The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Chapter 19 Summary

How It All Goes Down

What Happened the Next Day

  • Bruno goes out for his last visit with Shmuel; Shmuel lifts up the fence and hands Bruno the pajamas and cap.
  • They walk toward camp and Bruno is surprised that nothing is what he thought it was—everyone is sad and skinny, plus there are soldiers everywhere.
  • They search for Shmuel's father without luck, and just when Bruno's about to leave, a group of soldiers surround them.
  • They march with a large crowd and are led to a long, warm, airtight room (it's a gas chamber, though the boys don't seem to know it).
  • Bruno takes Shmuel's hand and tells him he's his best friend.
  • The door closes and the room goes very dark. We can only assume that everyone is killed.