EMILY- With all of the information and opinion shared today, I think that this particular question will have many facts and different opinions. The question is; do you think over-protecting our youth is a positive or negative thing? I read these question before the show and started thinking of what I could say and I believe that over protecting our youth was a positive thing. How do you feel about this topic, Susan?

 

Eliza- Well, as a mother I keep a lot of sensitive information from my two boys, so my children can relate to Bruno and how his parents kept the holocaust a secret from him. In my opinion over-protecting our youth is a positive thing to do, otherwise children will be mentally scarred. Certain information should not be shared with young children, as they will not understand the importance or danger behind what we tell them. This then leads to confusion and it can tempt them to do things they thought where right but are wrong, it just becomes a messy situation, as they can’t wrap their mind around what they have done wrong. 

 

EMILY- I understand your opinion on this topic, Susan; however, children at a young age can’t fully understand scary experiences and life problems. Sophia stated that younger children can’t fully understand issues in society.  Does anyone in the audience have any younger siblings that don’t watch the news? The news is a broadcast that the world can see, its issues that effects many lives. By children not watching it is putting them is a position of not understanding why or how we can change our society. I am not saying that parents are purposely hiding issues from their children but, children don’t want to watch the news. Relating to novel, Bruno walked straight into the campsite because he didn’t understand what the camp itself was. By his parents not telling him what was happening, he walked into a trap because of the ignorance and innocence. 

 

 

 

 

Emily: Good morning, I’m your host; Charlotte Watson. Today we will be discussing how the novel ‘The boy in the striped pyjamas’ by John Boyne supports the ideas about young peoples’ roles in changing and making history. Joining me today, we have Eleanor Joseph; a survivor of the holocaust, Susan Brown; a parent of two 9-year-old boys and Sophia Thomas; a social worker. Supporting the novel, we have the most common questions that have been asked by the public. The first question is ‘what views of young people are portrayed in the novel?’. Sophia, what opinions do you have on this topic? 

                                                                                                         

JEN- Thank you, Charlotte. Well my opinion of the novel “The boy in the stripped pyjamas” portrays the concept of young people being innocent and naïve. As a social worker, I have had experience with many young people, most of these children have been through unimaginable experiences, but the scariest part is that they don’t fully understand what is happening and why it is happening. 

 

ELIZA- Yes I agree with Sophia. As I am parent of two boys, I see my children as innocent and naïve. They are young and haven't lived through problematic situations. Bruno can be a representation of my kids because of the way they act as typical 9-year-old boys. I mean this by, how they want to play outside and run around inside all of the time. As 9-year-old, they don’t really understand the problems and discrimination in our society, today. This relates to Bruno because at the start of the novel, Bruno could never understand why the ‘farmers’ were kept on one side of the fence and why his parents never told him about it. We can tell this the conversation that Bruno and Gretel had in chapter 4 by what Gretel said “I don’t understand,” “Who would build such a nasty place” Bruno agreed “It is a nasty looking place” on page 32). 

 

BREE- Well, as a survivor of the holocaust I believe that I can relate to this novel because I actually went through a problematic experience that affected me for the rest of my life. I was scared, terrified and had no clue on what was really happening.  As a young child you would have the instinct to run back to your parents for safety, but after 1 blink, your safety is gone, you are on your own and in that moment, that was one of the moments I knew that I would never see them again. Bruno during this novel had the instinct that something bad was happening after going to look for his friend’s father but knew something was going wrong, which he then wanted to run back to his parents and his safe place. So we do get a sense of bravery through this novel from the young people but they are also naïve and innocent as they do not know what they are getting themselves into. When I was younger and in the camps, that was definitely what I thought and felt. “Who in the audience, has lost their parents in a shopping centre and can’t find them?” That panic that you felt in that situation is what I felt and more but, I never found them. I didn't have any idea on what was happening because I was a child and I didn't know that I was in a concentration camp; I don't think any child would, but you had to be brave and I can understand the views of the young people in this novel. 

 

EMILY – It is scary to know that Eleanor had to go through life changing experiences like losing both of her parents at such a young age. But, also how Sophia said that children don’t fully understand what or why these problems are occurring. Children in our society innocent, naïve and confused when these issues are happening. When children are faced with lose and have felt these emotions, as adults, you can’t prepare children for these problems making it’s hard to decide what is suitable to tell them. 

 

Jen- There are a lot of children that really can relate to Bruno and Eleonore and how they both portray the concepts of being innocent, naïve, stubborn, and scared. I think that many parents would agree that in certain situations their children have felt these emotions, as adults it’s hard to decide what is suitable to tell children, and how it can affect them if you do or don't. 

 

EMILY- The views of how young people are portrayed in the novel is innocence and naïve. Along with this it sends an important message to the reader that being that beneath it all, we are all the same. This message comes across because of the friendship between Shmuel and Bruno. The novel also has negative aspects of naivety and innocence. So, how Do you feel about this topic, Eleanor?

 

BREE- The negative aspects of naivety and innocence from this novel is that, kids and children don't know what they are getting themselves into. Parents may think it is a good thing and in some cases it is a good thing but in others, your children need to know. Protecting them for too long will hurt them and can cause issues in the long run when they don't know what to do when they get into bad situations. Now, in the novel; Bruno is not protected because he doesn't know about any of the issues that are happening around him and that is not a good thing. What do you think about this topic, Sophia?

 

JEN-  I agree Eleonore, in the novel innocence and naivety is a big part of the story. It is also a very negative part. Very young children don't have the ability to distinguish real life from stories, as in the novel Bruno didn't understand what he was getting himself into. Innocence is a very negative part of this novel because if Bruno had known the life consequences when he entered the other side of the fence he would have never gotten himself into the mess. What’s your opinion as a parent Susan? 

 

ELIZA- Well, as a parent i find it hard to decide what to tell my children in order for them to succeed in life. Unlike in the novel Bruno is sheltered and not told about the dangers of the "farm" and the people in there. If i was Bruno's parents in that situation i would have at least explained in a simple manner to him to stay from the "farm" as it is a dangerous place. To relate to what Sophia was saying, using stories in order to explain certain concepts is a good way to keep children out of trouble. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EMILY- This next question; it one of the most debatable questions and with all of the information and opinion shared today, I think that this particular question will have many facts and different opinions. The question is; do you think over-protecting our youth is a positive or negative thing? I read these question before the show and started thinking of what I could say and I believe that over protecting our youth was a positive thing. How do you feel about this topic, Susan?

 

Eliza- Well, as a mother I keep a lot of sensitive information from my two boys, so my children can relate to Bruno and how his parents kept the holocaust a secret from him. In my opinion over-protecting our youth is a positive thing to do, otherwise children will be mentally scarred. Certain information should not be shared with young children, as they will not understand the importance or danger behind what we tell them. This then leads to confusion and it can tempt them to do things they thought where right but are wrong, it just becomes a messy situation, as they can’t wrap their mind around what they have done wrong. 

 

EMILY- I understand your opinion on this topic, Susan; however, children at a young age can’t fully understand scary experiences and life problems. Sophia stated that younger children can’t fully understand issues in society.  Does anyone in the audience have any younger siblings that don’t watch the news? The news is a broadcast that the world can see, its issues that effects many lives. By children not watching it is putting them is a position of not understanding why or how we can change our society. I am not saying that parents are purposely hiding issues from their children but, children don’t want to watch the news. Relating to novel, Bruno walked straight into the campsite because he didn’t understand what the camp itself was. By his parents not telling him what was happening, he walked into a trap because of the ignorance and innocence. 

 

JEN- Yes, Charlotte I agree; this can be a very bias topic to discuss. Where I work we try to find censored and suitable ways for children to grasp the concepts and issues they need to know, so that they understand what is going on. Over-protecting our youth is a negative and positive thing. Most people won’t allow their young children to watch the news as the information displayed is very sensitive. I do agree with this, as the news shows a lot of sensitive information such as murders, drug dealing, robbery’s, etc. Although, children do need to know that these things do happen so that they can stay away from dangerous situations such as those. As Charlotte stated, Bruno walked straight into a trap because his parents didn't tell him the truth. In that situation over protecting children was a negative thing, if Bruno had known the danger of entering the other side of the fence he would have never gone. I guess as adults we need to pick and choose what we should tell our youth. What’s your opinion on this Eleonore, do you think knowing what was happening could have helped you when you were in those concertation camps?

 

BREE-  Again, like I said in the previous question, it can be both. There are benefits of not telling your children but then there are the negatives. Informing your children will help in the long run because you children will know what to do when; hopefully nothing like the holocaust will ever happen again, but if it does, they will know what they are doing if anything bad happens in future and why it is happening. Not only if anything bad happens but just for knowledge, so they make the future better and know not to let what happened in 1933 happen again. 

 

 

EMILY- Over time, children have become more social and have created relationships with family and friends. Through children’s participation, today’s society depends on a child’s opinion because of the culture and influences around them. Children mimic society’s influences for example; singers, actor, youtubers and any other sort of social media influencer. When children mimic these influencers, they get the confidence to speak out for what they believe and to be the best person they can be. However; some influencers can affect the child to become someone there not or to try something that was said in a song or shown or TV. Children in our society, voice their own opinion and play a part in making some decision but, the novel, Bruno doesn’t very speak his feelings or say any of his opinions. Sophia, what is your belief on the question; what is the role of young people in changing history?

 

JEN- Well, charlotte; I believe the role of young people in changing history has changed over the years; society is not as committed to the success of our young people as they used to be. As I look around me today, I see a society with a prevailing sense of uncertainty about the future. Although I think that children will have a massive impact on technology and social media in future years to come. In the novel, young people didn't have much of a say, and their opinions were not valid. Now children’s views have become an essential part of society as adults can take a child’s innocent perspective on how the world is changing around us. 

BREE- Well, I believe that roles of young people are to really make a difference in the future. Children can make an influence and have a voice, the young people are the innocence of our generation and people will listen to them. The younger generation is getting more and more educated through the years and they really will make a change to our lives. What views do you have as a parent, Susan?

 

ELIZA- Well, Eleanor; as a parent I believe that the roles of young people have changed over time. Children in our society voice their own opinions however, Bruno is known as a quiet boy because he isn't allowed to share his own feelings or opinions on any topic. They have a voice and are listened to, this means that the younger generation is becoming more and more involved with today’s society causing the world around us to change. 

EMILY: Thank you Susan, that is all the time we have left. Thank you to the audience for coming and listening to today’s talk about the holocaust and the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. But, a special thank you; for Susan Brown, Eleanor Joseph and Sophia Thomas for participating in today’s talk.