The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Chapter 1

1. How do we know Bruno’s family are rich?

2. What is Maria (the maid) doing as the story begins?

3. How does his mother look on this occasion?

4. Why do the family have to move?

5. Why does Bruno not want to leave?

6. How does everyone view father?

7. Describe Bruno’s house.

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8-9. What were the 2 best things about Bruno’s house?

Activity Discussion:

What are your favorite things about your home and local area?
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Chapter 2

1. Describe Bruno’s old house in Berlin (using the description from this chapter).

2. Describe Bruno’s new house.

3. How long did mother tell Bruno the family would be staying at their new house?

4. What does Bruno think of his father’s job?

5. Describe the young soldier Bruno sees on the stairs.

6. Why doesn’t Bruno like the young soldier?

7. How does Bruno feel when he looks out his window?

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Chapter 3

1. Describe Gretel, Bruno’s sister.

2. How well do Gretel and her friends treat Bruno?

3. What was a constant disappointment to Bruno?

4. What is the name of their new house?

5. What is the reason for the name of the house?

6. During their conversation, what did Bruno say that surprised Gretel?
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Chapter 4

1. Describe the view from Bruno’s window.

2. Where does Gretel think they are?

3. Why doesn’t Bruno agree with Gretel about her explanation?

4. How were the soldiers treating the children?

5. Why are the children they see NOT the type of children that Gretel would hang out
with?

6. Describe the people in the camp.

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Chapter 5

1. Was Bruno’s mother happy to leave Berlin?

2-3. How does Bruno feel when he sees father with the other soldiers?

4. What is the only reason that Bruno has ever been in Father’s office?

5. Why does Bruno go into his father’s office?

6. Describe Father’s office.

7. What is a home according to Father?

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8. What is the reason that Bruno thinks is the reason for the family moving?

9. When Bruno asks about the people he can see from his window, what is Father’s
explanation?
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Chapter 6

1. Why was Bruno talking to himself in his room?

2. Why did Bruno value Maria’s opinion?

3. What kind thing did Bruno’s father do for Maria?

4. How did Gretel treat Maria?

5. Why did Maria advise Bruno to keep quiet about his dislike of the place?

6. Why do you think the title of this chapter is a good one?

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Chapter 7

1. Why did Bruno’s mother not like Bruno laughing at Herr Roller?

2. How did Gretel act around Lieutenant Kotler?

3. What, do you think, made Bruno uneasy about leaving his sister with Lieutenant
Kotler?

4. How does Lieutenant Kotler treat Bruno?

5. How did Lieutenant Kotler treat Pavel?

6. How does Bruno feel when Lieutenant Kotler treats Pavel like this?
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7. When Lieutenant Kotler calls Pavel, how does Pavel react?

8. How did Bruno injure himself?

9. Describe Bruno’s injury.

10. Who looks after Bruno when he gets hurt and what does he do?

11. Why does Pavel’s behavior change when Bruno’s mother arrives?

12. How does she treat Pavel?

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13. Why won’t Mother tell Bruno’s father what happened?

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Chapter 8

1. What had Bruno’s grandfather done for a living?

2. How did Bruno’s grandmother entertain the family at parties?

3. What was the best part of performing plays with Grandmother?

4. What did Bruno’s grandmother mean when she said her son was a puppet on a
string?

5. How does Grandfather feel about Father’s new job?

6-7. According to Grandmother, what is the only thing that soldiers are interested about?
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8. How is the war affecting Bruno’s family?

9. How does Grandmother feel when she left the party?

10. Why hadn’t Bruno seen much of Grandmother before they left?

11. What does Bruno do at the end of Chapter 8 to make himself feel better?
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Chapter 9

1. Describe Herr Liszt.

2. What did Herr Liszt want to teach Bruno about?

3. What did Bruno want to learn about?

4-10. What jobs would need to be done by the servants each day?
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11. According to Herr Liszt, why is he there?

12. What did the plaque on the garden bench read?

13. Why did Herr Liszt think social sciences, particularly history, were important subjects
to study?

14. What makes Bruno decide to go exploring?

15. What does Bruno see happening in the camp?

16. What does Bruno try not to think about as he goes exploring?
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Chapter 10

1. What did Bruno discover on the other side of the fence as he was exploring?

2. Why does he almost turn back and head home?

3. Describe the boy Bruno meets.

4. What are Bruno’s first impressions of the boy?

5-6. Why did Shmuel think his mother was a smart woman?

7. What did Shmuel think of Bruno?

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8. What is unusual about Shmuel’s birthday?

9. Does Shmuel have many friends?

10. What does Shmuel say about where he comes from?

11-12. What does Bruno say about Germany and how does he feel once he says it?

13. What does Bruno tell Shmuel about being a good explorer?
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Chapter 11

1. How did Bruno’s mother react when his father said the Fury was coming to dinner?

2. Who was ‘The Fury’?

3-8. What jobs needed to be done before the arrival of ‘The Fury’ for dinner?

9-11. What rules apply during the Fury’s visit?

12. Describe the Fury.

13. Describe Eva.

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14. What does Bruno think of the Fury’s manners?

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Chapter 12

1. What was life like for Shmuel before his family was forced to move away?

2. What sort of armband did Shmuel and his family have to wear?

3-4. Compare Bruno with Shmuel. How are they similar and how are they different?

5. Where did Shmuel live before the camp?

6. “Bruno opened his mouth to contradict him.” Why doesn’t Bruno believe Shmuel’s
story?
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7-8. Explain the different train rides that the boys had. (Bruno’s train ride p.41)

9. What question does Shmuel ask even though he doesn't want to?

10. Why does Bruno decide not to tell his family about his new friend?
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Chapter 13

1. What was Bruno doing when Maria entered the kitchen?

2. Why did Bruno think that Shmuel might know Pavel?

3. What did Bruno notice about Pavel at dinner?

4. What were Bruno’s father’s views on history?

5. Why isn’t Bruno feeling quite so unhappy about his new life?

6. What does Bruno ask Maria about Pavel?

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7. What jobs do the boys want when they grow up?

8. What is Shmuel’s opinion of soldiers?

9. Describe the friendship the boys have.

10. What complaints does Bruno make about Herr Liszt?

11. What mistake does Lieutenant Kotler make in conversation?

12. What view does Bruno’s father have of people who left Germany in 1938?

13. What happens when Pavel spills wine on Kotler?

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14. Why do you think nobody stopped Lieutenant Kotler from mistreating Pavel at
dinner?

15. What does Bruno decide he had better do in the future?

Extra Credit

Do people with power ever abuse their power? Discuss.

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Chapter 14

1. When Shmuel has a black eye, what does Bruno think happened?

2. What does Bruno ask Shmuel every day?

3. What does Bruno have to say about the striped pajamas?

4. What secret did Bruno accidentally reveal to his sister?

5. How did Bruno try to cover up his mistake?

6. How did Bruno try making himself red with embarrassment?

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7. Why, do you think, did Bruno not tell his sister about Shmuel?

8. If you were Bruno, would you have told Gretel about Shmuel?

9. What might have happened to Shmuel’s grandfather?

10. If you were Bruno, how would you try to cheer up Shmuel the next time you met
him?

11. Why is Gretel sarcastic to Bruno?

12. What did Shmuel say about his Grandfather?

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Chapter 15

1. Why did Bruno and Shmuel see less of each other for the next few weeks?

2. Bruno’s mother is spending a lot of time with Lieutenant Kotler. What examples of this
are we given?

3. Name some reasons why Bruno disliked Lieutenant Kotler.

4. Why was Shmuel brought to Bruno’s house?

5. Describe Shmuel’s hand.

6. Why is Shmuel afraid to eat the chicken?

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7. Why does Bruno deny knowing Shmuel?

8. How did Bruno feel about his actions in the kitchen?

9. What do you think would have happened if Bruno had told Lieutenant Kotler that he
and Shmuel were friends?

10. Why do you think Bruno and Shmuel’s friendship was able to survive Bruno’s
betrayal?

11. What would you have done in Bruno’s position?

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Extra Credit

Diary Entry:

Imagine you are Shmuel. Write in your diary describing how you feel about the day’s
events.
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Chapter 16

1. What caused the family to return to Berlin briefly for two days?

2. How do we know a lot of time has passed since Bruno's arrival at Out-With?

3. Why did Bruno consider his friendship with Shmuel unusual?

4. What has happened to Lieutenant Kotler?

5. How had Gretel changed since moving to Out-With?

6. Why were Bruno and Shmuel friends when they were on different sides of the fence?
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7. What does Bruno ask Gretel?

8. What explanation does Gretel give about the fence(why is the fence there)?

9. Why does Gretel scream and how do their parents deal with this problem?

10. Give 1 reason why Kotler was transferred.

11. Why was Father upset about Grandmother passing away? (Besides the fact that she
was his mother)
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Chapter 17

1-2. Bruno says his mother is unhappy at Out-With. Give 2 examples of how she is
unhappy.

3. What did Bruno overhear his parents discussing?

4. What decision did Bruno’s father make with the family?

5. Why do you think Bruno’s father enquired(asked) about what Bruno knew about the
other side of the fence?

6. How do you think Shmuel will react to the news?

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Chapter 18

1. Why wasn’t Shmuel at the fence for two days?

2. What regrets do the boys have about their friendship?

3. What plan do the boys make?

4. Personal Reflection: Write about what you consider it means to be a good friend.
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Chapter 19

1. What almost ruins their plan on Friday?

2. How do the boys feel when they’re finally on the same side of the fence?

3. How did Bruno imagine the camp?

4. What does Bruno see in the camp?

5. What does Bruno tell Shmuel after they march?

6. What happens to the boys at the end of the chapter?

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