The barbed wire fence is a physical separation between Bruno and Shmuel. What other types of separation does the fence represent in this story?

The fence in the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is symbolic of several different forms of separation. The fence can symbolize the difference in ethnicities, one being Jewish, the other being German. Jews were separated from Germans and forbidden from interacting with the general population under the Nazi regime. This separation is portrayed by the long fence around the Auschwitz concentration camp that confines the Jews inside the fence. The fence separates civil society from inhumane lawlessness. On Bruno's side, he is treated with compassion and lives in a relatively comfortable, safe environment. Shmuel lives in constant fear, where the Nazi guards are void of morality. Violence and intimidation are commonplace on the Jewish side of the fence, and hundreds of Jews are slaughtered at random times throughout the day. The fence can also symbolize a barrier between hope and doom. The Jews are doomed and live with the reality that they will more than likely die in the camp. On the other side of the fence, Bruno and his family members feel confident that they can impact their own future. This is evident by their decision to travel back to Berlin. The most obvious separation that the fence represents is that of freedom and oppression. The Jews are oppressed on their side of the fence and are forbidden to leave Auschwitz. They have no say or control over their daily lives. Unlike the prisoners, the Germans are free to travel and have the convenience of pursuing their own individual happiness.