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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 spend her spare time doing in the weeks that pass in Chapter Seventeen: "Mother Gets Her Own Way"?

2. For how long does Bruno say he and Shmuel have been meeting and talking to one another in Chapter Eighteen: "Thinking Up the Final Adventure"?

3. What was Shmuel’s father’s profession prior to coming to Out-With?

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

5. On what day does Bruno tell Shmuel he is returning to Berlin in Chapter Eighteen: "Thinking Up the Final Adventure"?

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. How does Gretel’s character evolve in the narrative? What leads to the biggest changes in Gretel’s character?

3. How does Bruno’s father finally figure out what happened to Bruno in Chapter Twenty: "The Last Chapter"?

4. What does Bruno learn about Shmuel’s life on the other side of the fence in Chapter Twelve: "Shmuel Thinks of an Answer to Bruno's Question"?

5. What leads Bruno’s mother to demand leaving Out-With in Chapter Seventeen: "Mother Gets Her Own Way"?

6. What plans do Bruno and Shmuel make for their last day together in Chapter Eighteen: "Thinking Up the Final Adventure"?

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

8. What does Bruno offer to do in order to help Shmuel in Chapter Eighteen: "Thinking Up the Final Adventure"?

9. How has Bruno’s attitude and impressions of Out-With changed in Chapter Sixteen: "The Haircut"?

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Define “irony” and the different forms of irony used in literature. Discuss how author John Boyne makes extensive use of irony throughout The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. How does irony apply to Bruno’s perception of Out-With? How is dramatic irony used in the denouement of the story?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the character of Bruno’s grandmother in the novel. What are Bruno’s feelings about his grandmother? What are his fondest memories of this character? What caused the rift between Bruno’s grandmother and Bruno’s father?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the character of Pavel in the novel. How do you perceive Pavel’s life prior to the Nazi takeover? What was his profession? How old is Pavel? What do you think happens to Pavel at the end of the story?

(see the answer keys)

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