"Lines may divide us, but hope will unite us."
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows.
— Opening Narration (quoting John Betjeman)
Context:
Displayed as a title card at the very beginning of the film.
Meaning:
Sets the stage for the film's exploration of sensory perception versus rational understanding, suggesting that children see the truth of the heart before the world forces 'logic' or 'ideology' upon them.
Those people... well, they're not really people at all, Bruno.
— Ralf (Father)
Context:
Ralf says this to Bruno when the boy asks who the people in the 'pajamas' are through his window.
Meaning:
Illustrates the dehumanization central to Nazi ideology, showing how the perpetrator justifies his actions by removing the 'human' status of the victims.
We're not supposed to be friends, you and me. We're meant to be enemies.
— Bruno
Context:
Bruno says this to Shmuel during one of their meetings at the fence after receiving lessons from his tutor.
Meaning:
Reflects the encroachment of propaganda into Bruno's mind, yet his subsequent actions prove that his inherent humanity still overrides the state-mandated hatred.