Stereotypes In 'The Boy In The Striped Pajamas'

A cautionary tale is a story that warns the reader that something dangerous is going to occur. The importance of reading cautionary tales is to warn us to be careful and pay close attention to signs of danger. Their purpose is to teach us to always be cautious. The three stories studied in class are all examples of cautionary tales. This can be viewed as Bruno’s lack of good parents in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, the keeping of secrets in Romeo and Juliet, and the consequences of using stereotypes in Chanda’s Secrets.
To begin, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas contained a variety of examples of life warnings. A main example is Bruno’s lack of good parents. Mother and Father were always too busy arguing or working that they rarely had time

This story about a family dealing with multiple misfortunes consisted of many signs of caution through the consequences of using stereotypes. The stigma and stereotypes were all towards HIV/AIDS. The disease was known throughout the neighbourhood as God’s curse. Everyone who had AIDS or was related to someone who had AIDS had to live in secrecy due to the constant judgement they would receive from neighbours if they knew. A large part of the population lived in fear because of the stereotypes which was a huge sign of danger. For example, when Chanda and Mrs. Tafa talk about Jonah’s sudden death they say, “Jonah threw himself down that well - or got thrown down that well - because he had AIDS...Don’t say that. If Jonah had the bug, folks’ll be saying your mama has it too...I bet they already do” (164). This quote demonstrates that the abundance of shame associated with HIV/AIDS can lead to a person’s downfall. Chanda believes that Jonah would end his own life to avoid the stigma and stereotypes. Mrs. Tafa also mentions how fast rumors can spread. Therefore, living in fear is dangerous because it can affect important life decisions and prevent people from getting the help they