Summary
A Child Called It is a true story written by Dave Pelzer, about what he experiences in his childhood. This story takes place in Daly City, California in March of 1973.The story is a devastating true story that shows perseverance, hatred, love, and strength.
The protagonist in the book was Dave, he at one time had what he thought as to be "the perfect family". Until he got older and was beaten and tortured by his mother Catherine, whenever his father was away. He was beaten from ages four to twelve, she would brutally beat him until he was in need of medical attention. She would also starve Dave most of the time, he only got scraps of left overs that were no longer even edible. Dave was forced to sleep down in the basement on a small torn up army cot. He started believing she was only beating him because he was "bad".
Although that wasn't the case, he wasn't a bad kid at all. Catherine beat Dave because she was a mentally ill alcoholic. She argued with her own mother and David's father Stephan, frequently. Which caused her to take her anger out on Dave. Although, she would never hurt him in front of his brothers or father. Since she wouldn't ever hurt him in front of his father, gave him a bit of hope, it made him think of his father as some sort of protector.
Because Dave was constantly starved he would steal food from the kids at school. Once he eventually got caught the school Principal called his mother while the children at school called him a thief. When Dave got home that day his mother beat him for stealing other peoples food. It was that moment when he began to blame himself for the beatings. He started searching for food in his families own garbage, but once his mother caught him she began pouring ammonia in the trash can, from then on.
Dave always relied on his father for help, but his father never stepped in and stopped the abuse because he didn't want to start more problems or arguments with his wife. Dave's father did his best to help him by sneaking him food as often as he could, but his attempts almost always failed. Dave always loved his father because he had given Dave the hope that this all one day would stop. Things were always a little bit better for Dave when his father was around. His mother wasn't as cruel as she would be if his father wasn't there.
When Dave's father wasn't present she would do terrible things to Dave, such as, locking him in the bathroom with a bucket filled with Clorox and ammonia. One day she also made him take off his clothes and stand next to the burning stove, she told him to lay on top of the stove but he fought and refused to. His brother got home while this was happening and she instantly stopped which gave David a chance to escape back down to the basement. His mother had also made him drink ammonia and forced him to eat his own vomit.
While Dave was washing the dishes one night his mother claimed he "was taking too long" so she threatened him with a knife, she was drunk, like always. As she stumbled and lost her balance she stabbed Dave in the stomach. He passed out and when he woke up he was in the bathroom with his mother, who was bandaging it up. He figured this would be something she would take him to the hospital for, but she didn't. Once she had finished wrapping him up in the bandage she told him to go finish the dishes. Dave's father was there but he didn't say a word. His father who was also an alcoholic, eventually just became tired of fighting his wife and allowed her to do what she wanted to their son. Dave began hating not only his mother but his father as well.
One night Dave's mother smashed his face into a mirror and the kitchen counter also. The next morning on the drive to school, she told him once he got to school to tell everyone he had walked into the door the night before. When he got to school he was examined by the school nurse. This was not the first time he was examined by the nurse because the school had noticed bruises, cuts, and scrapes. The nurse sent him back to class and not much longer afterwards Dave was called into the teacher's lounge. Awaiting him were two of his teachers, the school nurse, the principal Mr. Hansen, and a police officer. All they asked of him was to tell the truth about his mother and what she has been doing to him for years. He did. David was twelve at this time and knew it was time to tell someone what has been happening to him. After he had told the police officer everything, everyone started saying good-bye. He was clueless as to what was happening, he thought he was going to jail. When he was really being taken to a loving and caring foster family who he was raised by from the age of twelve to eighteen.
A Child Called It is a true story written by Dave Pelzer, about what he experiences in his childhood. This story takes place in Daly City, California in March of 1973.The story is a devastating true story that shows perseverance, hatred, love, and strength.
The protagonist in the book was Dave, he at one time had what he thought as to be "the perfect family". Until he got older and was beaten and tortured by his mother Catherine, whenever his father was away. He was beaten from ages four to twelve, she would brutally beat him until he was in need of medical attention. She would also starve Dave most of the time, he only got scraps of left overs that were no longer even edible. Dave was forced to sleep down in the basement on a small torn up army cot. He started believing she was only beating him because he was "bad".
Although that wasn't the case, he wasn't a bad kid at all. Catherine beat Dave because she was a mentally ill alcoholic. She argued with her own mother and David's father Stephan, frequently. Which caused her to take her anger out on Dave. Although, she would never hurt him in front of his brothers or father. Since she wouldn't ever hurt him in front of his father, gave him a bit of hope, it made him think of his father as some sort of protector.
Because Dave was constantly starved he would steal food from the kids at school. Once he eventually got caught the school Principal called his mother while the children at school called him a thief. When Dave got home that day his mother beat him for stealing other peoples food. It was that moment when he began to blame himself for the beatings. He started searching for food in his families own garbage, but once his mother caught him she began pouring ammonia in the trash can, from then on.
Dave always relied on his father for help, but his father never stepped in and stopped the abuse because he didn't want to start more problems or arguments with his wife. Dave's father did his best to help him by sneaking him food as often as he could, but his attempts almost always failed. Dave always loved his father because he had given Dave the hope that this all one day would stop. Things were always a little bit better for Dave when his father was around. His mother wasn't as cruel as she would be if his father wasn't there.
When Dave's father wasn't present she would do terrible things to Dave, such as, locking him in the bathroom with a bucket filled with Clorox and ammonia. One day she also made him take off his clothes and stand next to the burning stove, she told him to lay on top of the stove but he fought and refused to. His brother got home while this was happening and she instantly stopped which gave David a chance to escape back down to the basement. His mother had also made him drink ammonia and forced him to eat his own vomit.
While Dave was washing the dishes one night his mother claimed he "was taking too long" so she threatened him with a knife, she was drunk, like always. As she stumbled and lost her balance she stabbed Dave in the stomach. He passed out and when he woke up he was in the bathroom with his mother, who was bandaging it up. He figured this would be something she would take him to the hospital for, but she didn't. Once she had finished wrapping him up in the bandage she told him to go finish the dishes. Dave's father was there but he didn't say a word. His father who was also an alcoholic, eventually just became tired of fighting his wife and allowed her to do what she wanted to their son. Dave began hating not only his mother but his father as well.
One night Dave's mother smashed his face into a mirror and the kitchen counter also. The next morning on the drive to school, she told him once he got to school to tell everyone he had walked into the door the night before. When he got to school he was examined by the school nurse. This was not the first time he was examined by the nurse because the school had noticed bruises, cuts, and scrapes. The nurse sent him back to class and not much longer afterwards Dave was called into the teacher's lounge. Awaiting him were two of his teachers, the school nurse, the principal Mr. Hansen, and a police officer. All they asked of him was to tell the truth about his mother and what she has been doing to him for years. He did. David was twelve at this time and knew it was time to tell someone what has been happening to him. After he had told the police officer everything, everyone started saying good-bye. He was clueless as to what was happening, he thought he was going to jail. When he was really being taken to a loving and caring foster family who he was raised by from the age of twelve to eighteen.