The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Chapter 8 Summary

How It All Goes Down

Why Grandmother Stormed Out

  • Flashback to family Christmas the year before: Everyone congratulates Bruno's father on his new uniform and new position, except for his grandmother—she's ashamed of what he does, and storms out of the house, but not before letting her son know that seeing him in uniform makes her want to tear her eyes out. Harsh.
  • In the present, Bruno writes grandma a letter about how unhappy he is and everything he's seen on the other side of the fence. Based on her performance last Christmas, we're thinking she might actually agree with the kid about how terrible this all is.