Comparing Characters: Bruno and Shmuel

Activity Overview

Drawing inferences and figuring out how one character relates to and plays off of another is a good exercise for students. Comparing and contrasting characters like Bruno and Shmuel enables the student to think about what the text says explicitly and allows them to draw local conclusions.

When comparing Bruno and Shmuel, students should see that Bruno is a very curious boy, yet he is utterly ignorant about the situation around him. Shmuel, though he may not realize that hundreds of detainees are being executed, is aware that he is seen as a third-class citizen - or even a “non-person” - and is very careful not to incite the anger of guards around the camp.

• Before reading, it is good to introduce your students to a list of characters.

• While reading, students should track their characters and fill in information about them. A great way to do this is to stop after each or chapter and ask them to fill in the new information they learned. If students run out of room on their worksheets, they can continue in their notebooks or on the back of the paper.

• After reading, have students compare the completed worksheets with a classmate, recording any information they may have missed. This makes for an excellent study guide or have students complete a writing assignment based on a character.

Have students attach their storyboard to a paper requiring in-depth explanation of an element throughout the novel, or couple this assignment with a presentation.

Template and Class Instructions

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