Bruno was the “hero” in the striped pajamas. He was a little 9 year old boy who was very curious. He was always ready to explore. When they moved into the new house he wanted to play & go exploring. So that’s what he did. He then found a little boy named Shmuel who was a Jew in a concentration camp. They started to become friends & found out they have a lot in common. Bruno would sneak food out to him every day. Bruno eventually snuck into the camp & got put in the sealed up chamber with a bunch of other Jews and killed by gas.
His dad on the other hand is the shadow. Hes very sneaky. His kids new nothing about him being a Nazi. What they did to the Jews for no reason is ridiculous. As Bruno started to figure out what the barbed wire was for he didn’t know if his dad was a good man or not. So all the innocent people he killed & tortured got karma back. As revenge he lost his son.
So in conclusion, the boy in the striped pajamas is a perfect example of how different people can be and how quick someone can turn on you. So the shadow is the dad & the hero is Bruno, because Bruno sacrificed his life for a friend and the dad because he is conniving.