Boy in the Striped PJ's Chapter 4

• (pg 31) How does the author continue to use juxtaposition in regards to the two housing situations? (the Jews and Bruno's family)

 The author uses juxtaposition to compare Bruno's house to the Jewish camp; Bruno's house had perfectly cut, colorful and blooming flowers below his window followed by a a well paved pathway with a nice wooden bench with a plaque on it. The camp had everlasting barbed wire that was taller than their house with twirls of barbed wire along the top. the fence was held up by wooden posts. There was no greenery after the barbed wire fence instead there was a sandy material along the ground and there was only low huts that were run down and big square shaped buildings.

• What is it about the children that makes it difficult to understand exactly what they see through the window and just how bad it is?

They are only very young, too young to know what it really is. They do not believe in such a dark place and so many people being killed. They have not seen what is really happening to them and only what they look like. They do not want to believe in something worse than what they see so they say that they're in the countryside.

• Summarise how Gretel describes what she sees.

" This must be it. It's the countryside " " everywhere they looked they could see people, tall, short, old, young all moving around " " Gretel could see hundreds of people, but there were so many huts before them, and the camp spread out so much further than they could possibly see, that it looked as though there must be thousands out there."

• What does Gretel attempt to do when she sees the Concentration Camp? How does she attempt to understand what she sees?

She becomes even sadder and mostly confused because she doesn't understand why they are  being shouted at  and why they are all wearing the same thing and have never showered. She attempts to understand this by suggesting that they are all rehearsing for something. She thinks they are all just neighbours. She attempts to make Bruno think that its just the countryside.

• Is her attempt successful? Does she convince Bruno that she understands? What does she eventually give in to? What does she say/or not say? (pg 32)

 she doesn't convince Bruno well enough to make him think it is the countryside because Bruno still asks her why there aren't any sheep.  She eventually says how nasty looking the place is because of the conditions of the people and how low the huts were but then jumps to the conclusion that they are in the countryside.

• What can't the children do when they see the Concentration Camp that the adults seem to be able to do? Which group can understand what they see? Why do you think that this is the case?

The children can not understand what they are seeing where as the adults can. This is because they are older and knew why they were going to the new house and have a part in the camp.

• How does the author use understatement through the children's description of the Concentration Camp?

The author uses understatement through the children's description by making them think that it isn't bad and that they are just in the countryside working.

Hitler Photo and Questions

 

How are vectors used in this image? What effect does it have?

The vector lines created by the Swastika  and the Nazi soldier lead you to Hitler and the massive crowd behind him. The vector lines of the carpets which follows from the background up to Hitler.

Describe the composition of the image and what is tells us about the Nazis and Hitler.

In the foreground of the image you can see Hitler in the middle with  the Nazi's perfectly aligned along the side following in to the middle ground. In the Background you can see the huge crowd perfectly parallel with band that are also perfectly parallel  on the inside of them. This tells us how perfect and demanding that Hitler and the Nazi's. The composition makes Hitler the focal point of the picture.

How is symmetry used? What effect does it have?

All the Soldiers, band, crowd, officers are all perfectly parallel  to each other which makes Hitler the focal point of the picture again and it shows how perfect the order was. The crowd seemed infinite which makes it seem like Hitler has infinite power too.

What effect does this picture being in black and white have?

 The little colour represent that there is little emotion. The black colours of the Nazi's and the white of the crowd make Hitler seem evil, it creates a sense of whether your in or your out and it assists the symmetry of the photo rather than having a whole range of colours.

Discuss the use of line in this image. What effect does it have?

The use of lines of the soldiers and crowd show how organised they were.  The lines from the soldier, crowd and carpet frame Hitler as well which creates intimidation to the viewer.

chapter 3 boy in striped pj's

Describe how Bruno and Gretel's relationship is introduced in the chapter.

Bruno finds his sister Gretel; bossy, strange and he is a little bit scared of her. quote: " Bruno didn't like to admit that he was a little scared of her...."

List quotes that show how the new house is described.
" isn't it horrible" and " I hate it ...."

 It was very hollow and he decided that he better not go jumping around this house too often or it might collapse around their ears. 
What is the significance of this quote?

It shows how  the activities that Bruno used to do in his old house can not be done in this one ( sliding on the banister )

What is Bruno's reaction to the new house?

He hates his new house and wishes he could go back to his old one. This is because he thinks it is dull and depressing.  The further through the chapter the more Bruno and Gretel begin to dislike their new house and pray to return to Berlin.

How does it compare to their old house?

There old house was not as isolated as this one. The old house was  much bigger and and nicer inside. It was surrounded by other big houses as well as his friends. The new house did not allow him to do what he usually did in his old house.

How does Gretel relate to her father?

Gretel and her father were both aggressive and bossy. They are both used to telling people what to do. Quote " Bruno! snapped Gretel, marching towards him so quickly that he jumped back from the window and back up against the wall" 

Does Bruno understand where they are?

Because he is only 9 years old, he doesn't quite understand where they are. All he knows is that it is for his dad's job and that it has got something to do with the children he has seen.

What makes you believe this?

His fear lets us know that he has a slight understanding of where they are.

Does Gretel understand where they are? Explain.

Gretel begins to read Bruno's emotions towards the end of the chapter and becomes afraid of where she thinks she is.

How is Bruno's description of 'Out-with' represent a motif? What is darkly ironic about this?

It is continuously used because Bruno does not know what Out-with  is. This is darkly ironic because it is really meant to be Auschwitz was the worst Jewish camp during the war.

Read pgs 27-29. How are Bruno's and Gretel's reaction to 'the children' Bruno sees through the window different? What does this tell us about these two characters and their perception/understanding of where they are?
It is different because Bruno and Gretel are both scared of them because they think they don't look nice. It tells us that they still know little about what is going on because they don't know what those children are going through.

Barbara Sonek poem response

You played, you were loved,
you were innocent.
You were torn away from your
parents and thrown into a nightmare, sealed from waking up.
You were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. You all had a dreams that were stolen from you and crushed under the boot of a Nazi. You were taken away in the dead of night with your lives left behind, forever stuck like a small bird in a steel cage . Separated from the world to be no more.This atrocity to mankind can not happen again. We will remember you,
and those children whose dreams and lives were stolen away.

Holocaust by Barbara Sonek poem and questions

We played, we laughed
we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our
parents and thrown into the fire.
We were nothing more than children.
We had a future. We were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. We had dreams, then we had no hope. We were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering, crying, starving, dying. Separated from the world to be no more. From the ashes, hear our plea. This atrocity to mankind can not happen again. Remember us, 

for we were the children whose dreams and lives were stolen away.

1. What is your initial reaction to this poem?
2. How does the author use 'we' in this poem?
3. What are the verbs used in the first sentence?
4. What are the verbs used in the second sentence? How do they contrast with those used in the first sentence?
5. What effect does the listing of 'lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers'? What is it meant to signify?
6. What simile is used in the poem and what effect does it have?
7. How has the poet represented herself in the last sentence?
8. If you could communicate to this person, a victim of the Holocaust, what would you want to say? What do you feel that you must do in your life as a response to this poem?

 1. It is a very sad, deep and horrific poem which gives you more of an insight of how terrible the holocaust was.

2.   she uses 'we' because she was either a victim of the holocaust or had relatives that were a part of it.

3. the verbs in the first sentence were ; played. laughed and loved.

4.  verbs used in the second sentence include; ripped and thrown. This is different to the verbs used in the first sentence because the verbs used in the first sentence are all positive happy verbs where as the verbs used int he second sentence are negative and brutal.

5. The listing of lawyers,mothers etc signify what the Jewish people would of become.

6. " like cattle in cars " was the simile used in the poem. This makes the reader fell that the Jews were treated like animals going towards the slaughter house.

7. She includes herself by using 'we' and 'us' in the last sentence. This makes the readers think that she has experienced the holocaust. 

8. If I had ever met the author in real life I would be very empathetic and respectful towards her. This poem makes me want to fight for equality and enjoy the freedom I have been given.

Boy in the striped PJ's chapter 2

• Using quotes, how is the new house described?

The new house was the opposite of theirs in Berlin, it was small, desolate and ugly. quote " the ne house, however, stood all on its own, in an empty, desolate place and there were no other houses to be seen " quote 2 " the new house had three floors: a top floor where all the bedrooms were, a ground floor with a kitchen, a dining room and a new office for father "

• How does it compare to the house in Berlin? How is this an example of juxtaposition?

the house in Berlin was larger, nicer, was not desolate because it was surrounded with other large houses that were just as nice. the house was so big the Bruno lived there for nine years and he still had not discovered some parts of the house. This is an example of juxtaposition because through Bruno's thoughts he contrast the old and new house.

• How is Bruno's reaction and discussion of the new house taken by the other characters? What is ironic about the way people treat Bruno's comments regarding the new house?

 Bruno thinks that he is only staying at this new house for a short time quote "we should probably get up in the morning if we're to make it back to Berlin by tea - time tomorrow. this shows his innocence because he does not know whats really happening. The mother takes it with frustration because of her son's innocence. The irony is that the mother and the Marie want  to do the same but can't.

• Do you feel empathetic towards Bruno's new home? Why/why not?

I feel slightly empathetic towards Bruno beacuse of how he has to move but mostly not empathetic because there are so many people worse off during that time.

Boy in the striped pj's chapter 1 question

• Describe Bruno's voice. Give examples to support.

A: He speaks quite aggressively but tries not to; "what  are you doing"  he asked in a polite a tone as he could muster. He is portrayed as speaking childish and very simplisticly.

• What characters are introduced? Describe each and give examples to support.

 A: Bruno ( protagonist ) e.g. " one afternoon Bruno came home from school....."

Maria ( the maid ) e.g.  " he was surprised to find Maria, the family maid...... "
Gretel ( Bruno's sister ) " your father and I, Gretel and you "

Kyle, Daniel, Martin  ( Bruno's friends ) " say goodbye to Karl and Daniel and Martin"
Mother and Father ( Bruno's parents ) " where mother and father room was "

• Who are presented as victims in this chapter and what are the victims of? Do you think that it is fair to consider them victims?

A: Bruno, Gretel , the parents and the maid are victims in this chapter  because they are forced to leave their home as a result of the fathers duty in the war and the maid lost her job. As this is a story it is fair to call the family victims but the true victims are the Jews in the death camps.

• Irony is an important element of the story. How is it used here in the first chapter? Give examples to support your answer.

A: Irony is an important part of the story and is used int he first chapter. The irony in the  first chapter is that the Germans were also victims of what what was going on and had to move out as well. quote: " You don't mean we're leaving Berlin? he asked.  I'm afraid so, said mother."

• How is the setting presented in this chapter?

 A: The setting  of Bruno's house in this chapter is presented to  make Bruno seem like he is well off during the time e.g. his house was three stories high and they had a maid. quote: " Bruno ran down staris and even passed her out on the staircase so that he was waiting int he dining room when she arrived."