Character Analysis
Bruno's mother is what some politicians might call a flip-flopper. If she's with Bruno, she's her husband's number one fan: "It's a very important job […]. A job that needs a very special man to do it" (1. 22). Does she give Bruno any other explanations as to why they're moving to Auschwitz? Nope. She's all father knows best and that's that. Because a key part of Bruno's experience in this book is based in the fact that he doesn't really understand what's going on around him, his mother's reluctance to inform him is a pretty key element to her character.
But behind closed doors (where Bruno eavesdrops), her views are starkly different. Although we only get snippets of her conversations with Bruno's father, we understand that she's not in favor of what's happening. At one point her son hears her say: "… as if it's the most natural thing in the world and it's not, it's just not…" (11.683). She may not go against her husband in front of her children, but clearly Bruno's mom understands what is happening and is not in full-support.
Her dismay only increases as the family spends more time in Auschwitz—instead of growing numb to the atrocities next door, Bruno's mother becomes more agitated, which we can see when she says: "It's horrible […]. Just horrible. I can't stand it any more" (17.1127). Life under Hitler may suit her husband just fine, but for this lady, it's truly terrible. Unfortunately, though, she doesn't remove her children from the situation until it's much too late for Bruno.