On The Giving End

Warning: I am not a psychologist.

So far in The Painted Bird the narrator has experienced so much abuse, whether sexual or physical, that it is expected at some point in every chapter. I feel sympathetic for the narrator in each situation he falls into but my empathy also extends to the abusers. What causes them to beat a 6-10 year old boy with so much disdain? Part of the problem is prejudice but I don't believe that it is the final answer. The villages are built on a culture that promotes violence and alcoholism. Instances such as the boys who killed the red squirrel (8) for amusement and the miller whipping his wife because he suspected her of cheating (34) are two of many examples. I suspect that the adults have lived through or seen situations similar to what the narrator describes if they've resided in the villages their whole life. The narrator wishes that he had the power to kill his tormentors but he is powerless. The different "caretakers" in the story may have felt the same at some point in their childhood and with the aid of alcohol and prejudice take that trauma out on the narrator. Ewka's sexual relationship with the narrator also stems from a damaged past. It is obvious that Ewka has been a victim of severe sexual abuse from her father and brother many times before and practices some form of it on the narrator.
The older characters in The Painted Bird all have demons that haven't been exorcised and continue to grow stronger. I seek to understand the adults and their problems but I do not condone their actions.

A brief overview of possible reasons people are abusive
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=8482

Discussing pedophilia
http://neuroanthropology.net/2010/05/10/inside-the-mind-of-a-pedophile/