1) To what extent male and female literary characters accurately reflect the role of men and

women in the society in the two works you’ve studied.

= The literary text chosen by me as to portray and make comparisons between the male and
female characters in the novel and in today’s society is “The boy in stripped pyjamas” written
by John Boyne which tells the story of a young boy named Bruno and his friendship with a
Jewish boy named Shmuel during World War II. The text primarily focuses on the theme of
friendship, innocence, and the horrors of holocaust. However, the theme of gender roles is
not extensively presented but to an extent it does reflect the actual perception of people
towards the societal roles of male and female.
In the novel, Bruno’s father Ralf is a high ranking nazi officer. The representation of his
character in the novel is dominant and controlling. He acts as an idol for the male figure of
authority in that era, evident through his actions which demonstrate his strong hold towards
the nazi regime. His role is characterized by his involvement in the war effort, his strict
adherence to Nazi ideology, and his commitment to his duty as an officer.