This incident is the first overtly violent act that Jared’s mom commits in the book, and it illustrates why mixing love and violence can be confusing for Jared. His mom is clearly trying to protect him, but squashing a dog underneath her car tires is a gruesome action that probably doesn’t come across as a loving gesture to Jared. His mom quickly aligns herself with the man following the incident, complicating the idea of who might be an enemy in Jared’s life and who might be a friend. This shows that, in some relationships, violence and love are not always mutually exclusive.