Boy in the striped pajamas 2. At age 12, Gretel is the proper age for membership in the League of Young Girls, a branch of Hitler Youth. Why do you think she is not a member, especially since her father is a high-ranking officer in Hitler's army?

3. At the end of chapter 3, Bruno confides to Gretel about the other children outside the window. Why do you think Gretel is uneasy to peer out of the bedroom window and see what Bruno describes as "the other children"? Use textual evidence from the text to support your answer.

4. Chapter 4 begins as Bruno and Gretel try to rationalize the stark contrast of their house to the landscape on the other side of the fence. As children, how do they attempt to explain the poor conditions on the opposite side?