Sarah Stern
“The Boy In The Striped Pajamas:” Taking this film as a point of departure, what can feature films contribute to the understanding of the Holocaust? You can also discuss additional films as you see fit.
The Boy In the Striped Pajamas was an incredible kind of contribution to the memory of the Holocaust. It’s incredible because the perspective from the film is generated by the two small boys. Bruno, the rich and wealthy son of a high-ranking SS officer, and the other boy, a Jewish prisoner of the nearby extermination labor camp become friends while sitting on either side of an electric fence. Bruno applies all questioning of the world when he meets the Jewish boy, Shmuel. He does not understand why Shmuel cannot come out to play and does not understand why he is ‘wearing pajamas.’ His father is a master of evil and yet still plays the role of a committed family man. This perspective was so fascinating, as in the tragic end of the film, Bruno is mistakenly put to death with a large group of Jewish prisoners. As the audience member, it’s difficult because on the one hand- we may feel so sorry for the parents who have lost their child and could not save him in the knick of time, and on the other hand we have to remember Bruno is the son of a criminal. He is a leader in the annihilation of a human population, and should absolutely be given a dose of his own medicine. The dichotomy between the two kinds of people questioning the same punishment is eye opening. Children see the world so ambiguously when they are young, and as they develop into the world, their education and experience narrows their mind to the nearest dominant belief. Children had no voice or chance in the Holocaust, and that is the one of the biggest tragedies of the movie.
There are other films in which we see this kind of dual perspective that throws our own sense of guilt and responsibility into our experience watching it. The novel, “The Reader” was also converted into a film. Watching the film was shared by a wide range of viewers because it was released to a mass audience. From this perspective of seeing Hanna so vulnerable and sad for not being able to read is contrasted against her accusations of SS officer treatment. Responsibility over actions through the consequence of punishment is a major theme in both of these films. The Holocaust is something that should never be forgotten, and films like this allow for a greater range of input of the experience- something that everyone should be aware of.