Chapter 7: How Mother Took Credit for Something She Hadn't Done

How is the mother's defence of Herr Roller entirely ironic?It is very ironic that the mother says that Bruno should not hurt or laugh at Herr Roller whilst right next to her house is a concentration camp where many Jews dying because of war and she has no concern for them at all. 

What role does Kotler represent historically in the novel? (think beyond being a soldier) Kotler represents the entire German race. He represents how little respect they have for the Jews, he represents how much they believe in Hitler and how they would beat the Jews and make them work and kill them. He represents everything that was wrong back then.

What character is Kotler juxtaposed with in this chapter? What effect does it have on understanding each of these characters?  Kotler is juxtaposed in this chapter with Pavel. Pavel is portrayed as a very nice man with respect for people and a very kind individual, whereas Kotler is portrayed as a young mean Nazi who treats the Jews with very little respect, for something which was not their fault. This can also demonstrate the innocence of the Jews and how evil the Nazis were. 

How would you compare the interaction Bruno has with Pavel to all the other interactions Bruno has had with adults? The interaction between Bruno and Pavel is different then with any other adult, because Pavel listens to Bruno. With their conversation, Pavel and Bruno have a good conversation, with both of them talking, whereas when Bruno talks with other adults, they just push what he thinks aside, and doesn't bother to talk to him as much and entertain him as much.

Why is juxtaposition a key technique employed in Holocaust texts? How has it been used in The Boy in the Striped Pj's? Juxtaposition is a key technique because it shows the difference between the Jews and the Nazis, the differences in how they think of the world, and what they believe in. This is used in the book, the boy in striped Pj's, by showing this contrast. In this book it shows the innocence of a German child, and from his perspective it demonstrates how much he knows about what is going on.