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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Gretel do every day once she and her mother return to Berlin in Chapter Twenty: "The Last Chapter"?

2. What does Bruno dress in when he leaves to meet Shmuel in Chapter Nineteen: "What Happened the Next Day"?

3. What does Bruno take from the kitchen to give to Shmuel in the beginning of Chapter Thirteen: "The Bottle of Wine"?

4. What does Shmuel promise to bring to Bruno when they meet for the last time in Chapter Eighteen: "Thinking Up the Final Adventure"?

5. Who admits to missing Berlin first in Chapter Seventeen: "Mother Gets Her Own Way"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens as Bruno begins to get ready to leave the camp in Chapter Nineteen: "What Happened the Next Day"?

2. What leads to Lieutenant Kotler’s berating of Shmuel in Chapter Fifteen: "Something He Shouldn't Have Done"?

3. How does Bruno “let slip” about Shmuel to his sister in Chapter Fourteen: "Bruno Tells a Perfectly Reasonable Lie"? How does he cover up this revelation?

4. How does Bruno recall the evening that the Fury came to dinner in Chapter Eleven: "The Fury"?

5. How does Shmuel explain his absence when he finally sees Bruno in Chapter Eighteen: "Thinking Up the Final Adventure"?

6. What exchange takes place between Bruno and Lieutenant Kotler in Chapter Fifteen: "Something He Shouldn't Have Done"?

7. What instructions does Bruno’s father give to Bruno and his sister on the evening that the Fury comes to dinner in Chapter Eleven: "The Fury"?

8. What leads to the scary incident between Lieutenant Kotler and Pavel in Chapter Thirteen: "The Bottle of Wine"?

9. How does your opinion of Bruno’s father and his role at the camp change throughout the narrative? What is Bruno’s father’s objective?

10. What does Bruno learn about Pavel from Maria in Chapter Thirteen: "The Bottle of Wine"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the character of Lieutenant Kotler in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. How old is Kotler said to be? How is his appearance described? Why does Bruno dislike this character? Who in Bruno’s family shows admiration for Lieutenant Kotler? What happens to this character?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Bruno’s misinterpretation of certain words in the novel, such as “Out-With” in reference to Auschwitz, and “the Fury” in reference to “the Führer.” Why do you think the author chose to make these “misinterpretations” on Bruno’s part? Do you think the novel would be as effective if the correct terminology were used? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the character of Bruno’s mother in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Approximately how old do you think Bruno’s mother is? How is her appearance described? What are Bruno’s mother’s actions, objectives, and obstacles seen in the story?

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