Character Analysis
These two are a pair, both because they live together and also because they show us two different experiences of postwar life.
Epstein's mother cannot forget the horrors of Auschwitz, and she tests Campbell, whose name she recognizes, by asking, "Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" (8.32)—which means "Do you speak German?"—as he leaves their apartment. He pretends not to know German, but she's dubious. It's clear that the trauma runs deep with her—and it's also clear that Campbell is actually to blame for some of it, whether he was playing a role or not.
Meanwhile, Epstein "affectionately but sharply" tells his mom to "forget the war" as he bandages Campbell's hurt thumb (8.22). He's a doctor first, and he doesn't want to live in the nightmares of the past. He wants to feel free.
Is that possible? Vonnegut doesn't have any easy answers.