The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Lesson 2
Lesson Objectives
• At the end of this lesson, students should be able
to:
▫ Understand the use of the term ‘writer’s purpose’
▫ Distinguish between a writer’s point of view and
that of the characters
▫ Use clues from the text to develop a picture of the
setting of the book
Writer’s Purpose

• What is the author trying to achieve...

Look at the words and phrases used by John

Boyne in the following quotes, considering why
he used these particular words and phrases.
Gretel has a few titles, such as ‘The Hopeless Case’ and
‘Trouble From Day One’ (page 21)

Why do you think John Boyne has Bruno call her this?
Gretel calls their new home ‘Out-With’ (page 24)

Why do you think John Boyne chooses to have Gretel call the place this? What does the
name suggest to you?
The author describes the house as ‘hollow’ and says ‘it might collapse around their ears’ on page 26.

What impression does this give of ‘Out-With’, and why do you think John Boyne uses this particular
description?
Reading between the lines and making
inferences

• Often, authors will hint at certain

things without actually saying it
outright.
• Using the extract provided,
identify words or phrases that
hint at danger.
What sort of impact does the final line of
the extract have?
Group Task

• With the person sitting next to you, make notes

on the second extract provided to you, showing
words and phrases that hint at danger and how
the author achieves this.
Development
• Using the sugar paper and markers provided,
create a ‘birds eye view’ of the house and camp
using information from the first few chapters of
the novel.
• You have ten minutes; the quality of your
drawing isn’t as important as sketching out your
ideas of the camp and where things are located.
• We will share our sketches, and later compare
them to an actual shot of the camp.
Plenary

PYJAMAS
Are there any negative connotations that we
associate with pyjamas?