REFLECTION PAPER – THE BOY IN STRIPED PAJAMAS

The boy in striped pajamas is a 2008 film that was adapted from a book with the same name. I had a
lot of takeaway from this movie and sometimes I can’t piece it all together. So it centered around on an
8-year old boy named Bruno. He was bright, playful, naïve and most of the time, curious which is what
was expected for a child as free as him and he was a reminiscent of my own childhood. He was happy
with his life in the city but they had to move from there to the countryside which he didn’t like as it’s
away from his friends and away from ‘home’ and all his comforts. It is very much the same with growing
up for me. Although with much uncertainty and unfamiliarity, we strive along and try to make the best
out of it. As did Bruno. He was hoping he could make new friends with the children on the “farm” and
was weirded out why they are wearing pajamas and later on thought of it as some kind of a game. This
really captures the perspective of a child towards this harsh world, Bruno’s response and innocent
wondering to the circumstances that surrounds him. He was curious with the back garden and
wondered why he wasn’t allowed to go there so he went there. He met Shmuel, with a fence between
them. Shmuel is Bruno felt unfair that he’s all alone in his side of the fence and wanting to go over the
camp. I guess it just shows that we shouldn’t go about wishing we were in other’s shoes and be envious
of them because we don’t know what happens on the other side of the ‘fence’ and we all have our own
struggles to deal with. I love and enjoy their talks. They are of the same age but had different
experiences. There are a lot to unpack on this movie but I will just state what really stayed with me
when I finished the film. There was this scene with Pavel and Bruno didn’t believe that Pavel is or was a
doctor, because in a child’s mind a doctor does not dress like a peasant and certainly does not peel
potatoes. One scene that really struck me was when Bruno was conversing with Shmuel and they were
talking about their parents’ jobs and how they see adults as confusing and indecisive. He said “He used
to be a doctor, but gave it all up to peel potatoes” when talking about Pavel. I don’t know why I started
tearing up from there. Maybe because it showed that naivety and genuine thought process of a child. He
just simply thought that it was Pavel’s choice to stop being a doctor and instead peel potatoes. He also
talked with Pavel about wanting to be an explorer when he grows up which is heartbreaking because
we’ll never get to see that happen. His death was a tragedy and somewhat a wake-up call to his father
as he really believed that what he was doing was righteous and that cost him his own son. His cruelty
and ignorance had led to his son’s death. It was giving him a taste of his own medicine and that turns
out it was a double edged sword. It is also symbolic for me how Bruno tried to go to the other side of the
fence and he was undistinguishable when he wore the pajamas, it was as if he was one of them, just
shows that everyone can be the same, without all the things we dress ourselves to be different. He
wanted to explore and he wanted to help his friend and indeed he was there up until the end.