WE FINISHED "THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS"!!!!!
This week we will be taking the Writing District Benchmark on Tuesday & Wednesday. I want to wish all of my students the best of luck!!! In Reading we will be reviewing for the final novel test on the novel " The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne. Students, don't forget to study the review that I gave to you last week. Everything you need is on that review. I will copy the review below this blog post.
REMINDERS:
- All discussion questions are due Monday, December 8, 2014.
- "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" final test will be Thursday - Friday.
- My homeroom - Don't forget to bring the $10.75 for the movie field trip.
- District Benchmarks Tuesday & Wednesday.
- If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.
“The Boy in the Striped
Pajamas” Final Test REVIEW
·
CHARACTERS
o
Bruno is the son of a Nazi commandant who
is forced to leave his home in Berlin and move to Auschwitz where his father
has been reassigned. He is reluctant to
leave Berlin where he has two good friends, is close to his grandparents, and
lives in a lovely home. Bruno is
characterized by an endearing childhood innocence which becomes especially
poignant when he meets a young prisoner on the other side of a fence near his
house. Bruno remains strikingly
unaffected by the war and unmoved by the Nazi beliefs and propaganda which he
confronts daily. This may well be due to
his young age or the result of his character (naïve boy). In any case, Bruno represents man’s capacity
for kindness and compassion.
o
Shmuel is a young Polish Jew who is a
prisoner in Auschwitz. Bruno meets him
at a fence while exploring near his house.
Shmuel is as innocent as Bruno and seems not to quite understand why he
is a prisoner. Shmuel reveals that his
mother is a teacher who has speaks German (which she has taught him), French,
Italian and English (which she plans to teach him). Until his deportation, Shmuel lived in this
his mother, father and brother above his father’s watchmaking shop. He tells Bruno about how he came home from
school one day to find his mother making armbands for the family which the
Nazis forced them to wear. Bruno has a
hard time comprehending some of the stories Shmuel tells him because it seems
so unimaginable to him. Shmuel becomes
worried once his father goes missing in the camp and asks for Bruno’s help in
finding him. Bruno’s willingness to help
his friend results in both of them dying at the merciless hands of the Nazis.
Bruno and Shmuel seem to lead parallel yet mutually exclusive
lives. They share common interests, the
same birthday, and a similar perspective on life. Their friendship is not just unlikely; it
defies possibility. In a world and a
time where people were being told what to think, who to hate and what
relationships were acceptable, Bruno and Shmuel demonstrate how resistant and
resilient children can be and how important kindness and compassion are.
o
Gretel, Bruno’s older sister, annoys him a
great deal; he refers to her as a “Hopeless Case” who does nothing but cause
him grief. Gretel fancies herself far
more mature and worldly than Bruno, despite her doll collection which would
seem to symbolize her naivete. Gretel is
increasingly interested in the beliefs and activities of the Nazi party and,
after their move to Auschwitz, befriends one of the Nazi camp guards. In an effort to demonstrate her devotion and
dedication to the ideals of the Hitler Youth, Gretel gives up her doll
collection for Nazi propaganda posters and literature. Gretel may represent those in German society
who were aware of the horrors of the Holocaust but made a conscious choice to
do nothing to help others.
o
Bruno’s Mother (Elsa) tries desperately to shield her
children from the horrors of the Holocaust which is taking place virtually in
their backyard. To some extent, she
seems to turn a blind eye to what her husband does for a living and to what is
taking place in the camp. She becomes
distraught when she learns that Auschwitz is not a concentration camp but
rather a death camp. She is furious when
she finds out her husband has been ordering the slaughter of thousands of Jews
in the gas chambers at Auschwitz, she concludes that Auschwitz is no place to
raise children and decides to move back to Berlin with the children.
o
Bruno’s Father (Ralf) (referred to simply as “Father”
throughout the novel) is a Nazi commandant who seems to truly revere Nazi
ideology. When Bruno’s grandparents
learn of his father’s promotion to Commandant, Bruno’s grandfather is extremely
proud of his son’s accomplishments while Bruno’s grandmother is horrified at
the thought of what he will be doing.
Father is thrilled to host Hitler and his female companion, Eva, for
dinner and is determined to make a positive impression. Despite Father’s professional inhumanity, he
does try to shield his own family from the nefarious goings-on at Auschwitz.
o
Pavel is a Jewish servant who works in
Bruno’s home. Bruno believes that Pavel
and the other people he sees form this bedroom window are pajama-wearing
farmers. Pavel had been a well-established
doctor before his internment and Bruno cannot understand why he have up that
career to be a farmer who peels potatoes for Bruno’s family. When Bruno falls from a tree swing in the
garden Pavel uses his medical skills to care for Bruno. One day, Pavel is beaten by Lieutenant Kotler
and no longer comes to the family’s home afterwards; the family’s maid, Maria
must clean up the bloody mess.
o
Lieutenant Kotler is an arrogant Nazi guard with
aspirations of greatness. He relishes
any opportunity to abuse and demean the prisoners who work in Bruno’s house;
not only does he seem to truly believe that he is superior to them be he also
seems to enjoy showing off for Gretel.
o
Herr Listz is the tutor hired by Bruno’s father
who tries to instill him and Gretel with Nazi rhetoric. Gretel is a willing student while Bruno seems
skeptical and inquisitive; he is not quite as willing as Gretel to accept Herr
Listz’s version of history, in particular
· Point
of view
o
First person point of view is when the character
is telling the story.
o
Third person point of view is when none of the
characters are telling the story, and an unseen narrator is telling it.
o
Third person limited point of view is when the narrator
focuses on one character’s perspective.
o
Third person omniscient point of view is when the narrator
allows the reader to see the story thought the perspective of several
characters.
· Protagonist vs. Antagonist
o
Protagonist is the most important character (main
character) or the “good guy” of the story.
o
Antagonist is the one who is in conflict with
the main charter or the “bad guy”.
