The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Chapters 11
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Chapters 11 & 12 Two Journeys, One Destination
Learning objectives In this lesson we will: • explore the author’s use of language and word choice. • employ the skill of close-reading to examine an extract.
Chapter 11 • Try to come up with at least ten words to describe the impression you are given of the Fury in Chapter 11. • Use a thesaurus to help to select five effective adjectives.
These journeys have the same destination. Why are they different? Choose one word that best fits each journey.
Chapter 12 • In this chapter, we read about how Bruno and Shmuel are getting to know one another. • We learn about Shmuel’s journey to ‘Out-With’ and how Bruno doesn’t quite believe him. One reason for his doubt was that Shmuel’s experience was so very different than his own pleasant journey to Poland. • We will compare and contrast the two journeys.
Extracts On the next slide, you are provided with two extracts: Shmuel’s journey from chapter 12 and Bruno’s journey from chapter 5. Read the extracts again. Make a note of any words or phrases that the writer uses to help to convey a particular feeling.
Bruno The official car with the flags on the front had taken them to the train station, where there were two tracks separated by a wide platform, and on either side a train stood waiting for the passengers to board. Because there were so many soldiers marching about on the other side, not to mention the fact that there was a long hut belonging to the signalman separating the tracks, Bruno could only make out the crowds of people for a few moments before he and his family boarded a very comfortable train with very few people on it and plenty of empty seats and fresh air when the windows were pulled down. If the trains had been going in different directions, he thought, it wouldn’t have seemed so odd, but they weren’t; they were both pointed eastwards. For a moment he considered running across the platform to tell the people about the empty seats in his carriage, but he decided not to as something told him that if it didn’t make Mother angry, it would probably make Gretel furious, and that would be worse still. (Bruno) Shmuel “Then one day the soldiers all came with huge trucks, ’ continued Shmuel, who didn’t seem all that interested in Gretel. ‘And everyone was told to leave the houses. Lots of people didn’t want to and they hid wherever they could find a place but in the end I think they caught everyone. And the trucks took us to a train and the train. . . ’ He hesitated for a moment and bit his lip. . ‘The train was horrible, ’ said Shmuel. ‘There were too many of us in the carriages for one thing. And there was no air to breathe. And it smelled awful. ’. . . ‘We weren’t able to get out of our carriage. . . there weren’t any doors, ’ insisted Shmuel. ‘When the train finally stopped, ’ continued Shmuel, ‘we were in a very cold place and we all had to walk here. ’ ‘And Mama was taken away from us. ’ (Shmuel)
Bruno The official car with the flags on the front had taken them to the train station, where there were two tracks separated by a wide platform, and on either side a train stood waiting for the passengers to board. Because there were so many soldiers marching about on the other side, not to mention the fact that there was a long hut belonging to the signalman separating the tracks, Bruno could only make out the crowds of people for a few moments before he and his family boarded a very comfortable train with very few people on it and plenty of empty seats and fresh air when the windows were pulled down. If the trains had been going in different directions, he thought, it wouldn’t have seemed so odd, but they weren’t; they were both pointed eastwards. For a moment he considered running across the platform to tell the people about the empty seats in his carriage, but he decided not to as something told him that if it didn’t make Mother angry, it would probably make Gretel furious, and that would be worse still. (Bruno)
Shmuel “Then one day the soldiers all came with huge trucks, ’ continued Shmuel, who didn’t seem all that interested in Gretel. ‘And everyone was told to leave the houses. Lots of people didn’t want to and they hid wherever they could find a place but in the end I think they caught everyone. And the trucks took us to a train and the train. . . ’ He hesitated for a moment and bit his lip. . ‘The train was horrible, ’ said Shmuel. ‘There were too many of us in the carriages for one thing. And there was no air to breathe. And it smelled awful. ’. . . ‘We weren’t able to get out of our carriage. . . there weren’t any doors, ’ insisted Shmuel. ‘When the train finally stopped, ’ continued Shmuel, ‘we were in a very cold place and we all had to walk here. ’ ‘And Mama was taken away from us. ’ (Shmuel)
Question: How does the author use language to present the journeys of both boys and to create an impression on the reader? • Try to use the PQA structure. e. g. When the writer mentions the ‘official car with flags on it’, this suggests that. . . making us feel. . . • Aim to write two paragraphs about each journey. • Compare how he creates a positive and luxurious atmosphere in Bruno’s journey with the negative and frightening journey of Schmuel. Use comparative connectives like: • • Contrastingly In contrast However This is different because. . .
Extension Re-read Chapter 12 (from ‘And then one day things started to change’ to ‘made him very sad’). Imagine you are Shmuel. Write a short diary entry for the day you first had to wear the armband.
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