The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne, which tells the story of nine-year-old Bruno, the son of a high-ranking Nazi official. When the family is forced to leave Berlin for his father’s new job, Bruno finds himself living next to a mysterious camp surrounded by an imposing fence, and soon befriends Shmuel, an emaciated boy of his own age living on the other side of the fence. While the adults around him deliberately turn a blind eye to the camp on their doorstep, Bruno attempts to understand his new friend, with tragic consequences for them both. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is John Boyne’s best-known novel. It has sold over five million copies to date, and was adapted for the cinema in 2008.

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This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection

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• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: Mar 28, 2019
• ISBN: 9782808014090

Book preview

IRISH NOVELIST

Born in Dublin (Ireland) in 1971.

Notable works:

A History of Loneliness (2014), novel

The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket (2012), novel for younger readers

Stay Where You Are And Then Leave (2013), novel for younger readers

John Boyne was born and grew up in Dublin, where he studied English Literature at Trinity College. He then moved to Norwich to complete a MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. He currently resides in Dublin.

Boyne regularly writes literary reviews for The Irish Times and has written eleven novels for adults, as well as five aimed at younger readers. Boyne writes historical fiction novels, discussing a variety of key historical moments, from the fall of the Romanov dynasty to the more recent discovery of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. His works have met with great success both at home and abroad, having been published in over fifty languages. Boyne has received many awards, including the Hennessy Literary ‘Hall of Fame’ Award (2012) and the Gustav Heinemann Peace Prize (2015).