History Literature / TheBoyInTheStripedPyjamas

* UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust: Yes.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: The Auschwitz complex actually had two major camps - one extermination, one concentration/work [[note]] for processing the arrivals at the extermination camp and manning the I.G. Farben synthetic rubber & petroleum plants in the town. Both camps were built by the concentration camp workforce [[/note]]. There was only one series of experimental gassings (of Soviet POW) in the concentration camp, after which the test-chamber was re-purposed and all incoming prisoners were handled at the extermination camp.

''The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas'' is a book by John Boyne about a young boy of nine named Bruno, who loved to play with his friends and go to school, among other fun things to do in Germany in the 1940s. Yeah, ''[[WorldWarII those]]'' [[NaziGermany 1940s]]. That is, until his father's job forces his family to move to Poland, particularly to an odd camp called "[[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything Out With]]", which consists of a small house with an odd fence beside it. His older sister, Gretel, informs him that it will only be 'for the foreseeable future", which she figures to be about two weeks.

** The movie is not any better, as it has been modified such that [[spoiler:Bruno's parents do realize their son is missing and may be at the concentration camp. The father runs into the camp only to find that one of the gas chambers has already begun working. The mother finds Bruno's clothes outside the camp and completely breaks down in tears.]]

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler:Bruno's father is the commandant of a concentration camp; his own son is killed in its gas chambers.]]

* OddCouple: Bruno, the son of a Nazi, and Shmuel, a Jewish child at a concentration camp.

* YouMonster: When Bruno's mother finds out what's ''really'' going on at the concentration camp she starts having frequent fights with her husband (the SS commander of the camp in question), at one point stating that she married a monster whose own mother couldn't even love him.

* RealityIsUnrealistic: Some reviewers of the film and book expressed disbelief that Shmuel would still be alive at the camp, saying that Nazis would gas those who couldn't work first. While many tens of thousands were processed by the extermination camp, the concentration/work camp part of the complex really did keep some around. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boy_in_the_Striped_Pyjamas_(film)#Reception 600-700 boys around the ages of eight were registered to be alive at that part of the camp during 1944-45]].

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: The Auschwitz complex actually had two major camps - one extermination, and concentration [[note]] for processing the arrivals at the extermination camp and manning the I.G. Farben synthetic rubber & petroleum plants in the town. Both camps were built by the concentration camp workforce [[/note]]. There was only one series of experimental gassings (of Soviet POW) in the concentration camp, after which the test-chamber was re-purposed and all incoming prisoners were handled at the extermination camp.
** Some children were retained in the concentration/work camp at Auschwitz (see RealityIsUnrealistic below), but Shmuel would have been shot if he approached the fence.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: The presence of an eight-year-old child in Auschwitz is unlikely but at least marginally possible (see RealityIsUnrealistic below), but Shmuel absolutely would not have been able to stroll up to the fence for chats. The first time he tried it would have gotten him shot.
** Bruno not even knowing ''who Hitler was'' is implausible to say the least.

* RealityIsUnrealistic: Some reviewers of the film and book expressed disbelief that Shmuel would still be alive at the camp, given that Nazis would gas those who couldn't work first. However, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boy_in_the_Striped_Pyjamas_(film)#Reception statistics recovered from Auschwitz]] showed that up 600-700 boys around the ages of eight were registered to be alive at the camp during 1944-45.

!!Provides Examples Of:

** Ralf's mother herself. When her husband and daughter in law were proud of Ralf, Ralf's mother was horrified, questioning where she went wrong and pointing out the atrocities Ralf was participating in.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Bruno's father, an SS officer, obviously loves his son, [[spoiler: and he totally breaks up when he (Bruno) dies in the chamber gas.]]

* [[spoiler:TogetherInDeath: Bruno and Shmuel, though their relationship is platonic, not romantic.]]

* RetroactiveRecognition: Asa Butterfield's been in a lot of stuff since.

-->'''Bruno:''' It�s not fair, me being stuck over here all on my own while you�re in there playing with friends all day.

-->'''Bruno:''' Well, isn�t it part of a game � with your number?
-->'''Schmuel:''' It�s just my number.

''The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas'' is a book by John Boyne about a young boy of nine named Bruno, who loved to play with his friends and going to school, among other fun things to do in Germany in the 1940s. Yeah, ''[[WorldWarII those]]'' [[NaziGermany 1940s]]. That is, until his father's job forces his family to move to Poland, particularly to an odd camp called "[[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything Out With]]", which consists of a small house with an odd fence beside it. His older sister, Gretel, informs him that it will only be 'for the foreseeable future", which she figures to be about two weeks.

* AdultFear: Considering it's a WWII movie, ''fuck yes.''

-->'''Bruno:''' It’s not fair, me being stuck over here all on my own while you’re in there playing with friends all day.

-->'''Bruno:''' Well, isn’t it part of a game – with your number?
-->'''Schmuel:''' It’s just my number.

* AdultFear

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:The book ends with Shmuel and Bruno being gassed in the "showers" and dying. And then there's the epilogue, where Bruno's father somehow figures out what happened to his son. Who's been missing ''for the past year''. Considering this takes place at Auschwitz, it's somewhat [[JustifiedTrope justified]]. But still, [[TearJerker *sniff*]]]]

* TheFilmOfTheBook: Some slight changes but mostly true to the original work.

* RealityIsUnrealistic: Some reviewers of the film and book expressed disbelief that Shmuel would still be alive at the camp, given that Nazis would gass those who couldn't work first. However, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boy_in_the_Striped_Pyjamas_(film)#Reception statistics recovered from Auschwitz]] showed that up 600-700 boys around the ages of eight were registered to be alive at the camp during 1944-45.

* '''DownerEnding:''' [[spoiler:The book ends with Shmuel and Bruno being gassed in the "showers" and dying. And then there's the epilogue, where Bruno's father somehow figures out what happened to his son. Who's been missing ''for the past year''. Considering this takes place at Auschwitz, it's somewhat [[JustifiedTrope justified]]. But still, [[TearJerker *sniff*]]]]

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:The book ends with Shmuel and Bruno being gassed in the "showers" and dying. And then there's the epilogue, where Bruno's father somehow figures out what happened to his son. Who's been missing ''for the past year''. Considering this takes place at Auschwitz, it's somewhat [[JustifiedTrope justified]]. But still, [[TearJerker *sniff*]]]]

* InfantImmortality: [[spoiler: this movie proves just how far a subversion can go.]]