Innocence In The Boy In The Striped Pajamas

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The theme in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is innocence. Bruno’s family shelters him from the horrors of what is occurring at the camp next door, and what his father really does. Because the family wanted Bruno to stay a little innocent kid, his innocence ultimately kills him. Bruno was only kept innocent because of ignorance and things not told to him. Bruno knew that he people in the striped pajamas were Jews, but he was never told what was happening on the other side of the fence. He thought that the little kids would be playing, happy families would be everywhere, and he thought that there would be a cafe or something. Because of this belief he went under the fence without being suspicious or scared, if his family hadn’t kept him so innocent and told him the truth their son might not have died in a gassing chamber. …show more content…

Bruno was a German, and Shmuel a Jew, but the two were still best friend until the very end. From a young age Bruno was indoctrinated into thinking that Jews were bad, and the enemy, but when he met Shmuel that changed. When father was talking about how the Jews weren’t people at all, Bruno didn’t agree with it but kept his mouth shut. Bruno didn’t think what he was being told was right, and as a result from his family being one-sided towards him, Bruno went to the fence. At the fence he met Shmuel, and although their circumstances were polar opposites, they bonded and talked. Their friendship was the one thing Bruno could turn to, and he even lied to his family to keep it a secret., Bruno and Shmuel’s friendship was so strong it made Bruno want to stay at Our-With. The boy’s friendship led them to their death in the end, but Bruno learned what a best friend was like, forgetting all about his old friends in

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