Chapter 7 Questions - TBITSP

1. How is the mother's defence of Herr Roller entirely ironic? It is ironic that Bruno's mother's defense of Herr Roller because of one main reason which is the whole foundation of the Holocaust. Her defence is that you shouldn't laugh and mock people that have been affected by war and it is ironic that she is part of the family that is killing thousands of jews.
2. What role does Kotler represent historically in the novel? (think beyond being a soldier) Kotler within the novel represents the whole idea behind the holocaust and the thinking of a typical German during the holocaust. His thinking is that Jews are slaves and beneath him as seen through the way he talks to Pavel ( a very arrogant and disgusting manor) and that he says a word that Bruno doesn't understand. 
3. What character is Kotler juxtaposed with in this chapter? What effect does it have on understanding each of these characters? Kotler within the chapter is juxtaposed with Pavel. Kotler is juxtaposed with Pavel as Kotler is a Nazi soldier and Pavel is a Jew. This is seen through the two different sides to the holocaust experience, as well as how the 'lucky' jews were treated by the Nazi Germans. This helps us to further understand how the two reacted with one another and how there is the unbalance of power. 
4. How would you compare the interaction Bruno has with Pavel to all the other interactions Bruno has had with adults? Bruno's reaction to Pavel as opposed to other adults is both similar and different. He tries to treat him with respect, as his mother has taught him, as well being a bit hesitant of what to say to him. However, after Bruno's accident with the tyre he begins to see Pavel as a very nice man and seems to look at listen to Pavel with a lot more focus and more compassionate as opposed to other characters such as his father.
5. 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 employed in Holocaust texts because of the two different groups within the Holocaust, the jews and the nazis. By comparing the two we see the differences and the subtle information that would not normally be picked up in an individual description of the two. It also shows the ignorance of the Nazis and the innocence of the Jews which is portrayed in the book through not just the Nazis and Jews but in other instances such as Bruno and Gretel, Mother and Father, Bruno and Shamuel, Kotler and Pavel. This is used within the book to add more detail and more information to each character so we obtain a greater feeling about their point of view of the whole Holocaust situation.