The story revolves around Bruno, a young boy whose father, Ralph, is a Nazi officer. The family moves to a new location near a concentration camp where Bruno befriends a boy named Shmul, a Jewish prisoner who wears striped pajamas. Despite the warnings from his family and the tutor, Bruno continues to secretly visit Shmul and learn about his life in the camp. Bruno's innocence and kindness lead him to help Shmul, but their friendship is ultimately doomed. In a tragic turn of events, Bruno decides to help Shmul find his missing father by digging a tunnel into the camp, but they are caught and sent to a gas chamber, where they meet a heartbreaking end.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Bruno lives in Berlin with his parents and sister Gretel.
2. Bruno's father, Ralph, is a military man who has been promoted.
3. The family has to move to another part of the country due to Ralph's promotion.
4. Bruno is unhappy about leaving his home and friends.
5. The family moves to a large brick house in the forest, surrounded by a high fence with soldiers and dogs.
6. Bruno sees people wearing striped pajamas behind the fence and thinks it's a farm.
7. Bruno's mother tells him that the people behind the fence are not to be visited.
8. Bruno meets a boy named Shmul, who is a prisoner in the camp.
9. Shmul tells Bruno that he is not allowed to leave the camp and that the prisoners are forced to work.
10. Bruno's tutor teaches him propaganda about the Nazis and the Jews.
11. Bruno's sister, Gretel, becomes brainwashed by the Nazi ideology.
12. Bruno's mother, Elsa, realizes that the prisoners are being burned in the crematorium.
13. Elsa becomes angry and argues with Ralph about the treatment of the prisoners.
14. Lieutenant Kettler beats Pavel, a Jewish prisoner, for accidentally knocking over his glass of wine.
15. Bruno's family hosts a gala reception, where they show a film about the camp.
16. The film shows the prisoners as happy and content, which contradicts what Bruno has seen.
17. Bruno becomes proud of his father for ensuring order and safety in the camp.
18. Lieutenant Kettler is sent to the front for not informing on his father.
19. Elsa dies in a bombing, and Ralph is devastated.
20. Elsa and Ralph have a row, and they decide to send the children to live with their aunt.
21. Bruno runs away to find Shmul and promises to help him search for his father.
22. Bruno and Shmul build a tunnel to get into the camp, but they are caught by the guards.
23. The guards take the prisoners, including Bruno and Shmul, to a gas chamber.
24. Bruno's mother searches for him and finds his clothes and tunnel.
25. Ralph realizes too late where his son is and finds the gas chamber, but it's too late, and everyone inside is dead.