Chapter 16

Since Bruno’s grandmother dies, the whole family goes to Berlin for the funeral and Father is particularly sad for the fact that before she died they had a big fight and never made it up or talk again. In Grandma’s honor the Fury sends some wreaths, but Mother mentions how, “Grandmother would turn in her grave if she knew it was there”, and that’s because in chapter 8 she mentions her dislike for Father’s job and for everything the Fury does to innocent people, referring to the Jews. While being away Bruno realizes how Out-With has become his home and how much has improve since the first time he arrived. For one thing, Lieutenant Kotler was transferred away. Secondly he loves having a friend called Shmuel, but starts thinking about how they’ve never played together and that leads Bruno to ask Gretel about the two sides of the fence and the reason it is in the first place. Gretel answers to his question, by saying the people on the other side of the fence are Jews and need to stay with the one of their own kind, and the ones in there side of the fence are the “Opposite”. Finally it is found that both siblings have lice in their hair, to what they need to be treated; Gretel hair is cured by a special shampoo and Bruno’s Father had to shave his hair completely. That’s when he realizes his resemblance to Shmuel, to what I believe might be a sign for trouble. Since Bruno just eager to play around with his only friend may decide to go to the other side, and since he is already alike Shmuel nobody may notice he is different than the other people with the striped pajamas.