Chapter 13: The Bottle of Wine

(134) How does the initial paragraph frame Bruno's state of mind?

(136) What does the question Bruno asks Maria show about his development?

(137) What is important about Maria's reaction to Bruno's question?

(138) Why does Bruno want to tell Shmuel about Pavel? What does this highlight about Bruno's understanding of what is going on?

(140) What do the boys argue about? Who does Bruno defend? Who is right/wrong? Why?

(140) Shmuel says 'You don't know what it's like here.' and Bruno reacts by saying 'You don't have any sisters, do you?' He says this to avoid an answer to Shmuel. What does this show about Bruno's understanding of what is happening?

(141) What connection do the boys have regarding Lt. Kotler?

(142) What has changed in the the way Bruno sees Pavel?

(143) What important words are used to describe the way the father eats and addresses Bruno? What makes them important? How do they relate to the scene and the father as a character?

(145) We learn Lt. Kotler's first name - 'Kurt'. What is it about the sounds in his full name that are important? 'Kurt Kotler'

(146-7) What do we learn about Kotler's father? What is Bruno's father's reaction/suggestion regarding Kotler's father leaving Germany for Switzerland?

(148) What happens to break the tension at the dinner table? What does Kotler do and what are everyone's reactions? What does Bruno decide regarding disagreeing with anyone anymore after seeing what happens to Kotler? What does this relate to historically in regards to the Nazis?

Chapter 12: Shmuel Thinks of an Answer to Bruno's Question

(126) How would you compare Shmuel's voice to Bruno's?

(128-130) How would you describe the way that Bruno acts and reacts to Shmuel tell his story about coming to the camp?

(131) When Bruno and Shmuel talk about chocolate how is Bruno portrayed?

(132) Do you think that Bruno understands the situation that Shmuel is in?

(133) What is ironic about Bruno thinking 'the last think he wanted to do was be unkind to Shmuel'?

(133) What is ironic about the statement - 'Bruno was of the opinion that when it came to parents, and especially when it came to sisters, what they didn't know couldn't hurt them.'?

Chapter 11: The Fury

(118) What does the mother's obsession with her 'list' represent? What does the list distract her from? What do you think about meeting Adolf Hitler?

(120) What is ironic when the father says 'The last thing we need is for either of you to start behaving like children.'?

(121) How is juxtaposition used in the introduction of 'The Fury'?

(122) How is the 'Fury's' behavior juxtaposed with everyone else'?

(123) Is this a stereotypical representation of Hitler? Why/why not?

(124) We are given a very abbreviated discussion between the mother and father. What are they talking about? What are their views on the topic? What effect does showing the parents conversation in this manner rather than the whole conversation?

Evaluating your Partner's Performance

Today in class we are going to listen to a discussion for 5-10 min on each chapter (11 + 12).

During the conversation you are to take notes on:

- participation
- what questions/answers they ask
- do they know what they are talking about
- overall what is your impression of their understanding of what is happening in the chapter

Give your partner an HONEST score out of 10 (10 being the best).

Chapters 11+12

What are the main themes of the novel so far?

What are the main techniques?

Think of 5 important questions for each of these two chapters about how important motifs and themes play a role in each chapter.

Chapter 9: Bruno Remembers That He Used to Enjoy Exploration

(pg95-96) How is Lt Kotler portrayed? Why is he portrayed this way? (remember that 'how' is asking about literary techniques)
What is Herr Liszt going to 'change' for Bruno? (98)
(100) What connection does Bruno make between the people in the camp and the people that come and visit his house all the time?
What some of the things that Bruno begins to take notice of regarding the relationship between the soldiers and the people in 'pyjamas'?

Chapter 10: The Dot That Became a...

(105) What does the progression of 'dot' to 'boy' tell us about the role of exploring and meeting the people in the camp? What does this represent about how other Germans view the Jews?
(109) What effect does the boys both having the same birthday have?
(113-4) What do Bruno and Shmuel 'argue' about? What does Bruno decide to stop the argument?
(115) What does Bruno's last question reveal to Shmuel? What do you think Shmuel thinks of Bruno because of asking this question?

Chapter 7: How Mother Took Credit for Something She Hadn't Done

1. How is the mother's defence of Herr Roller entirely ironic?
2. What role does Kotler represent historically in the novel? (think beyond being a soldier)
3. What character is Kotler juxtaposed with in this chapter? What effect does it have on understanding each of these characters?
4. How would you compare the interaction Bruno has with Pavel to all the other interactions Bruno has had with adults?
5. Why is juxtaposition a key technique employed in Holocaust texts? How has it been used in The Boy in the Striped PJ's?

Chapter 6 - The Overpaid Maid

• On pg 60 Bruno reveals a radical shift in his perspective and understanding of Maria. What is this radical shift? What does this show is developing in Bruno?

• Compare how Bruno and Gretel treat Maria.
• (pg 65) What is Maria's advice to Bruno about 'keeping safe'? Why do you think that she gives this advice? Do you think that it is good or bad advice?
• (65-6) What is Bruno's reaction to his new thoughts/feelings? Why do you think that he reacts this way?

A Manly Handshake: An Illustrated Guide

A Manly Handshake: An Illustrated Guide:

Illustration by Ted Slampyak

Holocaust Poetry #2

Homeland
Lois E. Olena

It was Christmas eve
and there was no room in the inn,
the Oswiecim inn,
so the Arrow Cross
took the children,
barefooted
and in their nighties,
out to the Danube
and filled their little bellies
not with bread
but bullets
flipping them
like tiddlywinks
into the congealing, icy river below.

It was the Red Danube
that night,
choking on the blood
of orphan Jews
whose little Blue faces
floated downstream
touring even all of Europe
until they washed up
on the shores of Eretz Yisrael (Jewish homeland)
and came back to life,
their little blue and white
bodies
raised high,
flapping in the wind.
How is imagery used in this poem?
Discuss the effect of the simile in this poem.
How is alliteration used in the poem? What is the effect?
How does the author juxtapose the innocence of the children to the cruelty they experienced?
What is meant by 'touring all of Europe'?

Chapter 5: Out of Bounds at All Times No Exceptions

1. What does it say that we only actually meet the father in the book in Chapter 5 even though he is the one causing much of the action in the book?
2. the mother says: ‘We should have never let the Fury come to dinner. Some people and their determination to get ahead.’ What theme does this introduce regarding the role of ambition and causing harm?
3. How does Bruno's father speak to him? Give an example to support your answer.
4. How would you compare the way Bruno speaks about the world to his father's? Do they both comment about what is going on around them the same?
5. How does the father rationalise every concern that Bruno has?
6. What is ironic about what the father says when he comes around the desk and talks to Bruno about his childhood?
7. Do you think that the father really cares about Bruno? Why/why not?
8. Do you think that Bruno understands what he is saying when he says 'Heil Hitler!'?
9. How is juxtaposition used in Bruno's description of their boarding the train to Auschwitz?
10. What is Bruno's reason for not saying anything to the Jews on the crowded train? How is this a representation of the greater German population?

Holocaust Imagery - Hitler at a Nazi Rally

This is an image of a political rally in 1934, a staple of the Nazi regime. In your own blog post answer the questions below and include the image.

1. How are vectors used in this image? What effect does it have?
2. Describe the composition of the image and what is tells us about the Nazis and Hitler.
3. How is symmetry used? What effect does it have?
4. What effect does this picture being in black and white have?
5. Discuss the use of line in this image. What effect does it have?

Boy in the Striped PJ's Chapter 4

• (pg 31) How does the author continue to use juxtaposition in regards to the two housing situations? (the Jews and Bruno's family)
• What is it about the children that makes it difficult to understand exactly what they see through the window and just how bad it is?
• Summarise how Gretel describes what she sees.
• What does Gretel attempt to do when she sees the Concentration Camp? How does she attempt to understand what she sees?
• Is her attempt successful? Does she convince Bruno that she understands? What does she eventually give in to? What does she say/or not say? (pg 32)
• What can't the children do when they see the Concentration Camp that the adults seem to be able to do? Which group can understand what they see? Why do you think that this is the case?
• How does the author use understatement through the children's description of the Concentration Camp?

Responding to a Poem

Holocaust
by Barbara Sonek

We played, we laughed
we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our
parents and thrown into the fire.
We were nothing more than children.
We had a future. We were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. We had dreams, then we had no hope. We were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering, crying, starving, dying. Separated from the world to be no more. From the ashes, hear our plea. This atrocity to mankind can not happen again. Remember us, 
for we were the children whose dreams and lives were stolen away.




1. Construct a response to this poem using the same style and structure.


2. Be mindful of your perspective. Your poem should be from your perspective.


3. Utilise the same techniques employed by the authour.

Chapter 3: The Hopeless Case

1. Describe how Bruno and Gretel's relationship is introduced in the chapter.
2. List quotes that show how the new house is described.
3. It was very hollow and he decided that he better not go jumping around this house too often or it might collapse around their ears. What is the significance of this quote?
4. What is Bruno's reaction to the new house?
5. How does it compare to their old house?
6. How does Gretel relate to her father?
7. Does Bruno understand where they are? What makes you believe this?
8. Does Gretel understand where they are? Explain.
9. How is Bruno's description of 'Out-with' represent a motif? What is darkly ironic about this?
10. Read pgs 27-29. How are Bruno's and Gretel's reaction to 'the children' Bruno sees through the window different? What does this tell us about these two characters and their perception/understanding of where they are?

Holocaust Poetry

Read the poem and answer the question below. Include both the questions and the poem in your blog post.

Holocaust
by Barbara Sonek

We played, we laughed
we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our
parents and thrown into the fire.
We were nothing more than children.
We had a future. We were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. We had dreams, then we had no hope. We were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering, crying, starving, dying. Separated from the world to be no more. From the ashes, hear our plea. This atrocity to mankind can not happen again. Remember us, for we were the children whose dreams and lives were stolen away.

1. What is your initial reaction to this poem?
2. How does the author use 'we' in this poem?
3. What are the verbs used in the first sentence?
4. What are the verbs used in the second sentence? How do they contrast with those used in the first sentence?
5. What effect does the listing of 'lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers'? What is it meant to signify?
6. What simile is used in the poem and what effect does it have?
7. How has the poet represented herself in the last sentence?
8. If you could communicate to this person, a victim of the Holocaust, what would you want to say? What do you feel that you must do in your life as a response to this poem?

The Boy in the Striped PJ's - Chapter 2

• Using quotes, how is the new house described?

• How does it compare to the house in Berlin? How is this an example of juxtaposition?

• How is Bruno's reaction and discussion of the new house taken by the other characters? What is ironic about the way people treat Bruno's comments regarding the new house?

• Do you feel empathetic towards Bruno's new home? Why/why not?

Boy in Striped PJ's - Chapter 1

Bruno's Voice, introduction of characters, and victims

• Describe Bruno's voice. Give examples to support.

• What characters are introduced? Describe each and give examples to support.

• Who are presented as victims in this chapter and what are the victims of? Do you think that it is fair to consider them victims?

• Irony is an important element of the story. How is it used here in the first chapter? Give examples to support your answer.

• How is the setting presented in this chapter?

Auschwitz 65 Years Later

This is an image of Auschwitz taken 65 years after the closing of the camp. Take a moment to look at this photo and consider that approximately 1 million people were killed at this camp (that would be 1 out of every four people living in Sydney).

Key Visual Techniques

There are some powerful visual techniques being used in this photo. Take 5 minutes to point out at least 5 aspects of the photo which stand out to you and how they relate to the great anguish that was experienced at this site (create a post on your blog with the photo - don't try to copy and paste photo it won't work).

• Consider the use of vectors, line, contrast, composition, colour, and perspective (there are more techniques)
• How can the visual elements in the photo evoke empathy and reverence from a viewer?
• How is Auschwitz represented in this photo?
• Find another photo of Auschwitz that you feel has an important representation of this place that caused so much pain and destruction. Analyse the use of visual techniques which make it particularly engaging. How does it represent this location?