Chapter 9, The Rostrum Summary

Mama takes Oskar to the theater to see Tom Thumb, to the opera with Matzerath and Jan Bronski, and to the circus. At the circus, Oskar first encounters the midget acrobatic clown, Bebra, who claims to be descended from Louis XIV through Prince Eugene. Bebra invites Oskar to join the circus. Still only nine years old, Oskar declines. Oskar is called away by his parents and departs, but before he leaves, Bebra gives him some advice: Find a place on the rostrum or under it, but never out front. It proves to be good advice as the era of parades has begun.

At home, nothing changes. In the parlor, the gloomy picture of Beethoven faces the gloomy picture of Hitler on the opposite wall. While Matzerath is out in his Nazi uniform demonstrating each Sunday, Jan Bronski visits Mama...