Barriers can be brick. Barriers can be wood. Or barriers can be a wire fence and a pair of striped pyjamas. John Boyne’s novel, ‘Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ showcases the futility of the Holocaust through the eyes of a SS commando’s young son – Bruno and a Jewish boy. Despite Bruno’s family’s wealth, privilege and power, he still faced considerable barriers. A 10 foot fence was built to keep Jews contained, but also left Bruno feeling lonely and trapped in his isolation. Bruno’s adventurous spirit and his naive immaturity lead to his death along-side his Jewish best friend.
Bruno faced a particular barrier causing him confusion, heartache, and ultimately, death. This barrier was the divider between the Jewish and Germans, the death of over 11 million people and showed the absolute worst of our society. This barrier was the fence. On one side of the fence, children like Bruno had the freedom to play with whoever they wanted, eat and wear what they wanted. However it was a very different reality on the other side of
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This was highlighted when Bruno lamented “It’s so unfair, I don’t see why I have to be stuck over here on this side of the fence where there’s no one to talk to and no one to play with, while you get to have dozens of friends. I’ll have to speak to father about this.” (Pg 111) Bruno clearly fails to recognize the meaning of the events and what role his father played. Sadly there was no one to help Bruno overcome this particular barrier, however if father had been more open and honest his death may have not occurred. “What exactly was the difference? He wondered to himself. And who decided which people wore the striped pyjamas and which people wore the uniforms?” Bruno failed to realise or understand that in society's eyes, Jewish and Germans should be enemies. Whilst Bruno is nine and his father is very secretive, it was clear that his naivety and immaturity blinded him from seeing the reality before