally taking a last adventure with Shmuel that cost his death.
Monday, April 25, 2016
Concluding Statement
Overall, Bruno has changed throughout the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, from feeling out of place and upset about Out-With, from meeting his friend-for-life Shmuel, and finally taking a last adventure with Shmuel that cost his death.
Bruno(Ending)
Finally, Bruno has developed so much towards the ending before he died(or at least it is implied). Firstly, when Mother wants to go back to Berlin, Bruno does not want to go, all he wants is the family to stay together. Pg. 190 states "I prefer all four of us to stay together" he said, reluctantly including Gretel in that,"Whenether that was in Berlin or Out-With". Bruno finally undestands the circumstances that his family is going through. Plus, it really brings out his love for his family(and even Gretel the Hopeless Case) about how Bruno says he wants the family to stay together, rather than thinking all about himself. Futhermore, Bruno's relationship with Shmuel strengthens as told on pgs. 212-213 "Actually...It doesn't matter I do or don't, they're not my best friends anymore, anyway". He looked down and did something out of character to Shmuel's tiny hand and squeezed it tightly."You're my best friend,Shmuel." he said."My best friend for life." This indicates that Bruno has moved on, and he finally found his "true best friend". He also said such kind words to Shmuel, and going out of his way, moments before both of them died. Also, Bruno risked his life to take a final adventure with Shumel in Out-With, even going as far as dressing in a pair of striped pajamas as a disguise(pg. 203). Bruno was very brave going through a concentration camp, just to help his friend. This shows what a true and compassionate friend he is, for risking his own life.
Bruno(Middle #2)
Altogether, Bruno seems to be evolving as the end of this novel approaches. He is starting to explore Out-With, which leads him to meeting his first new friend of Out-With, Shmuel who has "the striped pajamas", and Bruno asks why are there so many people on the other side of the fence. So, Bruno seems to be exploring Out-With, and he's finally met a new friend ever since he left Berlin. Bruno does see the fence, and the other side as well, however he does not know why it is there or why Shmuel and many other perople are back there. Moreover, Bruno's memories of his old life in Berlin fade away. Page 148 states that "His old life in Berlin seemed like a very distant memory now and he could hardly even remember what Karl, Daniel, or Martin looked like, except for the fact that one of them was a ginger." Now that Bruno finally has Shmuel to talk to, plus he is starting to get the big idea of what Out-With is about. He is transitioning from his life from Berlin, to his life in Out-With. Also, in the story Bruno starts to think about Shmuel as his friend, as in page 153 "I hate the rain too," he said. "I should be with Shmuel by now. He'll think I've forgotten him." Bruno thinks of Shmuel as just a friend, unaware that he is a Jew and not a desirable friend. He also treats Shmuel just like any friend, despite coming from a different background.
Bruno(Middle #1)
Bruno does start to evolve as the plot of this story gets deeper. For instance, he sees Holocaust victims for the first time. Page 38 notices that, "And one final thought came into her brother's head as he watched the hundreds of people in the distance going about their business, and that was the fact that all of them- the small boys, the big boys. the fathers, the grandfathers, the uncles, the people who lived on their own on everybody's road but didn't seem to have any relatives at all - were wearing the same clothes as each other: a pair of grey striped pajamas with a grey striped cap on their head." This is quite a sight for Bruno, as he never seen so much people wearing all the same clothes. It was also quite strange for Bruno to see such a sight from his bedroom, as he is really young and doesn't know why they are there. However, this is also Bruno's first taste of what Out-With is really is, and which he would explore later. At this point, he is used to Out-With but he still has hard feelings about this place. For example, on pg.59 he calls his father stupid, despite Maria saying his father was "a good man" and saying that he made a "terrible mistake". It probably took Bruno a long time to get used to Out-With. Plus, there was always times he would think it was better to stay in Berlin. He probably didn't really mean to call his father stupid, as back then it was big to respect your parents, rather he was expressing his anger that he was in Out- With in the first place. However, on the other hand there is clear separation between him and Berlin as in pg. 95, "And he still wished that he could go back to Berlin, although the memories of that place were beginning to fade." At this point, Bruno seems used to Out-With, merely accepting the fact that it is now his home for the "foreseeable future".
Bruno(Beginning)
At first when,Bruno goes to Out-With it is obvious that he objects it. He views Out-With as an isolated place, as stated on pg.11-12 "The new house, however, stood all on its own in an empty, desolate place and there were no other houses anywhere to be seen, which meant there would be no other families around and no other boys to play with, neither friends nor trouble." The house in Out-With was in a lonely location, and it was out in the countryside as there was a whole entire concentration camp. Bruno had probably felt quite bored for his first few days living in Out-With, as there were no houses which would mean hardly and friends to meet. Also, not only his house, but Bruno misses the streets and his friends Karl, Daniel, and Martin in Berlin. On pg. 13 it tells that, "But there were no other streets around the new house, no one strolling along or rushing around, and no other streets around the new house, no one strolling along or rushing around, and definitely no shops or fruit and vegetable stalls. When he closed his eyes, everything around him just felt empty and cold, as if he was in the loneliest place in the world. The middle of nowhere." Bruno really thought that Out-With was such a drag compared to Berlin. He thought of it as lifeless, as nothing ever seemed to happen. Surely, this place was very drab for Bruno, as he could not walk along the streets, explore, or play with his friends. Bruno has even taken his dislike of Out-With so far that he pleaded to his father to go back to Berlin, saying that "It's so much nicer there" (pg. 47). It seems that Bruno is not used to quiet and out in the countryside Out-With, as opposed to noisy and crowded Berlin. Often, it takes young children like Bruno time to adjust to their new life in a new location, as all they have are memories of where they used to live. Consequently, part of why Bruno disliking Out-With may be because he simply doesn't know. Plus, he doesn't know what his father's job is except that his mother says that it is a very important job and needs a special man to do so(pg.4). So, Bruno probably does not understand why his father is in Out-With, as he is young and has never seen concentration camps. Often, these camps are located in the countryside, as opposed to urban areas like Berlin as the government wants to conceal that harsh treatment of these prisioners from where most people live.
Introduction
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)