The Boy in the striped Pajamas By John Boyne

Movie Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ypMp0s5Hiw

Summary When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move from their home to a new house far far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence running alongside stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people he can see in the distance. He calls this place “Out-with” – and the reader soon learns this place is Auschwitz. But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different to his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences. 

About the author – John Boyne Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1971, and studied English Literature at Trinity College, Dublin, and creative writing at the University of East Anglia, Norwich In interviews it is said he has taken history classes on the Holocaust, and read the “important writers” on the topic, but the inspiration for the book came to him quickly so no research was done for the writing of the book Wants to focus on the morals the book presents, characterizes it as a fable

About the book Age range: grades 8 - 9 Appeal: appealing to all students, relatable themes and easy to read Themes: Innocence of childhood Freedom vs. confinement Friendship Obedience and conformity Humanity

“Indeed the writing is gripping “Indeed the writing is gripping. The style, sharing with Anne Frank the distinctive voice of youth, is extremely effective. One can readily understand why the book has had such a strong impact on countless readers, become required reading in high school Holocaust courses round the country.” “How will its inaccuracies affect the way in which readers will remain oblivious to the most important moral message we are to discover in the holocaust's aftermath?”

Merits and Challenges Quick read with an intriguing storyline Develops empathy Introduces students to a challenging topic Effective in bringing awareness to the Holocaust and getting students interested in the topic A lot of scaffolding is needed – history, vocabulary, themes Historical inaccuracy leaves a lot to be done on the part of the teacher Portrays a singe perspective Trivializes experiences of survivors 8 year old in the camp Location Easy to get in and out Bruno’s lack of knowledge “the fury” “out-with” “my intention was to write a literary work that would address innocence and evil, without either trivialising the events of the time or pandering to contemporary political correctness.” Some study, read “important writers”

Writing prompts Can you give an example of a time when you were a young child and saw the world from a more innocent perspective? What are some examples of that? What experiences helped you see the world differently than what you initially thought? (innocence) How can people use the power of friendship to cross boundaries of race, religion, and culture? (friendship) Have you ever been in a situation where a person was mistreated? What actions did you take? How did you feel after acting or not acting? (humanity) What is peer pressure? Have you been in situations in which you felt compelled to go along with a group? Describe those situations and why you acted as you did. (obedience and conformity)

Activity ideas Research discrimination and genocide in todays society Have students research vocabulary words and terms Writing activities on moral themes Character analyses Look at fables, compare this novel to others