Boy in the striped pyjamas: synopsis and themes

Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Themes and Critical Essay

Synopsis
• The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas directed by Mark
Herman is a ‘fable’ about a young boy – Bruno - whose
world changes when his family moves to a new house,
unaware that it stands at the entrance to a
concentration camp.
• Bruno’s father is the new Commandant in charge of
the camp, but his son understands little of his
father’s business, knowing only that he has an
important job, and is in charge of a number of
soldiers.
• Stuck inside the house with only his mother, sister
and an aged schoolteacher for company, Bruno quickly
becomes isolated and lonely.

Synopsis Continued
• Fond of exploration, Bruno finds his new home to be
frustratingly short of interesting discoveries.
However, when he notices that a garden gate has
been left open, he begins a journey that will
ultimately end in tragedy.
• On the other side of the fence is Shmuel, a young boy
of exactly Bruno’s age, dressed in blue-grey striped
pyjamas. He is pale and dishevelled; his head is
shaved. He is a Jew, and although neither boy truly
understands what is going on, he is a prisoner of the
Nazis, and ultimately of Bruno’s father

Synopsis Continued
Despite the fence and all that it represents, the two boys become
great friends, their relationship running in stark contrast to
what is going on between the adults in their lives. Their
friendship is strong, and even survives a moment of betrayal
which, although played out between children, echoes the bigger
picture of the camp.
• In the end, it is the innocence of youth, and the inherent
goodness of the boys’ friendship, which leads to the film’s tragic
and shocking conclusion. As it unfolds, we are offered an insight
into the true horrors of this unspeakable genocide, but with a
twist of perspective which not only strikes at the heart, but also
causes the head to think again.

Unlocking the themes in the film
• What do you think is meant by the term
THEME?
Themes are main ideas or points raised within a
text.
TaskTime
In pairs discuss what you think are the main
ideas or points raised in the film and jot five of
them down in your jotter. (5 mins)

Some of the themes from the film;
• Childhood innocence
• Loneliness
• Friendship
• Racial discrimination
• War
• Genocide.
• Did you talk about these themes or did you find
another theme?

Find the scene from the film to analyse
your theme.
• Childhood innocence
• Bruno refers to
Shmuel’s number on his
clothing -“The number
game”
• Bruno thinks that the
camp is a farm.

Themes
• Loneliness
• When Bruno and his
family move from Berlin
to the countryside.
Bruno leaves all of his
friends behind. He has
to amuse himself by
going exploring.

Themes
• Friendship
• An unlikely friendship
occurs between
(German) Bruno and
(Jewish) Shmuel.
• Also the friendship
between Bruno and
Pavel is extremely
sweet.

Themes
• Racial Discrimination
• This is noticeable in the
home schooling of
Bruno and Gretel.
• Can you think of any
other scenes this topic
is relevant in?

Themes
• War
• Although we never see
any scenes of
destruction we are
aware in many scenes
that a war is happening.

Themes
• Genocide
• This is another theme
that is important to the
telling of the story.
• What scene do you
think would be relevant
in revealing this theme.

Task time
• Now that we have our evidence and our scenes we
are ready to begin our critical essay.
• Critical essays are made up of 7 paragraphs and
contain an important structure. This is ;
• Introduction
• Brief Summary
• Body of the Essay
• Conclusion

The Question
• The film ‘Boy in the
Striped Pyjamas deals
with many harrowing
and emotional themes.
By selecting important
scenes from the film
show how these
themes are revealed.

Essay Plan
• Introduction – This should include the Title of
the film, Author/Director of the film, Refer to
important words from the question and what
Techniques you will look at to reveal what the
question asks you.
• This is known as the TART system.

Essay Plan
• Brief summary – Briefly tell me what the film
was about. This should be no longer than
seven sentences. Only mention the main
points in the film. DO NOT go into detail.

Essay Plan
• The Body of the Essay – This part of the essay is made up of 4 paragraphs
and contains the same structure throughout. Each paragraph should focus
on a different theme.
• You should always begin with a TOPIC SENTENCE. This should always
contain words from the question. For example, The film contains the
upsetting theme of genocide.
• You then have to use the PEE chain. P-point. E-evidence and E-explain
your evidence.
• Making your point is easy. You begin by telling me about your chosen
theme in reference to the film
• You then prove evidence by referring to the main scene that reveals your
chosen theme.
• Finally, you explain why you chose this scene. Was it successful in
revealing your chosen theme. If so why?
• This structure MUST be followed to ensure that your essay is correct.

Essay Plan
• The conclusion – This paragraph mirrors the
structure of the introduction in that it follows the
TART system.
• You must always begin your conclusion by using one
of these phrases;
• In conclusion,
• Overall,
• Summing up my evidence,
• To conclude my evidence,
• Therefore,

Boy in the striped pyjamas: synopsis and themes

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