Name: ___________________________________________________________________
Packet 4
Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Period: ____________
Reading Questions, Chapters 16-20
*Questions must be COMPLETELY answered in order to receive credit!*
Chapter 16 (Read and complete for _______________________)
1. At the beginning of this chapter, why did Bruno’s family have to return to Berlin? Why did this
make Bruno’s father especially sad?
2. What change in the household caused Bruno great happiness, but also caused his parents to shout
at each other?
3. Whom did Gretel say were on the other side of the fence? And who was on their side of the fence?
4. Describe what interrupted Bruno’s conversation with his sister.
5. What measures did Bruno’s father take to remedy this situation with Bruno?
Chapter 17 (Read and complete for _______________________)
1. Why did Mother become increasingly unhappy at Out-With?
2. What does the following statement tell the reader about Bruno’s mother: “he’d never known
anyone to need quite so many medicinal sherries” (pg. 188)?
3. What important news did Father tell Bruno about in Chapter 17?
4. Do you agree with Bruno when he claimed that he had only seen the children in the striped
pajamas, that he hadn’t actually been watching them? Is there a difference? Explain.
Chapter 18 (Read and complete for _______________________)
1. Why is Shmuel upset at the beginning of Chapter 18?
2. Describe Shmuel’s reaction to the news that Bruno would be returning to Berlin on Saturday.
3. What did the boys plan to do on Bruno’s last visit?
4. Why might such a plan be very dangerous?
5. The author of this book wrote in omniscient third person (all knowing, uses pronouns like “he,”
“she,” “they,” etc.) How would the story be different if it had been told in first person from Bruno’s
perspective? (USE OUR WORD WALL if you need help!)
Chapter 19 (Read and complete for _______________________)
1. What almost ruined Bruno’s plans for meeting Shmuel one last time?
2. What two things were difficult for Bruno when he changed into the striped pajamas?
3. Describe Bruno’s reaction when he found out what the camp was like.
4. Describe what happened to Bruno and Shmuel.
Chapter 20 (Read and complete for _______________________)
1. How did Bruno’s family react to his disappearance?
Gretel
Father
Mother
2. Describe your reaction to this novel’s dramatic ending. Did it leave you satisfied? Explain why or
why not.
3. What do you think was one of the author’s main reasons for writing such a novel – with such
dramatic, surprising conclusions? How does that relate to its genre?
This series of guided reading questions were modified from a novel study created by Nat Reed on TeachersPayTeachers.com .