How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"But they're my three best friends for life!" (1.41)
Typical kid move, bringing out the best friend card. Bruno tries using his three amigos as an excuse for not leaving Berlin, but neither his mother nor his father are sympathetic to his cause. Nice try, kiddo.
Quote #2
Bruno was sure that he had never seen a skinnier or sadder boy in his life but decided that he had better talk to him. (10.537)
We suppose that when you've been forced to move with your family to the middle of nowhere in a different country, and there are no signs of life anywhere, exceptions must be made. When considering the options Bruno has (Gretel or Kotler), the sad, skinny boy seems like a nice alternative to us!
Quote #3
"I don't mean I don't believe you. […]. Because my birthday is April the fifteenth too. And I was born in nineteen thirty-four." (10.568)
When Bruno discovers that the boy (Shmuel) is the same age as him and has the same birthday, he takes it as a sign of fast friendship. The odds of sharing a birthday with someone are pretty slim, and it helps break the ice between two kids who are separated by a wire fence.