Lies and Deceit Quotes in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"Just keep quiet about it, Bruno. Don't you know how much trouble you could cause? For all of us?" (6.342)

Maria's attitude toward Hitler, the Nazis, and everything going on at Auschwitz is feigned ignorance. She obviously knows the wrongs being committed, but prefers to stay silent rather than protest because Bruno's father helped her and her mother out. Does this make her silence justifiable, though? We'll let you sort this out for yourself.

Quote #5

"War is not a fit subject for conversation. I'm afraid we'll be spending too much time talking about it soon." (7.358)

Good one, Mom. In Bruno's household there is little to no talk about the war, unless it's done behind closed doors. Bruno hears his parents arguing about related issues, and Gretel studies the progress being made by Germany on her maps, but nobody ever sits down with Bruno to talk about war.

Quote #6

"Then this is what I am here to change […]. To get your head out of your storybooks and teach you more about where you come from. About the great wrongs that have been done to you." (9.508)

Thanks for nothing, teach. Herr Liszt claims that he'll teach Bruno all about the history of Germany and what's going on with the Jews, but Bruno stays very much in the dark. Either his teacher changed his mind, or Bruno is a really bad student.