The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - Q10

'"That's the name of this house," explained Gretel. "Out-With."'
Out-With. Out with. Out with the people who had previously lived in the house? Or out with many more?
Making this word a pun temporarily disguises it as a silly mispronunciation, but in reality, it represents more. John Boyne uses this word to convey that it was out with the previous bad people (representing the Jewish people), and in with the good people (representing the Germans). In a way, this suggests that this happens everywhere, all the time, when people decide that it should be out with the people they dislike and in with themselves.
The "Fury" cannot be mistaken as anyone else, for of course it is Adolf Hitler, the Führer. Hitler's deep hatred against Jewish people is aptly represented as "fury".
Both words symbolise more than a nine-year-old boy's mistakes. They symbolise the terror that the two words represented, while veiled by innocent words. In addition, communicating these significant elements with normal words that weren't at all directly related to their real counterparts, Boyne keeps away from too much reality, and sticks to the fact that it was just a story. By using these words, he also implies that the camp of Auschwitz and the Führer were two things that had remained unknown to the world, until they were exposed for the horror that they stood for to its enemies.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - Q9

After Bruno's tragic and mysterious death, Father realised what had happened, and "found that his legs seemed to stop working right". Perhaps at that moment of realisation, Father then asked himself a question. A question that had only one person to blame.
"Why didn't I tell him?"
Why didn't Father tell Bruno? He probably thought that he was shielding him from unnecessary knowledge and unnecessary burden. However, if that had been the case, then it had backfired on him, for ignorance only fuelled the curiosity of Bruno, and led to the end of his story.
It may only be a story, and that could be why we will probably never know.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - Q7

The unhappiness of Bruno's mother is communicated in many ways throughout the novel. Even at the very beginning, she told Bruno that "some people make the decisions for all of us", indicating her sadness at having to move to a place like Out-With because of Father's work. Later, she remarked, "Some people and their determination to get ahead", implying that she was angry with Father's ambitions forcing them to do whatever work dictated him to do. Furthermore, Mother was obviously fond of the house in Berlin, and did not want to relocate to a place that she must have known was filled with death and despair.

When Mother says, "We don't have the luxury of thinking", she is implying that no one has the luxury of thinking, and that thinking itself is defying Father, and by extension, Hitler. Due to this, Mother is unable to displease Father too much, and only has influence over the rest of the family.

However, Bruno's mother did find a little bit of happiness in her affair with Lieutenant Kotler, which Bruno described as him "whispering alone in rooms with Mother". This affair was also evidenced by her annoyance with Gretel when she touched Lieutenant Kotler's arm at dinner, which made Mother "stare at her and narrow her eyes", as well as her obvious familiarity with the young man, calling him "Kurt" and "precious".
As their relationship went further and further, Mother neglected to keep their affair secret. In one of Bruno's encounters with Kotler, she claimed that she needed "a private word with Lieutenant Kotler" after almost giving away the act of 'friendship' between the two.

Unfortunately for Mother, the lieutenant was transferred away from Out-With, causing "a lot of shouting between Father and Mother". This could have been because Kotler's family background was not satisfactory for Father, or that the affair had been exposed.
In short, the relationship between the two was probably a result of Mother's anger at Father's Commandant rank, and Lieutenant Kotler seizing the chance at entertainment at Out-With. Nevertheless, Mother's actions prior to the affair suggest that it was mostly due to Father's career choices.

Contrary to Mother's veiled dissatisfaction, Bruno's grandmother openly attacks the idea of Father's involvement in the military. Although the rest of the family approves of Father's position, and even admires him for it, Grandmother argues that all soldiers were interested in was "dressing up and doing the terrible, terrible things [Father does]". This courage to speak up symbolises those who could see that what Hitler was doing was ultimately wrong.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - Q6

"They're not people at all, Bruno."
Then what are they? This is obviously one of the questions that spurs Bruno on to explore, discover and find out about Out-With. Father's avoidance of the subject makes it worse, while Gretel's later explanation only reassures Bruno of "facts" that had been confusing in the first place. Even having the answer doesn't satisfy Bruno completely, and definitely does not deter him from continuing his secret meetings with Shmuel. This curiosity is what ultimately brings an end to Bruno's short life.
The worst of this attitude is that if "they" are not people, then what could they be? No more than dumb beasts, that's what. That is what is implied by John Boyne, but Bruno does not read the underlying meaning in his father's words. As far as Father is concerned, the Jews are worth less than nothing. A Jew's life is incomparable to a Nazi's life. This disregard to human lives is horrible, because no one wants to be thought of as worthless. However, Adolf Hitler and many Nazis simply didn't care, and tortured and killed Jews freely just because they believed that they were superior to them.
We are all people. We are all worth something. If that had been the attitude of those who persecuted others, maybe the suffering of millions of people would have been averted.

Noughts and Crosses - final week

There are many highs and lows in Noughts and Crosses in regards to feelings. The numerous deaths and murders force the characters to go on a "low". Lynette's suicide creates a barrier within the McGregor family, and puts Meggie, Jude and Ryan, and Callum on different sides. Ryan's death (or "murder", as Callum refers to it) gives the characters even more sadness to deal with.
However, the joyful events, such as Callum and Sephy's reunion, make them feel as if they are on a huge high. The times when they are able to confess their love for each other are truly the high points of the story, as Malorie Blackman communicates their feelings for each other in an amazing way.


I honestly think that any changes I could make to Noughts and Crosses would make it less interesting, rather than more interesting. Malorie Blackman's style of writing is incredibly intriguing, and the way that she set out the plot was amazing.


If there were to be a sequel (not counting the one already released) after Noughts and Crosses, I think that these things would happen:

• Jude forces Callie Rose to become part of the L.M.
• Sephy dies in an attempt to stop her daughter from committing a crime.
• Jasmine Hadley reveals the truth about her husband, but no one believes her.
• Kamal Hadley becomes President, speaking out against the L.M.'s activities to boost his popularity.
• Jude becomes "The General" of the L.M.
• Callie Rose decides to take revenge on the Crosses with Jude's help.

Five interesting words for this week:
1. Impromptu - pg. 353
Unplanned, without preparation.
2. Magnanimous - pg. 361
Noble, generous.
3. Ostentation - pg. 373
A showy display intended to impress people.
4. Speculation - pg. 411
Opinions formed without any knowledge.
5. Coerce - pg. 427
To compel by using threats or force.

Noughts and Crosses - Week 3

The main themes that are presented in Noughts and Crosses are racism and forbidden love.
Racism in the world of Noughts and Crosses is made apparent by the black and white of the cover and descriptions of Crosses' antagonism towards Noughts. However, instead of writing about white-against-black racism, Malorie Blackman chose to reverse the usual positions so that black ruled over white. This unusual situation helps to further develop the theme of racism, forcing the reader to think harder to become used to that kind of racism. The Crosses' actions towards the Noughts are expected by the Noughts, and though they know that they do not deserve it, most never fight back.

Forbidden love is explored by the Romeo and Juliet kind of relationship between Callum and Sephy. Similar to Romeo and Juliet, Sephy and Callum's familes are wary of the other's family and race, displaying more prejudice. The two also are desperate to be together, but other conflicts come between them, such as harassment at school, deaths of family members and a harmful crime being commited.

Five interesting words:
1. Subpoena - pg. 265
A writ commanding someone to appear in court.
2. Corroborate - pg. 279
To give supporting evidence.
3. Dignitary - pg. 291
A person of high rank or position.
4. Reprieve - pg. 315
Postponement of a punishment.
5. Dogsbody - pg. 325
Someone who does menial tasks.

Noughts and Crosses - Week 2

The character Callum McGregor is one of my favourite characters. Callum has dreams of being something important to the world and making a difference, but is held back by the limitations on Noughts that have been set by both Noughts and Crosses. I can't really relate to him, as I probably won't be in that kind of serious situation in my whole life. However, I think that what motivates Callum to do things the way he does is his determination to find a way to be with Sephy and make her happy. Even when he turned Sephy away at school, it was to protect her from others who would persecute her for associating with Noughts in a friendly way. Also, Lynette's suicide made him swear to live and never give up on life.

Five interesting words:
1. Scepticism - pg. 141
Disbelief of claims of ultimate knowledge.
2. Patronizing - pg.155
Condescending in an offensive way.
3. Audacity - pg.177
Aggressive boldness or daring.
4. Ineffectual - pg. 177
Not able to produce intended results.
5. Cretin - pg. 203
An idiot.