The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Summer Reading Study Guide Questions and Activities
Name:_____________________________________
Class:_____________________________
Teacher:____________________________________
Date:______________________________________
Please answer the following questions and complete the following activities using your book and the
knowledge you acquired from reading this book over the summer. Please use complete sentences where
applicable. Conventions are important so ensure you are using proper spelling, word usage, punctuation,
and capitalization. Please include page numbers for each question referring to where you found your
answer.
Comprehension Questions: You may answer these in short response. You DO NOT have to use complete
sentences.
Chapters One to Five
1. Why is Maria packing Bruno’s things?
2. Why must Bruno’s father move away to do his job?
3. What matters most to Bruno in Berlin?
4. Why do you think Bruno always tries to be honest with himself?
5. Who first called the new home ‘Out-With’ and why did they do that?
6. Why is there no greenery in the distance after the fence?
7. In chapter four, Bruno states his age. How else do you know Bruno is young?
8. What is the tone of chapter four? What occurs in the chapter to set the tone?
9. Why does Mother feel they should never have let the Fury come to dinner?
10. Why was Mother so startled by Maria’s sudden appearance?
11. While Bruno is at the train station, he notices two trains separated by a platform. What is the author’s
purpose for including this description? How does Bruno feel about the trains?
12. How does Father’s office compare with the rest of the house?
13. What is Bruno’s relationship like with his Father?
14. According to Bruno’s reasoning, why was his father assigned to work at Out-With?
15. How does Father explain the people in the huts in the distance to Bruno?
Chapters Six to Ten
1. How does Maria respond to Bruno’s question about living at the new house?
2. Why does Maria defend Father?
3. Why was Bruno proud of his Father after hearing Maria’s story?
4. After talking to Maria, how has Bruno’s opinion of her changed?
5. What is Maria’s advice to Bruno after their talk?
6. How does Mother prove she is a decent person?
7. What does Bruno decide to do for fun?
8. What does Lieutenant Kotler do to make Gretel and Bruno uncomfortable?
9. What happened to Bruno on the tire swing? Who rescues him?
10. Before he became the family’s waiter, what did Pavel do for a living?
11. Why does Mother say she’ll take credit for mending injury?
12. What was the best part about acting with Grandmother?
13. What happened after the last play’s performance?
14. What does Bruno want to do when he is older? How is this occupation meaningful to the story?
15. According to Bruno, what are two categories of discovery?
16. Why does Shmuel wish he had a name all his own? Why is this important?
17. What do Bruno and Shmuel have in common?
Chapters Eleven to Fifteen
1. According to Bruno, why was the Fury rude?
2. Why did Bruno’s parents argue after their dinner guests left?
3. How does Bruno’s arrival at Out-With differ from Shmuel’s arrival?
4. Why does Bruno decide not to share the news about his new friend with his family?
5. Describe Bruno’s personality? How does he change from the beginning of the story to this point?
6. What does Shmuel want to do when he grows up?
7. Bruno claims his father is one of the good soldiers. Why is his statement ironic?
8. How does Shmuel know Lieutenant Kotler?
9 .How does Bruno prove he is naïve about Out-With?
10. Why does Mother ask Bruno to not use the word ‘hate’?
11. What did Lieutenant Kotler do to Pavel? Why didn’t anyone help Pavel?
12. Why does Bruno want Shmuel to crawl under the fence?
13. Why does Bruno try to conceal mentioning Shmuel to his sister?
14. How did Bruno deceive his sister about Shmuel?
15. How does talking about Shmuel affect Bruno?
16. Why does Gretel make fun of Bruno? How is her jest ironic?
17. What were some of Bruno’s reasons for not liking Lieutenant Kotler?
18. Why is Shmuel in the kitchen? How did he get there?
19. How are Bruno’s hands and Shmuel’s hands different? Why is this significant?
20. Why is Shmuel afraid to eat the food Bruno has offered?
21. Why didn’t Bruno speak up to defend Shmuel?
22. What does Bruno say that finally wins Shmuel’s acceptance? How does Shmuel show he forgives his
friend?
Chapters Sixteen to Twenty
1. Why does Bruno return to Berlin?
2. Why was Father sad? (page 177)
3. Why would Grandmother be upset about the wreath from the Fury?
4. For Bruno, what is the best thing about life at Out-With?
5. How did Gretel’s room change? (page 180)
6. What was wrong with Gretel and Bruno’s hair?
7. Why are Mother and Father shouting again?
8. Why are Father and Gretel silent after Bruno’s remark about the children behind the fence?
9 .What news does Bruno have for Shmuel?
10. Why did Shmuel stay away for so many days? (page 194)
11. How do Bruno and Shmuel plan to play together? (page 199)
12. How does the uniform Shmuel provides remind Bruno of his Grandmother?
13. What did Bruno expect to find behind the fence? What did Bruno discover instead?
14. What kept Bruno from going straight home? (page 208)
15. What does Bruno do and say to comfort Shmuel? (page 212)
16. Why did Mother stay at Out-With longer than expected?
17. What clues were discovered after Bruno’s disappearance?
18. What realization did Father piece together at the fence?
19. Why does the author state at the end of the story “Of course all of this happened a long time ago and nothing
like that could ever happen again. Not in this day and age”?
Vocabulary Questions: Match the vocabulary word with the correct definition by drawing a line.
allies
resistance
concentration camps
Final Solution
Holocaust
genocide
For the imprisonment of all "enemies" of
their regime
The deliberate and systematic destruction
of a religious, racial, national, or cultural
group.
The cover name for the plan to destroy the
Jews of Europe. Beginning in December
1941, Jews were rounded up and sent to
extermination camps in the East.
The destruction of some 6 million Jews by
the Nazis and their followers in Europe
between the years 1933-1945.
The nations fighting Nazi Germany, Italy,
and Japan during World War II; primarily
the United States, Great Britain, and the
Soviet Union.
The "underground" organizations working
to help the Jews against Hitler/Nazi army
Definitions: Use the words below to match to their definitions.
metallic
chauffeur
catastrophe escapade
mucky
preyed
conviction
sneering
prospect
resigned
clambered
efficiency
revival
greengrocer dismissively
sarcasm
inconsolable simpered
welling
tubercular
disdain
boneshaker incumbent
campaign
misshapen
1. bringing again into activity and prominence _______________________________
2. ability to accomplish a job with a minimum expedition of time and effort____________________________
3. pertaining to metal; tinny________________________________
4. to look upon with dislike; to look down upon__________________________________
5. accepted as hopeless or unpleasant____________________________________
6. rising, springing, or gushing as water, from the earth or some other source____________________________
7. showing that you do not believe a person or thing to be important or worth
Considering_________________________________
8. pertaining to tuberculosis___________________________________
9. climbed, using both feet and hands___________________________________
10. badly shaped; deformed______________________________________
11. any rickety vehicle, such as a bicycle________________________________
12. planned course of action to achieve some special purpose or goal__________________________________
13. an action or behavior that is wild, reckless, and full of adventure__________________________________
14. exerted a harmful influence______________________________________
15. outlook for the future; anticipation_____________________________________
16. brokenhearted; grief-stricken______________________________________
17. to smile in a silly or self-conscious manner______________________________________
18. referring to duty or obligation_________________________________________
19. someone paid to drive a privately owned car__________________________________
20. a grocer who sells fresh fruits and vegetables______________________________________
Vocabulary Multiple Choice: Select the definition that most nearly defines the given word.
21. dismissively
A. showing that you do not believe a person or thing to be important or worth
considering
B. a firm opinion or belief
22. catastrophe
A. exerted a harmful influence
B. an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
23. sneering
A. someone paid to drive a privately owned car
B. raising one corner of the upper lip in an unpleasant way
24. revival
A. dirty and messy; covered with mud or muck
B. bringing again into activity and prominence
25. prospect
A. badly shaped; deformed
B. outlook for the future; anticipation
26. clambered
A. brokenhearted; grief-stricken
B. climbed, using both feet and hands
27. resigned
A. accepted as hopeless or unpleasant
B. an action or behavior that is wild, reckless, and full of adventure
28. mucky
A. to look upon with dislike; to look down upon
B. dirty and messy; covered with mud or muck
29. simpered
A. to smile in a silly or self-conscious manner
B. an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
30. greengrocer
A. a grocer who sells fresh fruits and vegetables
B. bitter remarks intended to wound the feelings
Multiple Choice Questions: Answer the following multiple choice questions. Choose the best answer that best
completes or answers the statement.
1.How old is Bruno?
A.
B.
C.
D.
12 years old
9 years old
6 years old
14 years old
2.What is Bruno's sister's name?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Natalie
Marah
Gretel
Katie
3.What is Ralph?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Nazi
Baker
Fence Builder
Jew
4.Who is the author?
A.
B.
C.
D.
John Wilkins
Harold Sheen
Matthew Dunagon
John Boyne
5.What kind of camp does Bruno move to?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Boy Scouts
Concentration Camp
Summer
Boot
6.How do Bruno and Shmuel pass away?
A.
B.
C.
Gas Chamber
Starvation
Shot
7.What does Bruno's mother take credit for even though she didn't do it?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Helping the Jews
Breaking the glass cup
Murder of a Nazi
Making dinner
8.What does Bruno call Gretel?
A.
B.
C.
Nazi
Hopeless Case
Jew
9.How does Elsa feel about the Holocaust?
A.
B.
C.
She wants to be a part of it.
She likes it.
She doesn't believe in this.
10.What is the name of "the boy in the striped pajamas?"
A.
B.
C.
D.
Bruno
Gretel
Shmuel
Barbara
11.What do people have to call Ralph?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Sir
Chief
Sargent
Commandment
12.Why is Bruno angry about the move to Out-With?
A.
B.
C.
D.
It only has 3 floors
There's no one to play with.
It is in America and Bruno hates America.
All of the above.
13.What does Elsa do to calm herself?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Drinks medical sherries
Cleans
Argues with Ralph
Slaps Bruno and Gretel
14. By what nickname did Bruno call his sister?
A. Foolish One
B. Hopeless Case
C. Cooties Girl
D. Big Sis
15. When was the story set?
A. 1940s
B. 1950s
C. 1920s
D. 1930s
16. What is the name of Bruno's sister?
A. Lars
B. Pavel
C. Gretel
D. Maria
17. Why did Bruno deny his friendship with Shmuel?
A. Shmuel had denied his friendship with Bruno.
B. He disliked Shmuel.
C. He feared Kotler.
D. He feared Pavel.
18. What adjective best describes Pavel?
A. Humorous
B. Greedy
C. Kind
D. Shrewd
19. What was the real occupation of Pavel?
A. Lawyer
B. Doctor
C. Musician
D. Engineer
20. What was the real name for Out-With?
A. Old Witch
B. Auschwitz
C. Ohrdruf
D. All Switch
21. What nationality is Shmuel?
A. French
B. German
C. Polish
D. Russian
22. Where in Bruno's house did one find maps of Europe?
A. The living room
B. Gretel's bedroom
C. The kitchen
D. Bruno's bedroom
23. Through whose eyes does the reader see the story?
A. Gretel's
B. Commandant's
C. Bruno's
D. Shmuel's
Analytical Questions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences. Use page numbers to show where
you found your answer or proof to your answer.
1. Discuss the relationship between Bruno and Gretel. Why does Bruno seem younger than nine? How might
Bruno and Gretel be considered one-dimensional (static characters)?
2. What is it about the house at Out-With that makes Bruno feel "cold and unsafe"? How is this feeling
continued as he encounters people like Pavel, Maria, Lt. Kotler, and Shmuel?
3. Describe his reaction when he first sees the people in the striped pajamas. What does Gretel mean when she
says, "Something about the way [Bruno] was watching made her feel suddenly nervous"? (p. 28) How does this
statement foreshadow Bruno's ultimate demise?
4. Bruno asks his father about the people outside their house at Auschwitz. His father answers, "They're not
people at all Bruno." (p. 53) Discuss the horror of this attitude. How does his father's statement make Bruno
more curious about Out-With?
5. When Bruno and his family board the train for Auschwitz, he notices an over-crowded train headed in the
same direction. How does he later make the connection between Shmuel and that train? How are both trains
symbolic of each boy's final journey?
6. Bruno issues a protest about leaving Berlin. His father responds, "Do you think that I would have made such
a success of my life if I hadn't learned when to argue and when to keep my mouth shut and follow orders?" (p.
49) What question might Bruno's father ask at the end of the novel?
10. When Bruno dresses in the filthy striped pajamas, he remembers something his grandmother once said.
"You wear the right outfit and you feel like the person you're pretending to be." (p, 205) How is this true for
Bruno? What about his father?
11. Discuss the theme or message of the novel. What new insights and understandings does John Boyne want
the reader to gain from reading this story?