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Definition of Tone
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical, and so on. For instance... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical... read full definition
Tone
Explanation and Analysis:
Throughout the book, the disconnect between Bruno’s lighthearted narration and the underlying darkness of what’s really happening give the reader a window into the horrific tragedies of the Nazi regime. The tone of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is always aligned with Bruno’s innocent and trusting perspective. The third-person narrative voice focuses on his childlike version of things, which creates a poignant contrast with the atrocities of the Holocaust unfolding in the background. The narrative voice shapes the reader’s experience of the story, showing them how a child might come to understand the events at Auschwitz.
Initially, the tone is lighthearted and curious, just as Bruno himself is. Bruno’s sheltered life has given him no reason to worry about the outside world. The reader sees this limited understanding through his playful observations and innocent misinterpretations. The most frequent of these is his belief that the house at “Out-With” is just another new home. This amplifies the growing undercurrent of unease and injustice starting to creep in for the reader, who might already recognize the tragic significance of clues Bruno can’t yet understand.
As the story progresses, the tone begins to shift subtly toward fear and a confused sense of injustice. Bruno’s growing curiosity about the camp and his deepening friendship with Shmuel lead him to ask questions that his father has no wish to answer. This tonal shift accompanies Bruno’s internal struggle as he begins to sense that something is profoundly wrong. Even if he cannot articulate or confront the problem, he begins to hate living at “Out-with.” The end of the novel, where Bruno is swept unknowingly into a crowd being herded to a gas chamber, is the peak of this painfully ironic lack of understanding of his world. Bruno’s death is only implied when it actually happens, because Bruno himself doesn’t know exactly what is going on. The novel ends with the aftermath of Bruno's death and the same third-person narrator describing what happens to Bruno's complicit parents. As if detached from the world since the loss of Bruno, the narrator ends by making a strange, semi-ironic declaration that events like the Holocaust couldn’t possibly recur "in this day and age."
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