Question 1

Enders Game could be satirical if all the children fighting the war including Ender were babies. The battle-station would be more like a day care centre.  It would be full of drama like dirty nappies, hungry babies and babies fighting it off in the battle room over a dummy. The officers would have their hands full and Ender would still destroy the aliens but by being a curious, innocent baby pressing buttons on a toy.

Homer loses his job and gets a new one as a manager of a major plane company. He makes a complete mess of everything and is ignorant of the effect it has on the country’s air travel. He decides to put parts from other planes on one to make a supper plane, in doing so the other planes crash and cause a mass hold up. He gives all the air traffic control people a day off and all the planes end up in the wrong places and the runway turns into a huge traffic jam.

This episode is a parody of Qantas and is exaggerated. A major theme in this episode is failure and is a reflection of Qantas.

Lessons from my School Years by Ray Wing-Lun

1. There is a stark contrast created in the opening of this story between what the narrator had been doing before entering school and what will be expected at school? What is this contrast and what does it immediately create in the story?
Before he started school he played in the sand pit and kicked stones , this is contrasted with what he is expected to do in school which is sit on the bench and do what he's told.

2. The author continues this theme of contrast at the start of the story. How does he do this in his description of his experience of Sydney’s North Shore?
The contrast between his families clean and tidy fruit shop and the b hoack streets and hard brick houses.

3. What was the father’s background in business before he opened the fruit shop? What has helped him become successful?
When he came to Australia he had no business experience and now he is an experienced businessman who draws the customers in with his wide smile.

4. The narrator’s description of his father is complex. What makes the father a complex character?
He has a very wide array of interests and personalities.

5. (91) How does the author describe his role in doing ‘things that counted’?.
He defended himself against a bully, He made friends with people and they had play fights behind his parents shop.

6. What experience does the author have at school while keeping to himself? What does he learn from this experience?
A bully comes and bashes him, he defends himself and he knows he can look after himself.

7. How would you characterise the narrator’s tone in regards to the events that are occurring around him?
Tough

8. How does the narrator characterise the ways that one could ‘get the strap’ and ways that one could avoid it?
Any thing you did wrong you would get the strap, anything like walking to fast or getting a question wrong, and there wasn't much you could do to not get the strap.

9. What event evokes a racist speech to the class by the teacher?
The boy can't swim and his sisters write a note to ask him to be excused from the carnival.

10. What effect did the author’s experience with ‘Strap Happy Jack’ have on him?
It affects him greatly. He became very lonely and all that mattered to him became a bad dream.

11. What was the one advantage school provided the author?
He was able to cope better after the strapping experience and once he became popular in high school.

12. What did the author do at his school? What was his motivation for doing it? What did he feel was lacking at school?
He did every thing he could to try and please his mum who wanted him to become a doctor. He felt a lack of purpose was present at school.

13. What did the parents want their son to do at school? What did the author fear would happen by obeying his parents?
His parents wanted him to do really well and become a doctor. He didn't want to become a doctor, he didn't like the the sight of blood.

14. At school, what did the author learn about his own type of thinking and how to use it?
He decided to use his skills and he started a workshop. He learned how satisfying it was to care about what happens to other people.

The Early Settlers by Ken Chau

techniques: pun, alliteration, vulgar slang, ambiguous pronouns

The Early Settlers by Ken Chau

1. How does this title refer to two groups of ‘settlers’? Who are they?

The British and the Asians.

2. How is the first line of the poem successful at being ‘forceful’ regarding the Great-Grandfather’s presence in Australia?

It's very short and sharp. The Asians sort of just arrived with no warning.

3. What action are the ‘early settlers’ doing that gives them equally a strong presence?

They are already dug in in Australia, there's lots of them.

4. How is the intention of the Great-Grandfather juxtaposed to the beliefs of the ‘early settlers’?

He just wants to live there and farm, and the British are hostile.

5. What action does the Great-Grandfather do that ties him both to the ‘early settlers’ and to his own culture?
He calls them 'a fucking bastard' but in his own language.
6. How does this short poem highlight the irony of the hatred that immigrants experience when they come to a 'settled' land like Australia?
There hatred reflected back on to them by the Asian immigrants

Growing Up Asian in Australia: Intro + Pigs Questions

Introduction by Alice Pung

1. What were Asian-Australians referred to as when the author was growing up?

Power-Points

2. How does she interpret this title?

As Asians having 'electrifying brain power'. She thought it was because they were so smart and dweeby in a dynamic microsoft-magnate sort of way.

3. What did this title actually refer to? Did the author find this demeaning? Why/why not?

The title actually refereed to the fact that the Asian's face's looked like a power-point. She did not as she thought the power-points looked cute.

4. ‘All that untapped potential! All that electrifying brain power!’ What techniques are being employed by the author? How do they highlight her misunderstanding?

Imagery is used is used by the author as well as exaggeration to highlight her misunderstanding. Exaggerating how smart Asians are shows a bit of ignorance.

5. What did the teen author take away from teen fiction? What did she feel that she needed to do? Why? What does this say is essential to fitting in to a culture?

That she need plastic surgery. She felt she needed to read other books such as the John Marsden because they wrote about growing up.

6. Who are the authors that she turns to? Why?

John Marsden and Robert Cormier because they wrote with raw honesty and real felling about coming of age.

7. In the third paragraph how does the author use repetition. How does it highlight the focus of this book?

She repeats the word 'first'. It highlights that the book is the first of it's kind a book about growing up Asian in Australia that wasn't wrote by an outsider.

8. What metaphor does the author use to highlight the writers and the writing style in the third paragraph?

The writers are the tree who write from it's roots. She means, the writers write the true story and not the worst parts of it like other authors.

9. Why does the author use a quote in the 4^th paragraph? Wlihat does it say about her reaction to the stories in the book?

10. On page 2 the author talks about the themes that she loosely choose for the collection. What are they and why is it ironic that they show up in this book?

11. At the bottom of pg 3 on to page 4 the author says that sociologists have described Asians as the ‘model minority’. What is meant by this? What difficulties arise out of this label for young Asian-Australians?

12. What are the editor’s hopes for the collection of stories?

Pigs from Home by Hop Dac

1. How does the author start this story which is in direct contrast to the title of the story? What effect does this have on the reader and their expectations of the story?

The title gives the impression that pigs are good and welcomed, but the story starts off saying how horrible pigs are. It makes you confused.

2. What core Vietnamese value is instilled in the author?

That animals are kept at home to be eaten.

3. What is humorous about the mother’s ‘flair for natural medicine’ in regards to her personality?

She a hypochondriac.

4. How does the description of the killing of pigeons continue the style utilised in the introduction of the story?

It's normal to slaughter the animals that you keep and eat them.

5. What is the author’s opinion of pigs? Give two quotes to support your conclusion.

They are despicable and unworthy of a name. 'That miraculous, repugnant beast: The Pig' 'The nameless pigs.

6. In the paragraph on pgs 53-54, give two examples of alliteration employed by the author. 

'Bellies of babies' and 'prime position'

7. On pg 54 what simile is used to describe pigs? How does this simile work for the situation it is used?

'A pig is like the ocean.' It is a term that would be used a lot in Australia and shows that the character, although Asian is becoming more Australian, particularly when compared to the parents. 

8. What simile does the author use to describe her mother sunning herself? How does this relate to the core focus of the story?

'turning herself slowly like a rotisserie chicken.' She is a hypochondriac but when she suns her self she is literally burning her self like a chicken.

9. What does the author describe as ‘the divide between the old world and the new’? What do you think is meant by this statement?

Her grandmother offered her some of the slaughtered duck. She declined. this is the divide between her Asian ancestry and being Australian. She is loosing some of her Asian traditions and customs. An Australian wouldn't want a duck that had just been slaughtered in front of her. If she was in Asia she would have accepted it. It is a representation of changes that the different generations of immigrants  go through.

10. What is the author’s reaction to the slaughter of the pig at night? What statement does the author make about the neighbours which displays the way he feels about the whole experience? What is important about including this statement?

She is transfixed to the sight. She wonders if the girl next door who catches her bus had heard the commotion. This is an important statement because it employs that she is changing and finding that something that is normal for her family and culture is now distressing and she wants to fit in with the other Australian kids.

11. Why don’t the parents have pigs anymore? How does this relate to the description of the burial of the last pig they owned?

They have friends who have a pig farm and they get free pork every time they go there. They don't give a great deal about the pigs, their just food not pets.

12. How would you characterise the description of the mother’s treatment of the pig’s blood? Is it appetising?

It's sounds pretty disgusting.

13. What is ironic about the way the author has a popular Vietnamese dish? What is it about the way the author describes the experience of having pigs that makes it ironic?

The author despised the whole pig killing and the blood dishes. It's ironic because now she has it all the time.

14. How does this story relate to the title Pigs from Home?

It reminds the author of home when she has the Vietnamese dish. 

15. Why do you think this story is in the Battlers section of the book?

The author was having to deal with the pig killings of which the author felt, living in Australia, wasn't right.

why does it matter?

Read any story that we haven't read yet and write a review of the story and explain why it matters. Why should anyone care about the story/read it?

Hot and Spicy by Oliver Phommavanh

In this story the author gives an incite into the life of an Asian family who work and live in a Thai restaurant. Albert is a young boy going to an Australian school who is sick of his parents food every night. This is a contrast to Australian's diet as his school asks Albert if his parents can makes some of their Thai food for a special lunch. The Australian school children are interested in the foreign Thai food whereas Albert is sick of it and finds the canteen the best place because he can have pies and sausage rolls. 'The canteen is the best thing about school. It's got meat pies and sausage rolls and chicken burgers.' It is important to know about the different lifestyles we have because many of us are left in the dark about foreign people's private life. They live in the back of the restaurant which for many Asian families living in Australia back then would have been normal. Living in a restaurant, Albert and his siblings have to try all the new recipes and spices. Albert doesn't want the school canteen to have Thai food in it so he puts lots of some of his dad's hot curry paste in the food so when the teachers try it, it would be too hot to eat and they would not want the food in the canteen. Albert's parents are used to the hot food and Albert's dad encourages Albert to put in more. Coming from an Asian background he is used to eating hot, spicy food. Although some teachers found it too hot, they agreed that they liked it and that they wanted some more. 

This passage shows the contrasting lifestyles and diets that Australians and Asia have and is important to know because we are a multicultural country and we take foreign food like Thai food for granted, and we should have more knowledge about the immigrants who provide this exotic food.People like Albert find Australian food a treat because they eat their Thai food more often than us. The contrast of these two nationalities is not obvious in real life but this story is a good representation of the different lifestyles we share in the one country.

Chapter 14: Bruno Tells a Perfectly Reasonable Lie

 

(150-1) What information do we get that makes the reader start to feel that he is becoming less innocent and more ignorant?
He sees Shmuel with a black eye and he believes that there are bullies every where and not just in schools. Some of his innocence is gone. But losing some of his innonence you would think that he would become less ignorant but he has become for ignorant. he still asks why Shmuel couldn't come for a play on his side of the fence and see his house.(151-3) What is interesting about the weather and how does it relate to the overall emotion of this stage in the book?
It's raining heavely and the emotion of this in the book is quiet heavy too. Bruno's trying to comprehend all the things he seen, heard and relised in the past few chapters.

(153) What does Bruno accidentally say to Gretel?

He accidently tells her about Shmuel.
(154-5) Is Bruno able to consider Gretel's feelings? How do you know?

They are both children and Bruno can understand how Gretel must feel not having any friendsas he didn't have any untill he met shmuel.
(155) What is it that motivates Bruno not to tell Gretel the truth? How does this portray Bruno as being selfish?
He believes Shmuel his is friend and he doesn't wan ot share with gretel. He only thinks about him self. he hasn't thought about Shmuels feelings either.

(158) What is it that Bruno realises when he starts recounting what Shmuel tells him? Why do you think that this is when he finally starts to realise what Shmuel is experiencing?
How hurt Shmuel is and how upset he must feel about his grandfather being lost. He's understanding more and at the same time loosing his innocence.

(159) What is ironic and hypocritical about what Gretel tells Bruno regarding imaginary friends?

She says she's too old to have imaginary friends and should stop when She talks to her dolls all day.

Chapter 13: The Bottle of Wine

(134) How does the initial paragraph frame Bruno's state of mind?
That he'd given up hope of ever leaving out with

(136) What does the question Bruno asks Maria show about his development?
He's starting to grow up and mature and start to ask questions about life.

(137) What is important about Maria's reaction to Bruno's question?

It means that there is something about Pavel that we don't know about.

(138) Why does Bruno want to tell Shmuel about Pavel? What does this highlight about Bruno's understanding of what is going on?

He wants to tell him because Pavel is from Poland and lives on Shmuels side of the fence. Bruno's starting to understand the differences between the perople on either sides of the fence but still doesn't understand why they are there he thought Shmuel would surely no him as they bpoth came from Poland.


(140) What do the boys argue about? Who does Bruno defend? Who is right/wrong? Why?
The boys argue about what they want to become when they grow up. Shmuel want to work in a zoo because he likes animals and Bruno wants to be a soldier like his dad. Shmuel believes the soldiers are bad and Bruno disagrees with him. Bruno defends his father because he is his father and Shmuel told him that his father was bad, naturally he would defend his father. Shmuel is right though. Bruno only sees the emacualte outer shell of the german soldier. He doesn't see what soldiers actually do whereas Shmuel has experienced first hand what the soldiers do. Again Bruno's innonence is portrayed unlike Shmuel who lost his innonence when he came to the concentration camp.

(140) Shmuel says 'You don't know what it's like here.' and Bruno reacts by saying 'You don't have any sisters, do you?' He says this to avoid an answer to Shmuel. What does this show about Bruno's understanding of what is happening?
He's showing ignorance becuse he doesn't want to to about anything bad that his father does or what happens on the other side of the fence. It shows that he is starting to understand bits of it but not enough for him to fully comprehend.

(141) What connection do the boys have regarding Lt. Kotler?
Lt. Kotler is almost like a family friend for Bruno, someone who works for his father. Shmuel knows him too but as the person who obviously tortures and kills his people.

(142) What has changed in the the way Bruno sees Pavel?
He sees him diffirently now. When he looks at him now he wonders about his life before he became their waiter. He is no longer just the waiter. Bruno is humanising him more.

(143) What important words are used to describe the way the father eats and addresses Bruno? What makes them important? How do they relate to the scene and the father as a character?
He attacks his food but speaks very formally to Bruno. It represents the father and the commandant. The emaculate officer and the ambitous Nazi.

(145) We learn Lt. Kotler's first name - 'Kurt'. What is it about the sounds in his full name that are important? 'Kurt Kotler'
Kurt sounds like hurt. He might have been hurt in someway that could relate to his father.

(146-7) What do we learn about Kotler's father? What is Bruno's father's reaction/suggestion regarding Kotler's father leaving Germany for Switzerland?
That he had a very good career in a powerful country and decded to leave it at the time Hitler came to power. This makes Bruno's father very suspicious.

(148) What happens to break the tension at the dinner table? What does Kotler do and what are everyone's reactions? What does Bruno decide regarding disagreeing with anyone anymore after seeing what happens to Kotler? What does this relate to historically in regards to the Nazis?
Pavel is called over and he spills wine onto Kotler's lap. Kotler "gets angry" and proberly beats Pavel. Everyone sits there and doesn't stop him. Bruno realises that the wrong things said could get him or other people in trouble. This reflects back on Maria's warning earlier in the book about keeping his mouth shut and not sticking his head into trouble. This behaviour is how the Nazis acted, when miniscule things didn't go as planned they would react violently.

Holocaust Art: "It Takes But One" by Elizabeth Denholm and Alyssa Dziurlaj

What visual techniques are employed in this painting?

 

The contrast between the black facless people and the arm in the red background with the star of David. This is used to set two things apart or highlight their differences.

The two arms reaching out to each other are vector lines.

The Darkness could represent Nazi Germany and the black leaking down means the Nazi's influence and power seeping over the Jews like a plague of sickness. The two people are reaching out for each other but are unable to touch as the barrier of the contrasting Nazis and Jews between them is holding them back. 

How do these visual techniques highlight major thematic elements of holocaust art and literature?

It highlights the waek Jews and the powerful mighty Germans theme. It represents how the jews were powerless to do any thing and slowly like dripping paint all sucumbed to the darkness.

Holocaust Poetry #3: 'Daniel' by Laura Crist

How is juxtaposition used in this poem to highlight an important theme of Holocaust literature?
It Highlights how fragile life is and how quickly life changed. It highlights the brutality of the holocaust.
How is descriptive language used to enhance the reader's reaction to the poem?

The use of words like funny doggy and pretty rock strengthen the innocence of the child and Little, laughter is then strongly juxtaposed by sheared and stripped for the gas chamber. The poem fills your mind with the sweet innocent thoughts and then the sudden, harsh transition from innocence to death is so quick that you don't have enough time to make the change and you feel shocked and it highlights the brutality of the holocaust.

Daniel
	Laura Crist

And the child held her hand
A child tiny for almost eight,
Deep blue eyes that dominated his face,
When he explained new events to her,
     that funny doggy,
     that pretty rock,
And the freckles on his cheek,
No one saw a sunrise more perfect,
     to her,
She so vividly smells the fragrance of
     his hair,
     his ears,
     his breath in the morning
She vividly hears that little heartbeat,
     that was hers
     always hers,
     and the laughter,
     that raspy little laugh,
     when he caught her in a conundrum.
All this,
But this is merely the surface,
As she watches her little God sheared,
     and stripped,
For the gas chamber.

Chapter 12: Shmuel Thinks of an Answer to Bruno's Question

(126) How would you compare Shmuel's voice to Bruno's?
He seems a bit more sophisticated than Bruno. He also understands more than Bruno. He has lost his innocence.
(128-130) How would you describe the way that Bruno acts and reacts to Shmuel tell his story about coming to the camp?

He doesn't really react in anyway. He seems to miss the meaning behind the story and is more interested in the symbol Shmuel talks about than what happened to him.

(131) When Bruno and Shmuel talk about chocolate how is Bruno portrayed?

Bruno is portrayed as a greedy child.

(132) Do you think that Bruno understands the situation that Shmuel is in?

He has no idea the situation Shmuel is in he wonders whether he could come for dinner one night. He has no idea that Shmuel is a prisoner and can't come to his side of the fence.

(133) What is ironic about Bruno thinking 'the last think he wanted to do was be unkind to Shmuel'?

He has already been unking to Shmuel. Every day Shmuel sees bruno and listens to him talk about his life. He never brings him food and does not see that Shmuel is starving. he hasn't tried once to help Shmuel in any way. He has only used him as a means for a friend as he doesn't have any.

(133) What is ironic about the statement - 'Bruno was of the opinion that when it came to parents, and especially when it came to sisters, what they didn't know couldn't hurt them.'?

The jews didn't know what was going to happen when they got on the trains and it ended up killing them. It is also the opposite. His parents do know about Jews and the children don't.

Chapter 11: The Fury

(118) What does the mother's obsession with her 'list' represent? What does the list distract her from? What do you think about meeting Adolf Hitler?

It represents the importants of the dinner. The list distracts her from the kids. I think that the meeting with Hitler is of a very high importants.

(120) What is ironic when the father says 'The last thing we need is for either of you to start behaving like children.'?

It is ironic as they are children and they should behave like children and not like adults.
(121) How is juxtaposition used in the introduction of 'The Fury'?

The height differnece between Hitler and his wife. Eva is more a stereotypical German when compared to Hitler.
(122) How is the 'Fury's' behavior juxtaposed with everyone else'?

Every else is either cheerful or nervous but Hitler seems very cranky and sounds like he doesn't really want to be there.
(123) Is this a stereotypical representation of Hitler? Why/why not?

It is a stereotypical representation of Hitler he is very commanding and rude to people who are lesser than him. He has an air of confidence and authority.
(124) We are given a very abbreviated discussion between the mother and father. What are they talking about? What are their views on the topic? What effect does showing the parents conversation in this manner rather than the whole conversation?

They are talking about having to leave Berlin. They are obviously arguring as they have different views. The effect is that it leaves you guessing to what exactly hapened in the dinner with Hitler. It also is from Bruno's perspective so you get a feel to his innocence how he doesn't understand what going on.

Evaluating your Partner's Performance

Today in class we are going to listen to a discussion for 5-10 min on each chapter (11 + 12).

During the conversation you are to take notes on: Ross

- participation

Made valid points

answered 3 questions

- what questions/answers they ask

Hiltlers relationship with Eva, the Juxtaposition between the two.

Why does maria  look down when the fury comes to visit?


He asked:
Why is repeated that Bruno has an O shaped mouth when he is surprised?

What are the emotions he would feel at the time and the scale of things

It's because he lives in a war time, surrounded by things he doesn't understand.

- do they know what they are talking about

Yes with the question, why does maria  look down when the fury comes to visit? He replied well explaining that she was a lesser human and does not have the right to look at him.

Hitlers forced Eva to like him.

- overall what is your impression of their understanding of what is happening in the chapter

He has a good understanding

Give your partner an HONEST score out of 10 (10 being the best).

7.5/10

Chapters 11+12

What are the main themes of the novel so far?  

Innocence, cruelty, superiority - master race, .

 

What are the main techniques?

Juxtapostion, imagery, alliteration, similies, metaphors, steroetypes and most pronounced is irony.

Think of 5 important questions for each of these two chapters about how important motifs and themes play a role in each chapter.

 

What would chapter 12 be like if the theme superiority and master race wasn't there?

 

What makes Bruno want to keep coming back to see Shmuel?

 

What does it say about the theme, the stereotypical Nazi when Hitler's wife shows kindness to the children?

 

What does it say about Bruno's upbringing with such a strong innocene theme present when he's speaking to Shmuel?

 

If Hitler hadn't ordered them to move to out-with what do you think Bruno, as a person would of been like once he'd grown up?

 

Chapter 10: The Dot That Became a...

(105) What does the progression of 'dot' to 'boy' tell us about the role of exploring and meeting the people in the camp? What does this represent about how other Germans view the Jews? He starts to humanize the Jews. He realises that They are not just dots, objects in the distance but real people with feelings.
(109) What effect does the boys both having the same birthday have? They get a kind of connection.
(113-4) What do Bruno and Shmuel 'argue' about? What does Bruno decide to stop the argument? They argue that the place where they are from is nicer than the others. Bruno says we will have to agree to disagree. This is ironic as if Germany had agreed to disagree WW2 wouldn't of happened and the holocaust wouldn't have happened.
(115) What does Bruno's last question reveal to Shmuel? What do you think Shmuel thinks of Bruno because of asking this question? The innocence of Bruno. He realises that Bruno has no clue to what his country is doing. He thinks Bruno is kind of like him in the way they are both victims and they didn't do anything wrong.

Boy in the striped PJ's Chapter 7

1. How is the mother's defence of Herr Roller entirely ironic? He is defending a man who  fought and killed people when there are innocent Jews being killed just behind her house.
2. What role does Kotler represent historically in the novel? (think beyond being a soldier) How happy, innocent men were forced to war and suffered from it for the rest of there lives.
3. What character is Kotler juxtaposed with in this chapter? What effect does it have on understanding each of these characters? Kotlers childhood was  normal and happy without war whereas Bruno's is in the middle of a war and he forced away and unable to have fun and lead a normal child's life.
4. How would you compare the interaction Bruno has with Pavel to all the other interactions Bruno has had with adults?  He treats him as more of an equal, with adults he is very polite but with Pavel he speaks like he would to someone his age.
5. Why is juxtaposition a key technique employed in Holocaust texts? How has it been used in The Boy in the Striped PJ's?  It is always used in holocaust texts because there are the strong, mighty germans and the weak Jews. The Germans are strong and have control over the Jews but also over Bruno.

Chapter 6 - The Overpaid Maid

• On pg 60 Bruno reveals a radical shift in his perspective and understanding of Maria. What is this radical shift? What does this show is developing in Bruno? He suddenly realised that she is a real person with a real life and history. He had grown up with servants and he's now realising that they are real people and he developing compassion for them.

• Compare how Bruno and Gretel treat Maria. Gretel orders maria around like her father but Bruno is much kinder and polite to her.
• (pg 65) What is Maria's advice to Bruno about 'keeping safe'? Why do you think that she gives this advice? Do you think that it is good or bad advice? She tells him to do as his father tells him to and to be quiet and concentrate on his school work. She gives this advice because she is worried he might do something that could get him into a lot of trouble. I think it is good advice in a way as it keeps him safe but it is bad to just sit back and let the Nazis have their way and kill people.
• (65-6) What is Bruno's reaction to his new thoughts/feelings? Why do you think that he reacts this way? He feels akward and uncomfortable around Maria.

Holocaust Poetry #2

Homeland
Lois E. Olena

It was Christmas eve
and there was no room in the inn,
the Oswiecim inn,
so the Arrow Cross
took the children,
barefooted
and in their nighties,
out to the Danube
and filled their little bellies
not with bread
but bullets
flipping them
like tiddlywinks
into the congealing, icy river below.

It was the Red Danube
that night,
choking on the blood
of orphan Jews
whose little Blue faces
floated downstream
touring even all of Europe
until they washed up
on the shores of Eretz Yisrael (Jewish homeland)
and came back to life,
their little blue and white
bodies
raised high,
flapping in the wind.
How is imagery used in this poem? There is lots of adjectives and juxtapostion used to creaate vivid pictures in your mind. 
Discuss the effect of the simile in this poem. The similie tidlywinks makes you imagine the children as little insignificante things being flicked around for the fun of it.  
How is alliteration used in the poem? What is the effect? It draws your attention to the phrase for example 'but bullets' 
How does the author juxtapose the innocence of the children to the cruelty they experienced? The author uses words like little, nighties and bare footed to show the childrens innocence. And then words like blood, choked bullets juxtapose this. 
What is meant by 'touring all of Europe'? It happened all over Europe. 

Boy in the striped PJ's chapter 5

1. What does it say that we only actually meet the father in the book in Chapter 5 even though he is the one causing much of the action in the book? It makes you want to know more about the father because you don't know much about him yet he has been the controller of everything in the book so far, moving house, he's close to the fury. His actions have fueled Bruno's complications.
2. the mother says: ‘We should have never let the Fury come to dinner. Some people and their determination to get ahead.’ What theme does this introduce regarding the role of ambition and causing harm? How does Bruno's father speak to him? Give an example to support your answer. Lust for power and how it hurts the people close to you. "This is my work, important work." "I want to go home, said Bruno. He could feel tears welling up behind his eyes"
3. How would you compare the way Bruno speaks about the world to his father's? Do they both comment about what is going on around them the same? Bruno doesn't see the greater meaning behind things. He speaks of the world as if it is simple and if somethings not right then you can easily change it. "But when can we go back to Berlin?" 
4. How does the father rationalise every concern that Bruno has? He tries to change the meaning of things. "I want to go home" and his father replies with "Home is where the family is" so there for Berlin is no longer Bruno's home.
5. What is ironic about what the father says when he comes around the desk and talks to Bruno about his childhood? It ironic because he tells Bruno to do the right thing when he is killing innocent Jews.
6. Do you think that the father really cares about Bruno? Why/why not? He does care but is so caught up with Hitlers plans for him that he has forgotten how to care.
7. Do you think that Bruno understands what he is saying when he says 'Heil Hitler!'? No he has no idea he thinks it's a greeting.
8. How is juxtaposition used in Bruno's description of their boarding the train to Auschwitz? The germans get empty luxury carriages whereas the jews on the other side of the platform are over flowing and are the complete opposite of luxury.

Boy in the Striped PJ's Chapter 4

• (pg 31) How does the author continue to use juxtaposition in regards to the two housing situations? (the Jews and Bruno's family) The house has a garden full of life like a candle in a dark castle. The Jews home is more like the dark castle, it is barren with no greenery.
• What is it about the children that makes it difficult to understand exactly what they see through the window and just how bad it is? The children don't understand what it is and as it is in their perspective, we don't get the full story.
• Summarise how Gretel describes what she sees. She sees a nice, large, colourful garden followed by a horrible fence with a field containing none of the positive elements from the garden. Instead of greenery there is just sand.
• What does Gretel attempt to do when she sees the Concentration Camp? How does she attempt to understand what she sees? She attempts to say something but she can't find any words. She comes to the conclusion that it is the country side and that this must have be what it is like as they live in a city and have never known the country.
• Is her attempt successful? Does she convince Bruno that she understands? What does she eventually give in to? What does she say/or not say? (pg 32) No because she is trying to understand it herself. She eventually agrees that it isn't the country side and it's not something nice. She says it's not their holiday home.
• What can't the children do when they see the Concentration Camp that the adults seem to be able to do? Which group can understand what they see? Why do you think that this is the case? They can't look away and ignore it. 
• How does the author use understatement through the children's description of the Concentration Camp? Through the children's description.

Holocaust Imagery - Hitler at a Nazi Rally

This is an image of a political rally in 1934, a staple of the Nazi regime. In your own blog post answer the questions below and include the image.

1. How are vectors used in this image? What effect does it have? The flags are vector lines are leading up to Hitler. Hitler is the focal point as everything is pointing to Hitler and makes him more important then anyone else in the photo. The vector lines of the soldiers going off to the end of the photo gives a sense of endless power that Hitler has.
2. Describe the composition of the image and what is tells us about the Nazis and Hitler. Hitler is right in the center and everything is symmetrical. It shows a sense of order and precision.
3. How is symmetry used? What effect does it have? Everything is in line and Hitler is set in the middle with equal amounts of people on either sides of him
4. What effect does this picture being in black and white have? The difference in colour of Hitler and his soldiers and the white public show the contrast of power and hierarchy between the public and the soldiers. It shows the public looking up to the soldiers for salvation.
5. Discuss the use of line in this image. What effect does it have? Everything is very straight and precise. The precision is to show how powerful and adds to their master race beliefs. The lines are intimidating because there are so many people  leading up to the one man, Hitler.

Bruno's Voice, introduction of characters, and victims

• Describe Bruno's voice. Give examples to support.

He speaks very formally and politely. He already has a sense of innocence. 

‘Mother,’ he insisted. ‘What’s going on? Are we moving?

• What characters are introduced? Describe each and give examples to support.

Bruno. He is a polite boy who is introduced as the main character. At the start of the book he seems very Innocent.  ‘Mother,’ he insisted. ‘What’s going on? Are we moving?


Maria. She is the maid who is packing Bruno's bag. 'he was 
surprised to find Maria, the family’s maid – who always kept 
her head bowed and never looked up from the carpet – standing 
in his bedroom, pulling all his belongings out of the wardrobe 
and packing them in four large wooden crates, even the things 
he’d hidden at the back that belonged to him and were nobody’s 
else’s business.'


Bruno's mum is a tall women with long red hair. She is frustrated at the fact they have to move.  'She sighed and threw her hands in the air in frustration before marching back to the staircase' She is the parenting one. She tells Bruno to be polite. 'his mother had 
always told him that he was to treat Maria respectfully and not just imitate the way Father spoke to her.'


Bruno's dad. You don't hear much about him. His dad seems to be the strict one as Bruno's mum tells him to speak to Maria respectively unlike the way his father does. ‘You take your hands off my things.’ Bruno speaks this way to Maria instead of being polite, and you can see part of his father's method for speaking to the maid show


Lars the butler. Lars being there packing Bruno's mother


Gretel Bruno's sister

• Who are presented as victims in this chapter and what are the victims of? Do you think that it is fair to consider them victims?

The victim is Bruno. He is a victim as he is forced to move houses and start a new life. He has no say in the matter. His mother is also a victim for the same reason. Yes it is fair to consider them a victim as they have no power and no say in anything.

• Irony is an important element of the story. How is it used here in the first chapter? Give examples to support your answer.

Bruno calls Hitler the Fury. This is ironic as Fury is a better name than for Hitler than the Führer.

The whole chapter is layered with dramatic irony as we know more about what is happening than Bruno does. 

• How is the setting presented in this chapter?

The setting of this chapter is in Bruno's house. Everyone is uptight over leaving and through Bruno we feel his frustration and confusion as he doesn't know what is happening but there is some dramatic irony in this. We have some idea that his father is very high up in Hitlers circle and that they are moving near some thing important to Hitler's plan.