The Holocaust, by nature, is not a topic to be taken lightly in schools. The Georgia Standards of Excellence for the middle level dictate that the Holocaust be addressed in grades 6 (SS6H7, b.) and 8 (SS8H9, c.) ("Social Studies 6-8."), and although this seems to be a heavy topic for such a young age, there is a lot that can be done with a unit centered around the Holocaust thematically. Literature can serve as a valuable tool for gaining insight into a world and time that is so different from our own, and Holocaust literature seems to do a particularly good job of this. Although much of this literature is considered historical fiction, it often provides a humbling in introspective look into the thoughts and sentiments of the time. Two pieces…show more content… Merely roaming around his home and speaking to Shmuel would be brave of him if he recognized the implications of doing so. The best example of unintentional bravery on Bruno’s part is when he voluntarily crosses the fence to help Shmuel look for his father. Even though Bruno did not understand the purpose of the fence, and sees the opportunity as an adventure, it required bravery because he knew his father disapproved of the people on Shmuel’s side of the fence. This disapproval becomes clear when Bruno’s asks his father about the people he can see from his window, and his father replies by saying, “those people… well, they’re not people at all, Bruno.” (Boyne…show more content… In Bruno’s case, he is blissfully unaware of the horrors occurring not far from his own back door, largely due to his parents keeping him uninformed. This can be seen countless times throughout the novel, and most notably when he is speaking to his friend, Shmuel. During their conversations Bruno often finds himself envious of Shmuel because he perceives him as having advantages, such as having many “friends" on his side of the fence (Boyne 110). This envy is, of course, horrible misguided, but Bruno remains completely ignorant of this fact throughout the entirety of the novel. Bruno’s lack of insight to the situation around him also shows through in small details such as him calling his new home “Out-with”, which is clearly the concentration camp Auschwitz, a detail that anyone with an understanding of the novels historical context would be able to recognize. Although often times frustrating, Bruno’s ignorance can prove to be useful for discussion on how many people were unaware of the horrors occurring in the camps during this
