ENGLISH 4 LISTENING THE ARTS

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS FROM : MIRAMAX

Irish writer John Boyne's fourth novel is the first he has written for children. It's a touching tale of an odd friendship between two boys in horrendous circumstances and a reminder of man's capacity for inhumanity.

Bruno is a nine-year-old boy growing up in Berlin during World War II. He lives in a five-storey house with servants, his mother and father and 12-year-old sister, Gretel. His father wears a fancy uniform and they have just been visited by a very important personage called the Fury, a pun which adult readers should have no trouble deciphering. As a consequence of this visit, Bruno's father gets a new uniform, his title changes to Commandment and, to Bruno's chagrin, they find themselves moving to a new home at a place called Out-With.

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Teacher : Tell me more recent history. Are you interested in current affairs ?

Gretel : Yes, very.

Teacher  :  So,  you’ll  be  aware  of  the  situation  in  which  our great nation presently finds itself.

Gretel :  Yes,  I  read  newspapers  whenever  I  can  and  one  of  father’s  men  keeps  me  up  to  date  

on everything that is happening.

Teacher : Good. And you, Bruno? Have you been reading newspapers?

Bruno : shakes his head.

Teacher : Have you been reading anything?

Bruno : Books.

Teacher : Good. What sort of books?

Bruno : Adventure books mainly. You know knights in shining armour, exploring strange

lands and so on, you see the princess is always getting in the way.

Teacher : This  is  why  I  am  here  to  help.  You’re  how  old  now,  Bruno?  Eight?

Bruno : nods.

Teacher : Time to get your head out of those fiction books and start learning about fact.

Time I think to turn your mind to the real world. And I believe this would be the perfect

start.

BOOK REVIEW : http://www.theage.com.au/news/book-reviews/the-boy-in-the-striped-pyjamas PHOTO BOOK COVER : http://amazon.co.uk PHOTO JOHN BOYNE : http://www.johnboyne.com