What is the relationship between Schatz and his father in Hemingway's "A Day's Wait"?

Certainly, with Hemingway's minimalist style, it is difficult to specifically assess the relationship between father and son in "A Day's Wait."  Nevertheless, the reader may infer that the father does indeed love his son dearly, and Schatz must feel close to him, although he is a reserved child. And, perhaps, he is much like his father who is coolly rational, although he lacks his father's life experience.

Hemingway's opening line indicates Schatz's iron self-control:

He came into the room to shut the windows when we were still and bed and I saw he looked ill.

For, most children in Hemingway's time would wake their parents, particularly the mother, and tell her that they do not feel well.  Then, when his father--not the mother--perceptively asks Schatz what is wrong, the nine-year-old replies that he merely has a headache and is "all right."  After the father dresses and goes downstairs, he checks the boy's forehead and realizes that the child is running a fever; so, he calls the doctor. [In those days, doctor's made house calls.]

Conscientiously, the father makes notes on the instructions of the doctor. Then, he watches over his child and reads to him in order to distract the boy from his discomfort.  It is Schatz's reticence, however, which causes the misunderstanding between father and son.  For, the father does not realize that Schatz has mistakenly comprehended his temperature as measured by the Celsius scale rather than the Farenheit.  Then, he attempts to be brave and spare his father the agony of watching him die.  Later, he refuses to let anyone into his room, "You mustn't get what I have."  Never does the father understand that Schatz has a misconception about his temperature, probably because of the similarity of him with his son, who are both rational because he probably expected his son to explain if something else bothers him.

Because of Schatz's brave determination to spare his father--whom he obviously loves dearly--worry, the situation escalates and becomes one that traumatizes the boy, causing him in the future to break down easily. The father, who cares deeply for his son, does not read the nine-year-old's feelings well enough perhaps because the boy is young than one who would be so courageous.

How can one compare Schatz and his father's characters in "A Day's Wait"?

Schatz and his father of "A Day's Wait" are both characters who do not communicate well with each other. For one thing, they seem to have problems expressing their feelings; nor do they question one another enough about feelings. When, for instance, after the doctor leaves and the father asks Schatz if he wishes to be read to, the boy simply says, "All right. If you want to." And, when the father asks him how he feels, Schatz answers "Just the same, so far." But, the father does not ask his son what he means by "so far."

Then, when the father asks why he does not try to sleep, Schatz says, "I'd rather stay awake" the father again does not question his son's meaning, even when the boy adds, "You don't have to stay in here with me, Papa, if it bothers you." The father assumes that his son is simply a little lightheaded from his fever. And so, poor Schatz is left alone with his own thoughts, thoughts he could share with his father, and, thus save himself the misery of believing that he is dying.

Certainly, there is a stoicism to both the father and the son. Schatz  tells his father he is "not worried," yet later he asks, "About what time do you think I'm going to die?" And, the father makes light of his son's question,

"People don't die with a fever of one hundred and two.  That's a silly way to talk."

Even when he realizes that his boy has worried all day about dying, the father only says to him, "Por old Schatz....You aren't going to die.  That's a different thermometer..."and he explains the difference between Celsius and Farenheit. However, there is a backlash to Schatz's self-control as he becomes detached and he cries very easily keeping a distance between himself and his father.