RATED PG-13
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The Book and Movie
Based on the 2006 novel by John Boyne, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a fictional story that offers a unique perspective on how prejudice, hatred and violence affect innocent people, particularly children, during wartime.
Through the lens of an eight-year-old boy largely shielded from the reality of World War II, we witness a forbidden friendship that forms between Bruno, the son of Nazi commandant, and Schmuel, a Jewish boy held captive in a concentration camp. Though the two are separated physically by a barbed wire fence, their lives become inescapably intertwined.
The imagined story of Bruno and Shmuel sheds light on the brutality, senselessness and devastating consequences of war from an unusual point of view. Together, their tragic journey helps recall the millions of innocent victims of the Holocaust. Learn more here.
The Discussion Guide
The free, downloadable discussion guide to accompany The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is now available. The guide includes discussion prompts for groups and individuals ages 13-18.
Themes include:
- Exploring an innocent perspective
- The essence of friendship
- Acts of humanity
- Understanding obedience and conformity
- Exploring prejudice and discrimination
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