Sample Examples for the Essay "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" Innocence and Ignorance: Discuss how the themes of innocence and ignorance are portrayed in the novel and how they are central to the impact of the story. Holocaust and Inhumanity: Analyze how the novel explores the theme of the Holocaust and its inhuman atrocities and how it describes the consequences of hatred and prejudice. Friendship and Compassion: Examines the theme of friendship and compassion as represented through the unlikely friendship between Bruno and Shmuel and how it transcends the boundaries created by their circumstances. Parent-Child Relationships: Discuss the theme of parent-child relationships, focusing on the dynamics between Bruno and his parents and how these relationships evolve in the novel. Moral Dilemmas and Consequences: Explore the moral dilemmas faced by the characters in the story and how their choices lead to profound consequences, highlighting the ethical questions raised by the narrative. "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" Essay Example John Boyne's most famous novel, The The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is an intricate story of two boys who meet in a concentration camp during World War II. Several themes are highlighted in this novel, such as the innocence of childhood, prejudice, fear, remorse and boundaries. However, perhaps the most interesting, yet subtle, theme is that of silence. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Silence, stillness, and secrets are all interconnected in this literary work. Since the protagonist's father is the "Commander" of the German army, most of his duties are hidden from his family. The situation escalates to the point that the family moves to Poland, without telling the children where they are moving or why. There is a general silence throughout the family, especially regarding the father's work. Children are taught from an early age to simply respect their duties and not question their decisions. As the story continues, Bruno develops a close friendship with a refugee named Shmuel. Shmuel is the Hebrew equivalent of the name Samuel, meaning strong. This fact is quite interesting in relation to Shmuel's role in the story, particularly regarding the friendship between the two boys. Due to the differences between the two, Bruno is required not to tell anyone about his new friendship. After making a Freudian mistake in a conversation with his sister, Bruno is forced to erase his tracks: “'I have a new friend,' he began. 'A new friend I visit every day. And he will be waiting for me now. But you can't tell anyone.' 'Why not?' “Because he's an imaginary friend,” Bruno said, doing his best to sound embarrassed…” (155). Unfortunately, this isn't the only time Bruno lies about his relationship with Shmuel. While the two are talking when Shmuel comes to clean the glasses in Bruno's kitchen, they are surprised by Lieutenant Kotler. Shmuel easily admits that the two are friends, while Bruno claims to have never spoken to or seen Shmuel in his life. However, he didn't like her decision to hide their friendship: “[Bruno] had an upset stomach and for a moment he thought he was going to get sick. He had never been so ashamed in his life; he had never imagined he could behave so cruelly. He wondered how a boy who thought he was a good person could actually behave so cowardly towards a friend” (173–174). Although the two boys do not have in-depth knowledge of their situation, they are intelligent enough to know that there is something more.