The boy in the striped pyjamas

Summary

Chapter 1

One day, when Bruno arrived home from school, was surprised to find Maria-family’s maid,
packing his things. Bruno was scared because he thought that his parents are sending him away
because he was a bad guy. Then, Bruno saw that Lars-the butler was packing his mom’s things too.
The boy didn’t understand what was going on. His mother told him to come downstairs to explain
him the situation. There he saw a blonde women who was there with the Fury for dinner. Bruno’s
mom told him that they are moving away from home because of his father’s job. The boy never
actually knew what is his dad’s occupation, but he knew that was a very important job. Bruno asked
his mother what will happen with their house, Bruno’s mom told him that maybe someday they will
come back. He asked where will be their new house, and was surprised when he find out that they
were going to leave Berlin. The boy was immediately thought what will happen with his friends, and
his plans. Mother didn’t had an answer, she told him just to have patience and everything will be
okay. She was tired of so much questions and sent him upstairs to help the maid packing his things.
Bruno had a last view of their house and thought about how much he liked live there. Then he saw
his mother entering in his father’s office and he heard a dispute. When his father raised the voice,
the conversation stopped.
Chapter 2

When Bruno first saw their new home, he was disappointed because it was the opposite of the house
from Berlin. It was small, with only 3 floors. In Berlin they had neighbours, stores, and everyday
something new to do. There was nothing, like this house was in the middle of nowhere. Bruno
thought that this new house didn’t had nothing to make him lough. The boy immediately thought
that it was a bad idea. He told his mother that she should convince his father to go back in Berlin
because this moving away was a mistake. Mother told him that this is their house now and he
couldn’t do anything to change it, and then she told him to go upstairs and help Maria unpack his
things. She was a little upset and didn’t want to answer Bruno’s questions. Bruno went upstairs
hoping that he will find a door or something to explore, but he didn’t found anything. The boy went
to help Maria and they had a conversation about the new house. Bruno asked she’s opinion about
this moving from home, she said that she can’t have an opinion. She motivated exactly like his
mom, his father’s job. Bruno was already tired to hear about this. Suddenly the door opened and
there was a man in uniform like his father , he had a box in his hands. Bruno didn’t like him, he was
too serious for his taste. Maria actually told him that his father is that serious too, but Bruno didn’t
knew him like that. The boy saw a window and he wanted to go and watch a beautiful view outside,
but what he saw made him feel unsafe.
Chapter 3

Bruno didn’t understand why Gretel-his sister had to come with them. She was 3 years older than
Bruno, but she was always made fun of him with she’s friends, she was making him feel like he was
6 years, when he had actually 9. She had a big collection of dolls. The only good thing about this
moving was the fact that Gretel didn’t had she’s friends close. Bruno went to she’s room without
knocking, the girl was putting in order her dolls. Gretel thought that they will stay in the new house
for like a couple of weeks. Bruno opened her eyes and told her that they will stay here for a long
time. They started to talk about the fact that they both miss their best friends. Suddenly Bruno said
that the other children didn’t look very friendly, Gretel didn’t understand about what children is he
talking about. He was enjoying for a little moment that she knew something that his sister didn’t
know. Then he took Gretel in his room and showed her the view from his bedroom window.
Chapter 4

The people Gretel saw from Bruno’s weren’t just children, they were also fathers, grandfathers,
maybe some uncles and some little and big boys. In this chapter is described what the siblings saw
on the window. It was a very weird view. First it was a garden with flowers and then was a place
bigger than their house, like a bench. The place that they saw was very nasty and the people were
very sad. Their first thinking was that was a countryside. But Bruno wasn’t that sure. They saw that
everybody was working, but it was too nasty to be a farm. They also saw a group of children and
some soldiers that are screaming on them. Gretel thought that they are playing something, but the
children didn’t looked very happy. There were people were wounded and bandaged. About twenty
feet behind the bench was a huge wire fence, taller than the house and extending far into the
distance. Tangled spirals of barbed wire snaked along the top of the fence, the sight of which made
Gretel uncomfortable. Beyond the fence there was no grass, only dirt, and aside from the people, the
only things on the other side were low huts, square buildings, and a couple of smokestacks. Gretel
shivers, and turns away from the window, having had enough of the sight. She goes into her room to
arrange her dolls, where “the view is decidedly nicer.” But instead of arranging her dolls, she just
sits on her bed and thinks about what she has seen. Bruno continues to stare out of the window, and
he notices one thing he had not seen before: everyone, grandfathers and fathers and little boys, are
all wearing a pair of grey striped pyjamas and a grey striped cap on their heads.
Chapter 5

Bruno is thinking that it’s the time to speak with Father. He recalled that Father had left Berlin a few
days early, leaving the rest of the family to finish packing up the house. When they had to leave,
Mother was thinking that maybe it could be better that the Fury never came to diner. A car with
flags on her was taking Bruno, Gretel and Mother at the train station. They were boarded in a very
nice train with only a few passengers. Bruno saw another train with a lot more passengers and
thought why they are not coming in his train instead. Bruno didn’t speak so much with his father
from the moment they arrived in Out-With. He was always very busy and surrounded by a lot of
soldiers. Bruno approached in his father’s office. Father asked him what is he thinking about their
new home. Bruno told him that he didn’t like this home and that he wanted to go back to the old
house. Father said that it wasn’t possible and that this will be their new home. Bruno asked his
father if there is something wrong at the job, and told him that if it is, he can go to the Fury and
convince him to let them go back home. Father told him to accept their new reality and told him to
go in his room. Bruno asked one last question, he was very interested to find out who were this
people. Father’s answer was unexpected. He told Bruno that they weren’t people at all and he didn’t
had to worry about them. He was going to his room, but dad remembered him that he was forgetting
something. He reached his arm and told “Heil Hitler”