How does Boyne present attitudes and feelings in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas?

Because The Boy in the Striped Pajamasis written from the perspective of a young boy, the attitudes and feelings presented are naive, innocent, and uninformed. Bruno's parents shelter him from many facts of the war; therefore, he often feels irritated, lonely, and confused. For example, Bruno doesn't understand why he and his family moved to Auschwitz. And rather than explain the reasons for the move in detail, Bruno's father tells him to accept the...

Because The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is written from the perspective of a young boy, the attitudes and feelings presented are naive, innocent, and uninformed. Bruno's parents shelter him from many facts of the war; therefore, he often feels irritated, lonely, and confused. For example, Bruno doesn't understand why he and his family moved to Auschwitz. And rather than explain the reasons for the move in detail, Bruno's father tells him to accept the move and give their new home a chance. This only leaves Bruno more irritated than before. As a result, Bruno says the following:

"Everything here is horrible . . . I hate this house, I hate my room and I even hate the paintwork. I hate it all. Absolutely everything" (56).

This passage demonstrates Bruno's attitude and feelings about moving to and living in Auschwitz, but it also shows the frustration he experiences due to a lack of information about what is really going on in the world and with his family.

During his time at Auschwitz, Bruno witnesses the attitudes and feelings that others experience, too. He watches his mother struggle to maintain a home with soldiers and servants traipsing around her house, for instance. Bruno also discovers that the servant Pavel is forced to be a waiter rather than the doctor that he is. And most importantly, Bruno witnesses the depths of the Holocaust through his friendship with Shmuel. He sees Shmuel's physical and mental strength diminish over the months that they know each other, and this causes him to feel more compassion towards his friend. Because of Bruno's feelings for his friend, he ultimately makes a fatal decision. Again, all of these experiences cause Bruno to feel confused because he doesn't understand the prejudiced feelings behind the discrimination and hate he witnesses at Auschwitz. The following passage sums up Bruno's naive feelings and attitude during his final moments:

"Bruno raised an eyebrow, unable to understand the sense of all this . . . And then the room went very dark and somehow, despite the chaos that followed, Bruno found that he was still holding Shmuel's hand in his own and nothing in the world would have persuaded him to let it go" (213).

Even at his death, Bruno is naive and confused. If Bruno's parents would have been less protective, and more forthcoming, maybe he would have made it out of Auschwitz alive. Nevertheless, Boyne tells the story through the eyes of a young boy which helps to give the reader insight into Bruno's attitude and feelings. In addition, the attitudes and feelings of other characters are also shown to the reader, but only through innocent and confused eyes.