Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Title- Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Author- John Boyne
Text Type- Novel
Date- 13 February 2013
One of the main ideas in the novel, Boy in the Striped Pyjamas written by John Boyne is religion discrimination. This is conveyed through the use of historical events, the story takes place in the early 1940’s, in a Nazi Germany. The novel is written through the perspective of Bruno, a nine year old boy whose father is a Commandment as a part of the Nazis. Throughout the book Bruno loses much of his childhood innocence and begins to question the goings on and discrimination around him. This message is provocative because many societies still discriminate against different religions. It challenges me to think about how in New Zealand our society may not be perfect without any religion discrimination, but in comparison we are at peace. If I was in the same situation as Bruno, I think I would be more questioning of my father and what was going on all around me. The main techniques used to convey this idea to good effect in this text were characterization, the use of contrast and language features. I believe this idea reminds the reader that we are very privileged in our society to not be going through such horrors.
After reading this text I have to ask myself the question, Can I change people’s ideas? Or decide for myself what is right and what is wrong? When Bruno’s father and tutor are telling how Jews weren’t people, and didn’t mean anything “Those people… well, there are not people at all, Bruno”. Still Bruno befriends a Jewish boy named Shmuel and came up with his own assumptions. Bruno, throughout the novel did not lose his sense of equality. Would I be brave enough to do this if I was in the same situation? If in real life I was faced with the same situation, I would not let someone else’s opinions over-ride my own.
One of the outstanding features in this text was the use of characterization. Having the novel told through the mind of Bruno, a nine year old, was very effective. This gives us a real sense of the revulsions, and how badly children were affected in this time. “And the room went very dark…, despite all the chaos that followed, Bruno found that he was still holding Shmuel’s hand in his own”. Another interesting technique which helped to convey the main idea was the use of contrast. This was interesting because it showed me, and other readers how unalike Bruno and Shmuel’s lives were, but the use of contrast also emphasises how indifferent the two boys are.

I believe The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is an important novel because it reminds me of the importance of equality, also how religion discrimination or any kind of discrimination is completely inacceptable. The novel reminds me of other texts such as Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington. The main message is relevant today in our world, as if we haven’t learnt anything from history. ‘There was a lot of bruising on his face… “I don’t feel it anymore” said Shmuel. “It looks like it hurts” “I don’t feel anything anymore,” said Shmuel.’ The examples in the text relate to the real issues such as the Holocaust and the African American discrimination and slavery, as well as other discrimination in society today. John Boyne effectively reminds the reader to remember the discrimination that went on and he teaches us to not discriminate in our lives. We are all equals.