How is Bruno represented in Chapter 11 of 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas'?

How can someone live through a tragedy without even knowing what is happening? John Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas portrays the innocence of someone that has no knowledge of the injustices surrounding him. Bruno is represented as a very ignorant person. However, despite his ignorance of the world, he has an understanding of what makes a good person. Bruno describes Hitler as “...the Fury, who was the rudest guest Bruno had ever witnessed…” It is clear that Bruno does not like Hitler, at this point. Hitler’s behaviour does not match with Bruno’s view of right and wrong, so he judges him. The fact that Bruno refers to Hitler as the “Fury,” instead of his proper title, is significant because it makes it clear that Bruno does not know who Hitler is. Despite not knowing of the injustices Hitler has caused, Bruno is able to use what he does know to realize that Hitler is not a nice person. When introduced to Bruno and his sister, Hitler asks “‘which is which?’” He is using a rhetorical question to make a joke. This quotation showcases his rudeness through his sense of humour. Bruno does not find the joke funny, which portrays his ability to judge character using his values. The story is written in third person limited narration. The limited narration style conveys Bruno’s lack of understanding to the reader. Since we are only given the information that he has, it is clear how little he knows about the political climate. It is also written chronologically. The chronological structure further supports the portrayal of Bruno’s ignorance, because it makes the reader learn as he does. Readers are only given the information that he knows at the moment. Bruno’s lack of understanding makes him much more innocent. By writing in such a way that highlights Bruno’s ignorance, and therefore innocence, Boyne influences readers to pity him. “Bruno was delighted when it went wrong and she almost fell over.” This quotation supports the interpretation that Bruno is ignorant. He does not understand the importance of making a good impression on his family’s guest, so he finds it entertaining when his sister makes a mistake. If he understood the state of the world, and their guest’s involvement, he would likely be more worried about how his family presents themselves. At the time that the book is set, Hitler was the centre of a World War, and he was causing innocent people to be killed. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ is a story about the holocaust; a real event from World War 2. The context of the time period makes Bruno’s ignorance more significant. He was living next to a concentration camp, during the time of the holocaust, and yet he did not recognize Hitler.