"Childhood is measured out by sounds, smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows" - John Betjeman, British Poet (1906-1984)
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a fictional story that offers a unique perspective on how prejudice, hatred and violence affect innocent people, particularly children, during wartime. Through the eyes of an eight-year-old boy largely shielded from the reality of World War II, we witness a forbidden friendship that forms between Bruno, the son of Nazi commandant, and Schmuel, a Jewish boy held captive in a concentration camp. Though the two are separated physically by a barbed wire fence, their lives become inescapably intertwined. The imagined story of Bruno and Shmuel sheds light on the brutality, senselessness and devastating consequences of war from an unusual point of view. Together, their tragic journey helps recall the millions of innocent victims of the Holocaust.
While the film’s conclusion will certainly leave you in stunned silence, once you recover your composure, there will be a lot to talk about. You’ll find references about duty and human nature, good and evil and what a world without hope looks like. Take a chance, grab a friend and see "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". This movie is emotionally jarring and its implications are profound. However, after watching it you and your friend will no doubt want to go out, grab a cup of coffee and sit down for a real conversation about what really matters in life.
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