The Fence

The fence which keeps the two worlds separate is so much more than just a physical barrier. It represents a lot of things. For example, the fence represents the racial barrier between the Jews and Bruno's family. This fence also represents the barrier between the privileged and the not so privileged. Bruno comes from a powerful family with money and leads a very privileged life. However, Scmhuel is in a concentration camp, gets beat often, and food is very scarce.

Summary

Young Bruno lives a priveleged lifestyle in Germany along with his mother, older sister, and army Commandant father. The family re-locates to the countryside where his father is assigned to be a commandeer in a prison camp. A few days later, Bruno befriends another child, strangely dressed in striped pajamas, named Shmuel who lives behind an electric fence. Bruno will soon find out that he is not permitted to befriend his new friend as he is a Jew, and that the neighboring yard is actually a prison camp for Jews.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0914798/plotsummary

The Characters

• Bruno; Bruno is the son of the army commander and he soon befriends an imprisoned Jew.
• Gretel; Gretel is Bruno's older sister who thinks she knows it all.
• Maria; Maria is the family's maid.
• Shmuel; Shmuel is the Jew who Bruno befriends, and Shmuel is also in the concentration camp that Bruno's dad owns.
• The Father; The Father is an army commander who is re-located to run this concentration camp. He is a Nazi and works for Hitler. The Father is also very strict with his children.
• The Mother; The mother is very indifferent and just goes along with what the Father says.

One major conflict with thee characters is that Bruno befriends Shmuel. Since Shmuel is a Jew, and Bruno's dad oversees the concentration camp, they are forbidden to be friends. However, they begin to be friends anyways. They become very close and Bruno soon discovers what is going on. Bruno begins to sneak him food and they continue to grow closer.

Bruno's Journal Entries

June 5, 1940
Dear Journal,
Hello, it's me again. So I just arrived at my new house and it is nothing like the one in Berlin. In our old house, I could see all of Berlin from my window, but now all I see is a fenced in area with many men add their sons. They all seem very depressed. I asked my older sister, Gretel. She said that this must be the country and those must be the farmers but even though she thinks she knows everything, I do not know how credible her stories are. There is not much of a backyard and there is only one bench. Our old life was perfect; we were wealthy and as happy as could be. Then, we had to move here for my dad's job. My daddy is very strict and he is an army commandant, but to be truthful, I do not know what he does for a living.
-Bruno

June 24, 1940
Dear Journal,
Today, I met this interesting boy named Shmuel. He was behind the barbwire fence and was wearing striped pajamas. He was very nice and I think we are becoming friends. However, my father would forbid me because he is a Jew, and I am not. Going against my better judgment, I decided to sneak him a piece of bread. No one has noticed yet, and I plan to keep it that way. Well, I hear my father coming. I'll talk to you later.
-Bruno

Shmuel's Journal Entries

June 5, 1940
Dear Journal,
A few days ago one of the offices was severely beaten by one of my uncles. He was killed. Today, a new family moved into the officer's old house. I assume that that is the new officer and his family. Great. They are probably all rich, stuck up, snotty people. The grass is green, the house is huge, and the people are white. I yearn for such a pretty place to live and play in. I have sand, barbwire fences, and officers that are constantly telling me what to do. However, it could be worse. I could be dead. Trust me, I have been threatened many times by the evil officers and once by Hitler himself.
-Shmuel

June 24, 1940
Dear Journal,
I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I met the officers son. All the preconceived notions I had come up with were all wrong. He was nice, gentle, and caring. We became friends and we secretly meet by the fence that separates us at least once a day. Today, he snuck me a loaf of bread. I hope that his father will never find out. He is forbidden to talk to me because I am a Jew, and we are considered below them. How stupid. If his dad found out we were friends, I would probably be killed and Bruno would be in a lot of trouble. Hopefully I can hang in there a little bit longer. Well, One of the officers is coming. I must go. Ill talk to you soon.
-Shmuel