At the end
of this chapter, we learn that Bruno's mother is sympathetic to the Jewish prisoner Pavel, which
implies that she is sympathetic to the Jews in general.
In this chapter,
Pavel is ordered to get an old tire for Bruno so he can have a tire swing. Bruno sets up the
swing but soon falls off and ends up with a wide cut on his knee. Pavel carries him home, and
because Bruno's mother is out, Pavel takes care of binding up the wound. Bruno is surprised to
find out Pavel is a doctor and can't understand why he isn't practicing medicine.
When his mother comes home, she sends Bruno off. Bruno hears her thanking Pavel for
what he has done. She also tells him to say she bound up the wound if anyone asks. Bruno thinks
it is "selfish" of her to take credit for what someone else has done, but we as
readers know that the mother is doing her best to protect the Jewish doctor from any
retaliation. This shows that the mother is a kind and humane person who has not been swayed by
Nazi propaganda to hate the Jews.
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