Contrast Pavel's treatment of Bruno when the boy fell from the swing with the way Pavel is treated by Bruno's family.

Pavel is a Jewish doctor brought from the camp to work as a servant in Bruno's family's home. Pavel treats Bruno like an equal, but Bruno's family treats Pavel like he is sub-human. When Bruno falls from his swing, Pavel mends his wounded knee, but later in the story Lieutenant Kotler beats Pavel for spilling his wine and nobody in Bruno's family does anything to stop him.

If you are not sure who any of...

Pavel is a Jewish doctor brought from the camp to work as a servant in Bruno's family's home. Pavel treats Bruno like an equal, but Bruno's family treats Pavel like he is sub-human. When Bruno falls from his swing, Pavel mends his wounded knee, but later in the story Lieutenant Kotler beats Pavel for spilling his wine and nobody in Bruno's family does anything to stop him.

If you are not sure who any of these characters are in the story, you can read . 

In Chapter 7, Bruno is playing on his tyre swing in the garden, but he slips off and cuts his knee. Pavel, who was watching from the window while peeling potatoes, comes rushing to help Bruno. Pavel speaks gently to Bruno and makes him feel better, and then cleans and patches up Bruno's knee. Pavel continues to speak kindly to Bruno and reveals that he was once a doctor. Bruno doesn't understand that Pavel is imprisoned and forced to work as a servant. He thinks Pavel is there voluntarily. He wonders why Pavel left his job as a doctor to work in their kitchen. Pavel speaks more courteously to Bruno than his father's Lieutenant Kotler does, and Bruno appreciates that courtesy. This shows that Pavel is very kind and respectful, and extends this kindness and respect to Bruno, the son of his enemy.

Later, in Chapter 13, Bruno is at dinner with his family and Lieutenant Kotler. Pavel is serving them. Bruno notices that Pavel seems unwell; he's shaking and he appears to be falling asleep on his feet whenever there's a pause in his activity. Bruno's father, however, does not take note of this and speaks rudely to Pavel. He says, "What's the matter with you tonight?... This is the fourth time I've had to ask for more wine." Then Pavel fumbles the bottle of wine while pouring Lieutenant Kotler's glass and it spills on the lieutenant's lap. Lieutenant Kotler becomes extremely angry and beats Pavel so severely that nobody in Bruno's family as able to watch. Bruno feels terrible that nobody in his family stops Kotler from beating Pavel. 

Bruno reflects on the incident in Chapter 7, and how gentle and kind Pavel was to him, and he realizes that if nobody is willing to stop Lieutenant Kotler from beating a gentle man like Pavel, that he doesn't like living at Out-With. He also decides that he has to keep quiet about his opinion for fear of getting beaten himself.