The Boy In The Striped Pajamas By Elie Wiesel

Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel once stated, “And the opposite of life is not death, it's in difference.” This quote by Elie Wiesel can be tied to the novel, as it illustrates how the indifference of those who knew of the concentration camps but did nothing was a form of death to the millions who suffered and died. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne, examines the lives of two boys from very different backgrounds who end up becoming friends while enduring the atrocities of Nazi Germany. Throughout the novel, friendship transcends social and cultural barriers and can exist during unlikely circumstances. Through Bruno, the primary protagonist, the reader can observe how innocence and ignorance block the horrors of the outside world,

Bruno is initially portrayed as a young boy with an innocent appearance. He has a limited perspective due to his privileged background, naivety, and curiosity. Because of this, he is confused about why he and Jewish prisoner Shmuel cannot play along when they first meet. He says ″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 and you get to have dozens of friends and are probably playing for hours every day. I’ll have to speak to Father about it” (Boyne 110-111). Bruno's innocence and his inability to grasp the brutal realities of the concentration camp are both highlighted by this quote. But as the narrative goes on, it is

Bruno characterizes the prisoners when he first sees them as “groups, staring at the ground, looking horribly sad; they all had one thing in common: they were all terribly skinny and their eyes were sunken and they all had shaved heads,” (Boyne 207-208). This statement serves as an example of how when first looking at the prisoners, it can be easy to dehumanize them and think of them more as objects than living beings. John Boyne depicts acts of humanity and kindness in addition to the novel's overwhelming instances of prejudice and discrimination. Despite their dissimilar situations and distinct backgrounds, Bruno shows that he still views Shmuel as a human being by giving him food and treating him with kindness. When Bruno is upset, Shmuel, in turn, is kind to him by stating, “'You're my best friend, Shmuel,' he said. 'My best friend for life.'”(Boyne 213). This quotation emphasizes the value of companionship that is constantly displayed in the novel, and how it can cut across social barriers. Thus, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas serves as a sensitive warning of the disastrous results that can result from such hateful beliefs in a world where prejudice and discrimination still