Boy in Striped Pyjamas and Rose Blanche essay

John Boyne represents the different perspectives of society in World War II through the representations of characters in the fictional novel The Boy in Striped Pyjamas. Bruno’s childlike perspective is represented through his malapropism of “the Fury” and “Out-With” and his reaction to unexpected events, “mouth making the shape of an O”. The irony of Bruno’s narrow view, “it’s so unfair...” confronts the audience with the ignorance of some German citizens to the horrific events of the Holocaust. The characters of “Mother” and “Grandmother” are utilised by Boyne to represent the differing perspectives of the society during the Holocaust. Grandmother exercises constructive disobedience in dissenting with the Nazi regime and perceiving Fathers role as “a puppet on a string”. This is juxtaposed to Bruno's Mother through the euphemism of "[Bruno] had never known anyone to need quite so many medicinal Sherries" showing her complacency to do nothing about the knowledge of the concentration camp. Boyne positions an older audience to see the dangers of naivety and the cost of inaction.
Rose Blanche composed by Robert Innocenti juxtaposes the main protagonist to others in the picture book, representing the differing perspectives during the Holocaust. The purpose of the text is established by the motif of Rose positioned behind a window, symbolising her separation from the evil of the Nazi regime. A single bright colour is utilised throughout the text, which Innocenti uses to juxtapose the dominant influence of Rose Blanche and the Nazi regime. Innocenti’s use of the ironic statement, “when wars being, people often cheer” confronts a modern audience who recognises the historical horrors of war. The foreshadowing of seasons “winter was coming” at the being of the book develops into a symbol of hope after the protagonist is killed and “spring takes over”. The French translation of Blanche connotes the innocence and purity of the protagonist; however the audience soon