What are some differences and similarities between Bruno and Shmuel?

In the book The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, the two protagonists, Bruno and Shmuel, have a number of similarities and differences. They are age-mates, as they were both born on April 15th, 1934. They are also both forced to move from their homes, which they had been fond of: Bruno, from Berlin to Auschwitz due to his father’s role with the Nazis, and Shmuel from his home in Poland to the concentration camp...

In the book The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, the two protagonists, Bruno and Shmuel, have a number of similarities and differences. They are age-mates, as they were both born on April 15th, 1934. They are also both forced to move from their homes, which they had been fond of: Bruno, from Berlin to Auschwitz due to his father’s role with the Nazis, and Shmuel from his home in Poland to the concentration camp in Auschwitz as a Jewish prisoner. Additionally, both boys were educated: Bruno had a private tutor named Herr Liszt and Shmuel was taught by his mother who was a teacher by profession.

In terms of differences, the first obvious one is the fact that Bruno was born in Germany and was therefore German while Shmuel was born in Poland to his Jewish parents. Whereas Bruno lived in opulence, in a house with food, resources, and servants, Shmuel languished in impoverished conditions at the concentration camp. Finally, Bruno was ignorant of the activities that took place in the concentration camp and only wondered why and how the emaciated, pajama-clad people ended up there. Shmuel, on the other hand, was fully aware of what was happening and experienced the deplorable conditions firsthand.