Saturday, July 4, 2015

What is a quote from The Boy in the Striped Pajamas that shows courage?

The best example of a quote that shows courage would be what Bruno says to Shmuel amidst the horror of the gas chamber.


As Bruno and Shmuel are looking for Shmuel's father, they are caught up in the wave of people being taken to the gas chamber. The emotional mood of this section is frightening and horrifying.  Yet, as the boys are being moved by the throng of people into the gas chamber, Bruno tells...

The best example of a quote that shows courage would be what Bruno says to Shmuel amidst the horror of the gas chamber.


As Bruno and Shmuel are looking for Shmuel's father, they are caught up in the wave of people being taken to the gas chamber. The emotional mood of this section is frightening and horrifying.  Yet, as the boys are being moved by the throng of people into the gas chamber, Bruno tells Shmuel, "You’re my best friend, Shmuel...My best friend for life.”  This quote shows courage for a couple of reasons.  The first is that it affirms the light of friendship in the darkest of situations. Literally and figuratively, the world in which Bruno and Shmuel find themselves seeks to suffocate all life. Yet, amidst such challenging conditions, Bruno's affirmation of his friendship with Shmuel shows incredible courage.  Boyne's narration highlights this courage:  “And then the room went very dark and somehow, despite the chaos that followed, Bruno found that he was still holding Shmuel's hand in his own and nothing in the world would have persuaded him to let it go.” The fact that Bruno would not release Shmuel's hand despite all that is around them is a reminder of his courage in circumstances that would test any person.  


It takes tremendous courage for a person not to take the form of the world around them.  The world around both boys is filled with chaos, uncertainty, fear, and death, yet Bruno repels this in his statement to Shmuel that no matter what happens, they will be best friends "for life." The way in which Bruno emphasizes this friendship to Shmuel shows great courage.

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