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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 book is Bruno carrying that his father recently gave him in Chapter Fifteen: "Something He Shouldn't Have Done"?

2. To what does Shmuel tell Bruno, “That’s a question you never have to ask me” in Chapter Fifteen: "Something He Shouldn't Have Done"?

3. By what name does the Fury call the woman who accompanies him to dinner at Bruno’s house in Chapter Eleven: "The Fury"?

4. What symbol does Bruno describe on his father’s armband in Chapter Twelve: "Shmuel Thinks of an Answer to Bruno's Question"?

5. What happens when Bruno watches a dog on the other side of the fence in Chapter Fifteen: "Something He Shouldn't Have Done"?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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?

2. How would you characterize the denouement of the novel in Chapter Twenty: "The Last Chapter"?

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

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

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

6. What does Shmuel tell Bruno of his life before the camp in Chapter Twelve: "Shmuel Thinks of an Answer to Bruno's Question"?

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

8. What lead to Bruno’s “haircut” in Chapter Sixteen: "The Haircut"?

9. How is the weather described when Bruno goes to meet Shmuel in Chapter Nineteen: "What Happened the Next Day"?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Discuss Bruno’s impressions of Herr Lizst in the narrative. How old is Herr Liszt? Where does this character live in relation to Bruno’s home at Out-With? What subjects does Herr Liszt stress the importance of to Bruno?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the motif of Adolf Hitler’s anti-Semitic policies and racially motivated ideology in Nazi Germany as seen throughout The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. How are racism and anti-Semitism portrayed in the novel? What characters display these characteristics?

(see the answer keys)

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