Bruno’s Personality In The Boy In the Striped Pajamas

Bruno was the main character in the story The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Bruno exhibited many feelings and traits throughout the book. He was quite innocent, kind, definitely adventurous, annoying, lonely, and thoughtful. These weren’t all of Bruno’s traits, but most of them. Proof of these traits will be shown in this paper with excerpts from the book.

Bruno was an innocent little German boy who had no idea about the war that was going on around him (World War II). When he just moved to the house next to Auschwitz, Bruno saw many prisoners but had thought they were children and farmers in striped pajamas. “‘But what other children?’ Asked Gretel. ‘Where are they [the prisoners]?’ Bruno smiled and walked towards the door, indicating that Gretel should follow him… ‘They’re out there,’ said Bruno, who had walked over to his window again and was looking out of it. (Boyne, print, Page 28) ”. Later in the book, when meeting Shmuel, Bruno believed that Shmuel lived in a miniature town, and the fence was to keep animals out. “[When Bruno enters the camp] He thought there would be a shop in the center, and maybe a small cafe like the ones in Berlin; he wondered whether there would be a fruit and vegetable stall. (Boyne, print, Page 207)

When preparing to leave Berlin, Bruno’s mom asked him to say goodbyes to his friends. Bruno was not too happy about that. “‘Say goodbye to Karl and Daniel and Martin?’ He continued, his voice getting dangerously close to shouting. ‘But they’re my three best friends for life!’ (Boyne, print, Page 7)”. At Auschwitz, Bruno had nobody to play with, so he was very bored. “‘I don’t like it here,’ he said for the hundredth time. ‘ I know you don’t,’ said Gretel, ‘But there’s nothing we can do, is there?’ ‘I miss Karl and Daniel and Martin,’ said Bruno.” (Boyne, print, Page 26)

Bruno wasn’t nice to everyone. However, he showed kindness to family and friends, and definitely Shmuel. Every day, Bruno brought food to Shmuel when meeting him. “[Inside the house, Bruno was eating chicken, and then felt guilty of not giving Shmuel any]’I should have given you some chicken. Are you hungry?’(Boyne, print, Page 169).” As the story unfolded, “Shmuel had an urge to give Bruno a hug too, just to thank him for his many kindnesses, gifts of food, and the fact that he was going to help him to find Papa. (Boyne, print, Page 206)

The book doesn’t mention Bruno’s friends much, however, everybody he met in the book (except for Lieutenant Kotler and “The Fury”, or der Führer) became friends with him (Karl, Daniel, Martin, Pavel, Shmuel, and Eva). “‘Say goodbye to Karl and Daniel and Martin?’…’ But they’re my three best friends for life!’” (Boyne, print, Page 7) “Bruno felt an urge to give Shmuel a hug, just to let him know how much he liked him, and how much he enjoyed talking to him over the past year.” (Boyne, print, Page 206)

While some characters in the book thought Bruno was nice; some thought otherwise. Gretel, Bruno’s sister, thought of him as a nuisance, and once even called him a hopeless case. “‘An imaginary friend. Really Bruno, you are a hopeless case.’” (Boyne, print, Page 156) Later in the book, when seeing Shmuel’s bruised face, Bruno forgot that Shmuel had nothing, and asked, “‘What happened to you?’…‘Was it your bicycle? Because that happened to me when I was in Berlin a couple of years ago. I fell off when I was going too fast and was black and blue for weeks.’” (Boyne, print, Page 175)

Bruno loved exploring. He always said he wanted to be an explorer when he grew up. He found Shmuel by exploring. Bruno said he had already explored the front yard, but his mom wouldn’t let him explore out back (Movie, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, 2008). “[Bruno meets Shmuel for the first time] ‘I’ve been exploring,’ he said. ‘Have you?’ Said the little boy. ‘Yes, for almost two hours now.’” (Boyne, print, Page 107)