THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS
Review and summary of the John Boyne's literary work
Something about the author, John Boyne
John Boyne is an Irish writer, born in Dublin in 1971. he wrote several novels; The Thief of Time (2000), Mutiny on the Bounty (2008), The Dare (2009), The House of Special Purpose (2009), Noah Barleywater Runs Away (2010) and many more. But is the story of The Boy in the Striped Piyama (2006) his most famous novel. It was a succes in all the countries it had been published. Transalated to thirty four languages included Braille. The story was awarded with two Irish Book Awards and finalist of British Book Award. Mark Herman, from Disney/Miramax led this fantastic story to the full screen, also awarded in some countries.
Summary
Bruno is a nine year old boy who live with his parents and his sister, Gretel, in Berlin. His father is an important commandant of the Fury's Government, at the time of the Second World War. Because of his father's work, they have to move from Berlin to Awschwith, Poland, fact that Bruno really didn't like because he must leave his house, his very close friends and even his Grandparents.
His new house is in the middle of the field without other houses and without neighbors and anyone around. Also, is smaller than the Berlin's house. Bruno's specially sad because he had left his three best friends in Berlin, and expect that in Awschwith there's no other children to be friends and plays. He's totally alone with his parents and his sister Gretel, and they didn't get on so well.
From his room's window Bruno could see, not so far, a kind of village, surrounded by a very tall iron fence. He could see there were a lot of huts, and lots of people wearing all of them the same clothes, a striped piyama. Also, there were soldiers. Bruno asked to herself what all they do inside.
Bruno loves exploring and in the future, he wants to become an explorer. One day he decides to go for a walk and try to approach the fence. When he walked for more than an hour from his house he could see in the distance, a little boy, who was sitting by the other side of the fence. They met them each other and started talking.The little boy was called Shmuel. They became friends. Every day, in the afternoon, Bruno walked to the fence to stay with Shmuel talking for a while. They couldn't play because each one was in one part of the fence.
Bruno accepted to live in Awschwith, because he had a friend, Shmuel. Shmuel always looks bad: so tiny, with very grey skin and sometimes purple eyed. They told to each other how their lives were, inside and outside the fence. Bruno, didn't realized what was happening, and why Shmuel is always inside the fence, always sad and looking so bad.
Anyone knows nothing about their relationship. It was his secret. Bruno thought that if he told anything to his mother, father or Gretel, they will get angry and will ban to see Shmuel.
A year after, Bruno's father decided that Gretel, Bruno and their mother must go back to BerlĂn, because mother convinced father that Awschwith was not a good place for children. On the other hand, Bruno was sad because he must leave Shmuel and he won't see him nevermore. In their last afternoon together, they decided to have and adventure: Bruno will get dreesed like Shmuel and get inside his part of the fence.
What's the kind of sort Bruno had that the afternoon he seep into the camp, soldiers capture them and enclose them, with some other people in a big tight room.
Bruno disappeared since then and his family never found him.
His new house is in the middle of the field without other houses and without neighbors and anyone around. Also, is smaller than the Berlin's house. Bruno's specially sad because he had left his three best friends in Berlin, and expect that in Awschwith there's no other children to be friends and plays. He's totally alone with his parents and his sister Gretel, and they didn't get on so well.
From his room's window Bruno could see, not so far, a kind of village, surrounded by a very tall iron fence. He could see there were a lot of huts, and lots of people wearing all of them the same clothes, a striped piyama. Also, there were soldiers. Bruno asked to herself what all they do inside.
Bruno loves exploring and in the future, he wants to become an explorer. One day he decides to go for a walk and try to approach the fence. When he walked for more than an hour from his house he could see in the distance, a little boy, who was sitting by the other side of the fence. They met them each other and started talking.The little boy was called Shmuel. They became friends. Every day, in the afternoon, Bruno walked to the fence to stay with Shmuel talking for a while. They couldn't play because each one was in one part of the fence.
Bruno accepted to live in Awschwith, because he had a friend, Shmuel. Shmuel always looks bad: so tiny, with very grey skin and sometimes purple eyed. They told to each other how their lives were, inside and outside the fence. Bruno, didn't realized what was happening, and why Shmuel is always inside the fence, always sad and looking so bad.
Anyone knows nothing about their relationship. It was his secret. Bruno thought that if he told anything to his mother, father or Gretel, they will get angry and will ban to see Shmuel.
A year after, Bruno's father decided that Gretel, Bruno and their mother must go back to BerlĂn, because mother convinced father that Awschwith was not a good place for children. On the other hand, Bruno was sad because he must leave Shmuel and he won't see him nevermore. In their last afternoon together, they decided to have and adventure: Bruno will get dreesed like Shmuel and get inside his part of the fence.
What's the kind of sort Bruno had that the afternoon he seep into the camp, soldiers capture them and enclose them, with some other people in a big tight room.
Bruno disappeared since then and his family never found him.
" A book that lingers in the mind of quite some time...A subtle, calculately simple and ultimately moving story" IRISH TIMES
" An extraordinary tale of friendship and the horrors of war...Raw literary talent at its best" IRISH INDEPENDENT
Why must I read The Boy in the striped pyjama?
The story about Bruno and Shmuel is so beatuful. It's so touching and at the same time, so cruel. The point of view about the war, from two different kids. Two kids that supposedly are in different fronts. One is a son of a very important commandant and other is a jewish prisoner. But it doesn't matter to any of them, because they don't really realize what really happen. The most beautiful and positive thing of this story is the way the author show us the innocence of kids, despite the situation.
Also is an entertaining story: every moment something is happening, and you can read it easily. It isn't a heavy story.
To finish, I personally liked this book. In fact I like all the stories about Second World War. I thinks is very important that people know what really happpened and the atrocities that Fury's Government done. We need to know so that does not happen again.
Also is an entertaining story: every moment something is happening, and you can read it easily. It isn't a heavy story.
To finish, I personally liked this book. In fact I like all the stories about Second World War. I thinks is very important that people know what really happpened and the atrocities that Fury's Government done. We need to know so that does not happen again.