The Boy in the Striped Pajamas By John Boyne

Essential Questions:

Should authority figures always be obeyed?

What may result from making assumptions about other people?

What is innocence?

What is the importance of empathy?

Pre Reading Agree/Disagree

Read each of the following statements. If you agree with it, put an A in the space provided. If you disagree with the statement, put a D. Be ready to explain your thinking.

1. _________ Honesty is always the best policy.

2. __________ Sometimes honesty is not the best policy.

3. __________ Parents should protect their children.

4. __________ Adults should protect children.

5. ___________The man should be the head of the household.

6. ___________ Parents should be honest with their children.

7. ___________ There are times when it is fine for parents to not be honest with their children.

8. ___________ There is more than one way to tell a lie.

9. ___________ Soldiers must follow orders.

10. ___________ People are more alike than different.

11. ___________ Prejudice is learned behavior.

12. ___________ A person is either cruel or kind.

13. __________ Keeping secrets is not acceptable.

14. __________Keeping secrets is acceptable.

15. __________ There are some things in life we have no choice about.

16. __________ People are either good or bad.

Revisit this list after reading the novel. How has your thinking evolved?

Character Chart – Add to this chart as you read (write small).

Character Description

(physical description,

age, role)

Character

Traits

Comments

Bruno

Gretel

Mother

Father

Maria

Lieutenant Kotler

Pavel

Grandmother

Grandfather

Herr Liszt

Shmuel

Assignment 1 Due Date_______________

Read Chapter 1, “ Bruno Makes a Discovery” and complete the following.

Vocabulary

Muster

Chaos

Fury

Employs

Greengrocer

Dismissively

presumed

Bannister

Based on your reading of Chapter 1, answer the following in complete sentences.

1. Who is our main character?

2. How old do you think Bruno is? Why do you think that?

3. What is the point of view of the novel?

Assignment 1 continued

Inference: One very important skill to use as we read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is inference. To

infer is to combine your own knowledge with what is said in the text to create a new understanding. The

author expects of to infer rather than just state clearly. Why would an author use this technique?

Textual Evidence Page What can we infer?

“…he was surprised to find Maria, the family’s maid…packing…”

“Mother had walked into her own bedroom by then but Lars, the butler, was in there, packing her things too. “

Page 1

Page 2

“…thought to himself that she couldn’t have applied her make-up correctly that morning because the rims of her eyes were more red than usual…”

Page 3

“Well, I don’t like the way we have to turn all the lights off at night now,” he admitted. “Everyone has to do that,” said Mother. “It keeps us safe. “

Page 8

“…(he) saw Mother entering Father’s office, which faced the dining room – and was Out Of Bounds At All Times And No Exceptions- and he heard her speaking loudly to him until Father spoke louder than Mother could and that put a stop to their conversation.”

Page 10

“…so he thought it would be a good idea if he went back to his room and took over the packing from Maria, because otherwise she might pull all his belongings out of the wardrobe without any care or consideration, even the things he’d hidden at the back that belonged to him and were nobody else’s business.”

Page 10

Assignment 2 Due Date ______________

Read Chapter 2 “The New House” and complete the following.

Vocabulary

Desolate

Foreseeable

Commandant

Presumed

Priorities

Define foreshadowing:

Define mood:

1. What is the mood of Bruno’s new house?

What words does the author, John Boyne, use in describing the new house which set the mood? Refer to

his description on page 11, 13, and 15.

What does this mood foreshadow? Predict.

Read the following excerpt from page 18:

“…a figure appeared, but it wasn’t Father. It was a much younger man…he wore the same

type of uniform, only without as many decorations on it…He looked the boy up and down

as if he’d never seen a child before and wasn’t quite sure what he was supposed to do

with one; eat it, ignore it or kick it down the stairs…”

What can we infer about this new character? What do you think is being foreshadowed about this character?

Re read the last paragraph of page 20. What kind of feeling does Bruno get when he looks out the window of his bedroom? What mood is the author establishing? What are the key words which lead to this conclusion?

Why do you think the author ends the chapter without telling us what Bruno is actually looking at outside his bedroom window?

Assignment 3 Due Date_________

Read Chapter 3 “The Hopeless Case” and Chapter 4 “What They Saw Through the Window” and

complete the following.

Vocabulary

Civilization

Resigned

Acknowledge

Obvious

Resembled

How old is Gretel?

How old is Bruno?

What does Bruno call the place they now live?

How does Gretel explain the name of the place they now live?

What did Bruno and Gretel see when they looked out the window? Describe the people and the setting.

Where are Bruno and Gretel? How do you know? What clues did you use in the passage to infer the

setting?

What mood does the author develop when describing what Bruno and Gretel see out of the window?

What specific word choices lead you to think so?

Assignment 4 Due Date ____________

Read and annotate (‘mark up’) the abridged article “Auschwitz” published by the Holocaust Memorial

Museum. Use the codes we practiced previously, to be found in your notebook on the bright orange

paper.

List five facts about Auschwitz.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

“Out-With” is Bruno’s misunderstanding of the way ‘Auschwitz’ is pronounced. Why did the author,

John Boyne, write it this way? What does this show the reader about Bruno?

What is another example from the book (previously mentioned) that also demonstrates Bruno’s

misunderstanding of a name? Again, what does this show the reader about Bruno?

What is the setting of this novel based on what you know now? Remember, setting means where and

when.

At the end of this packet, there is a map activity. Complete the map activity.

Assignment 5 Date Due________

Chapter 5 “Out of Bounds At All Times and No Exceptions”

Vocabulary

Clambered

Ergo

Define dialogue.

Dialogue often reveals rather than directly states aspects of character or plot. Read the following piece

of dialogue from page 53:

“ ‘ No, not them,’ said Bruno. ‘The people I see from my window. In the huts, in the

Distance. They’re all dressed the same. ‘

‘Ah, those people,’ said Father, nodding his head and smiling slightly. ‘Those

People…well, they’re not people at all, Bruno.’

Bruno frowned. ‘They’re not?’ he asked, unsure what Father meant by that.

‘Well, at least not as we understand the term,’ Father continued…”

What is revealed about Father’s character in this dialogue?

Infer:

Textual Evidence Page What can we infer?

“The official car with the flags on the front had taken them to a grain station, where there were two tracks…and on either side a train stood waiting for passengers to board…Bruno could make out the crowds of people for a few moments before he and his family boarded a very comfortable train with very few people on it and plenty of empty seats and fresh air when the windows were pulled down. If the trains had been going in different directions, he thought, it wouldn’t have seemed so odd, but they weren’t; they were both pointed eastwards. For a moment he considered running across the platform to tell the people about the empty seats in his carriage…”

41 What is Bruno looking at?

“…made mistakes from the moment he got here. It got to the point where the Fury had no choice but to…: said one. “…discipline!” said another. “And efficiency. We have lacked efficiency since the start of ‘forty-two and without that…”“…it’s clear , it’s clear what the numbers say. It’s clear, Commandant…” said the third. “…and if we build another,” said the last, “imagine what we could do then…”

42-43 What are the men talking about?

“’Heil Hitler,’ he said, which, he presumed, was another way of saying, “Well, goodbye for now, have a pleasant afternoon.”

54

Assignment 6 Due date ________

Read Chapter 6, “The Overpaid Maid”, and complete the following:

Vocabulary

Irritated

Despite

Peckish

Reverberated

Incredulous

Anxious

Criticize

Explain why Maria says, “…your father is a good man…a very good man…” to Bruno.

Closely re-read page 61-62 in which Maria explains to Bruno the story of how she came to work for their

family and answer the following:

What did Bruno’s grandmother used to do?

What was Maria’s mother’s job?

Read the following piece of dialogue from page 62:

(Maria speaking to Bruno) “ ‘…which makes me wonder…’ She drifted off as she

watched them and her voice cracked suddenly and she sounded as if she might dry.

‘Wonder what?’ asked Bruno.

‘Wonder what he… how he can…’

‘How he can what?’ insisted Bruno..

The noise of a door slamming came from the downstairs and reverberated through the house..”

Infer: What is Maria wondering about?

Why do you think the author, John Boyne, writes in an interruption in the form of the slamming door interrupting their conversation? How does that further develop the story?

What does this bit of dialogue from Maria reveal about Father’s character?

Add new information about Maria and Father to character chart.

Assignment 7 Due Date________

Read Chapter 7 “How Grandmother Took Credit for Something She Hadn’t Done” and complete the following.

Vocabulary

Prospect on the horizon

Dispute

Diversion

Simpered

Characters:

Lieutenant Kotler- add to character chart

Pavel- add to character chart

How does Gretel feel about Lieutenant Kotler? How do you know?

What is Lieutenant Kotler like? How do you know?

How does Kotler treat Pavel?

What accident befalls Bruno?

How does Pavel help Bruno?

What is Pavel’s job now?

What was Pavel’s job before he came to Out-With?

Assignment 7 continued

What is Pavel like? How do you know?

Infer:

The title of this chapter is “How Mother Took Credit for Something That She Hadn’t Done”. What did she take credit for and why? How does this further develop father’s character?

*Even as he is writing about such a grim subject, John Boyne also writes with humor. What examples are in this chapter? What part are a little bit light hearted?

Assignment 8 Date Due ______

Read Chapter 8, “Why Grandmother Stormed Out” and Chapter 9 “Bruno Remembers That He Used to Enjoy Exploration’ and complete the following.

Vocabulary

Suitable

Dominated

Coincide

Devise

Recite/reciting

Patriot

Sinister

Rummaged

Plaque

What activity did Bruno used to enjoy with his Grandmother? What was his favorite part?

What is Grandmother’s opinion of Father’s new job?

What is Grandfather’s opinion of Father’s new job?

Is chapter 8, “Why Grandmother Stormed Out” told as a flashback? Explain.

What does Herr Liszt feel is most important to study? What does Bruno enjoy most?

What have Mother and Father both told Bruno on “countless occasions”?

Assignment 9 Due Date _______

Read Chapter 10, “The Dot That Became a Speck That Became a Blob That Became a Figure That Became a Boy” and complete the following.

Vocabulary

Forlorn

Infer:

Textual Evidence Page What can we infer? “Bruno had read enough books about explorers to know th tone could never be sure what one was going to find. Most of the time they came across something interesting that was just sitting there, minding its own business, waiting to be discovered (such as America). Other times they discovered something that was probably best left alone (like a dead mouse at the back of the cupboard). The boy belonged to the first category.

105

Compare and Contrast Bruno and Shmuel:

BRUNO ONLY BOTH BOYS SHMUEL ONLY

Assignment 10 Due Date _______

Read Chapter 11, “The Fury , and Chapter 12, “Shmuel Thinks of an Answer to Bruno’s Question” and complete the following.

After reading the chapter, add to the compare/contrast chart in Assignment 9.

BRUNO ONLY BOTH BOYS SHMUEL ONLY

How does Bruno reveal that he is innocent and has no understanding of Shmuel’s situation?

At the end of this chapter, Bruno contemplates telling his family about the discovery of Shmuel, but then decides that is not a good idea. How does this decision help advance the plot?

Assignment 11 Due Date ________

Read Chapter 14, “The Bottle of Wine” and complete the following.

Vocabulary

Catastrophe

Torrent

Scarlet

Read the following piece of dialogue between Bruno and Shmuel on page 141.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “You look as if you’re about to be sick.”

“I don’t like talking about him,” said Shmuel.

“About who?” asked Bruno.

“Lieutenant Kotler. He scares me.”

“He scares me too a little”, admitted Bruno. “He’s a bully. And he smells funny.

It’s all that cologne he puts on. “ And then Shmuel started to shiver slightly…

What does this dialogue reveal about Kotler?

Closely reread the dinner table dialogue between Father and Lieutenant Kotler on pages 145-147.

When did Lieutenant Kotler’s father leave Germany?

Where did Lieutenant Kotler’s father go?

Why does this bother Father?

What can we infer that Father is wondering about Kotler’s father?

What can we infer happened to Pavel when he spilled the wine in Kotler’s lap?

Assignment 12 Date Due _____

Read Chapter 14, “Bruno Tells a Perfectly Reasonable Lie” and complete the following.

Vocabulary

Dilemma

What is the “Perfectly Reasonable Lie” Bruno tells Gretel?

Why does he tell Gretel the ‘Perfectly Reasonable Lie’?

Does she believe him?

Re-read the middle paragraphs on page 158 in which Bruno reveals what Shmuel has told him about his grandfather. What can infer has happened to Shmuel’s grandfather?

Assignment 13 Due Date ________

Read Chapter 15, “Something He Shouldn’t Have Done”, and complete the following.

What shows that Lieutenant Kotler is getting close to Mother? Find multiple examples.

Define metaphor.

Is the following a metaphor?

“A ball of anger exploded inside him and made him wish he had the courage to say exactly what he wanted to say. “

Explain.

Why is Shmuel in Bruno’s house?

How does Bruno get Shmuel in trouble?

Why does Bruno fail to tell Lieutenant Kotler the truth? Was this justifiable or not?

Why does Shmuel forgive Bruno so easily for betraying him? What does that reveal about Shmuel’s character?

Assignment 14 Due Date _______

Read Chapter 16, “The Haircut” and Chapter 17, “Mother Gets Her Own Way” and complete the following.

Vocabulary

Eavesdrop

Medicinal sherry

Senile

Indirect

Explicit

Exasperated

Why does Bruno’s family return to Berlin?

What reasons are there for Bruno to feel happier at Out-With lately?

Define symbol.

What does the fence symbolize?

Why does Gretel have a hard time explaining the fence to Bruno? What point do you think John Boyne was trying to convey to readers through this dialogue?

Define plot.

What happens in the plot to make Bruno get his head shaved?

Explain the title of the chapter, “Mother Gets Her Own Way”.

Assignment 15 Date Due _____

Read Chapter 18, “Thinking Up the Final Adventure”, Chapter 19, “What Happened the Next Day”, and Chapter 20, “The Last Chapter”.

Vocabulary

Coincidence

Concede/conceded

Appalled

Mood – the overall atmosphere or feeling of a literary work

Read the following passage:

“Shmuel reached down and lifted the base of the fence, but it

only lifted to a certain height and Bruno had no choice but to

roll under it, getting his striped pajamas completely covered in mud

as he did so. He laughed when he looked down at himself. He had

never been so filthy in all his life and it felt wonderful…

…Bruno had an urge to give Shmuel a hug, just to let him know

how much he liked him and how much he’d enjoyed talking to him

over the last year.

Shmuel had an urge to give Bruno a hug too, just to thank

him for all his many kindnesses, and his gifts of food, and the fact

that he was going to help him find Papa.”

What mood is set in the passage? Underline words which help to create the mood.

Infer:

Textual Evidence Page What can we infer? “’Papa,’ said Shmuel. ‘We can’t find him.’ ‘Can’t find him? That’s very odd. You mean he’s lost?’ ‘I suppose so,’ said Shmuel. ‘He was here on Monday and then he went on work duty with some other men and none of them have come back.’”

194

“But just as he said this, his feet brought him up a set of steps, and as he marched on he found there was no more rain coming down anymore because they were all piling into a long room that was surprisingly warm and must have been very securely built because no rain was getting in anywhere. In fact it felt completely airtight.”

212

“A few months after that some other soldiers came to Out –With and Father was ordered to go with them, and he went without complaint and he was happy to do so because he didn’t really mind what they did to him any more. “

215

Define climax.

What is the climax of the novel?

Define resolution.

What is the resolution of the novel?

Irony- the contrast between what appears and reality

Explain an example of irony in the novel.

Dramatic irony- when the audience or reader knows more than the character in the story

Explain an example of dramatic irony in the novel.

Verbal irony- to say the opposite of what is meant

Read the following excerpt:

“And that’s the end of the story about Bruno and his family.

Of course all this happened a long time ago and nothing like that

could ever happen again.

Not in this day and age. “

Explain how this demonstrates verbal irony. What does the author want us to consider?

Define theme.

What themes are developed in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas?

*

*

*

*

ESSAY: Choose one of the following essay prompts. Due: _______

John Boyne titled his book The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, but he also gave it the subtitle A Fable. A fable is a story which teaches a lesson or has a moral. Another characteristic of a fable is that one character displays a flaw that leads to a downfall. Write an essay in which you analyze The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: A Fable as a fable.

In his novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, John Boyne develops the theme

_____________________________________________________. Write an essay in which you analyze

how the author develops this theme throughout the novel.

Refer to page 823 in your Social Studies book and/or online sources to help you complete this page.

1. Color Germany green.2. Look at a completed map and locate Berlin. Put a star on this map to represent Berlin. Label. 3. Color Poland yellow. 4. Look at a map of concentration camps. I suggest this website:

http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/holocaust/pop-up-map.htm 5. Put a square on this map to represent Auschwitz. Label. 6. Color other Nazi occupied territories yellow. Label countries by name. Put a circle on this map

to represent Amsterdam (Anne Frank). 7. Color Allied countries blue. Label countries by name. 8. Leave neutral countries white.