The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: Fallacy 1 key example

Chapter 16
Explanation and Analysis—Because They're Jews:

Gretel and Bruno talk about why some people live on “the other side of the fence,” and Gretel tries to explain it to Bruno using the fallacious argument with which her Nazi teachers and parents provided her:

'And the Opposite live on this side of the fence and the Jews live on that.'

'That's right, Bruno.'

'Don't the Jews like the Opposite then?'

'No, it's us who don't like them, stupid.'

Bruno frowned. Gretel had been told time and time again that she wasn't allowed to call him stupid but still she persisted with it.

'Well, why don't we like them?' he asked.

'Because they're Jews,' said Gretel.