Quick Examples for the Essay “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” Innocence and Ignorance: Discuss how the themes of innocence and ignorance are represented in the novel and how they are central to the impact of the story. The Holocaust and Inhumanity: Analyze how the novel explores the theme of the Holocaust and its inhumane atrocities, and how it describes the consequences of hatred and prejudice. Friendship and Compassion: Examine the theme of friendship and compassion as depicted through the unlikely friendship between Bruno and Shmuel, and how it transcends the boundaries created by their circumstances. Parent-Child Relationships: Discuss the theme of parent-child relationships, focusing on the dynamic between Bruno and his parents, and how these relationships evolve throughout the novel. .Moral Dilemmas and Consequences: Explore the moral dilemmas faced by the story's characters and how their choices lead to profound consequences, highlighting the ethical questions raised by the narrative. “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” Sample Essay John Boyne's most famous novel, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, is the complex story of two boys who meet in a concentration camp during World War II. In this novel, several themes emerge, such as childhood innocence, prejudice, fear, regret, and limitations. However, perhaps the most interesting, but also the most subtle, theme is that of silence. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essaySilence, stillness, and secrets are all interconnected throughout this literary work. As the protagonist's father is the "commander" of the German army, the majority of his duties are hidden from his family. This situation is taken to the extreme, to the point where the family moves to Poland, without telling the children where they are moving or why. There is a general silence throughout the family, especially regarding the father's work. Children learn from a young age to simply respect their duties and not question their decisions. As the story continues, Bruno develops a close friendship with a refugee named Shmuel. Shmuel is the Hebrew equivalent of the name Samuel, which means strong. This fact is quite interesting in relation to Shmuel's role in the story, particularly in his role in the friendship between the two boys. Due to the differences between the two, Bruno is required not to tell anyone about his new friendship. After making a Freudian error during a conversation with his sister, Bruno is forced to cover his tracks: “'I have a new friend,' he began. “A new friend that I see every day. And he will wait for me now. But you can't tell anyone. 'Why not?' “Because he’s an imaginary friend,” said Bruno, trying to appear embarrassed…” (155). unfortunately, this isn't the only time Bruno lies about his relationship with Shmuel. While they are talking when Shmuel comes to clean the glasses in Bruno's kitchen, they are caught by Lieutenant Kotler. Shmuel readily admits that the two are friends, while Bruno claims to have never spoken to or seen Shmuel in his life. However, his decision to conceal their friendship does not sit well with him: “[Bruno's] stomach turned inside him and he thought for a moment that he was going to be sick. He had never been so ashamed in his life; he had never imagined that he could behave so cruelly. He wondered how a boy who thought he was a good person could really behave so cowardly towards a friend” (173-174). Even though the two young boys.