A Child Called "It" @achildcalledit-blog - Tumblr Blog

A picture of Clayton now, living a happy and healthy life.

#clayton #now #a child called it #child abuse cases

Picture of Clayton, right after he was rescued by police officers.

#clayton #a child called it #child abuse case

Clayton and David

In the novel “A Child Called ‘It’”, David Pelzer was often left in his basement garage all on his own, or locked up in the bathroom, or a bedroom. If he ever went out without be asked to or even just spoke to one of his family members, he was punished with severe beatings. When I was looking up other child abuse cases, one came up that really connected to David’s case. His name is Clayton, and he was just 6 years old when his case took place. He was locked in a tiny bathroom closet, for days at time, wrapped in a wire fence, that was then bound by locks and chains. He would sometimes go days without eating or drinking anything at all. If Clayton were ever to cry or yell while he was in the closet, his father and step mother would get dish soap and make him swallow it. Clayton’s case and David cases, in my opinion are very similar. In both cases, they were both locked in rooms, for very long periods of time. Also, they both had to go days without eating or drinking anything. As well, they were both beaten if they were to talk to any one, or yell for help, they would get punished in one way or another. They both had very many struggles throughout their childhood, that have probably traumatized them for the rest of their lives. Fortunately, they both made it out of their cases alive, and now live healthy and happy lives, with out their real family in it, which in most child abuse incidents, isn’t the cases. Here is a link to Clayton’s interview with a police officer after he was rescued from the closet... http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Claytons-Chilling-Interview-Tapes-Video

#david pelzer #a child called it #blog post 5

David Pelzer’s Father

#david pelzers father #david pelzer #a child called it

Father and Tiger

Something that I found very controversial in “A Child Called ‘It’” was David’s father leaving without taking David with him. I think that if David’s father really did care about him, and his survival, he would have taken David with him when he left no matter what the consequences are. Your parents are supposed to protect you from anything and everything, no matter what. David’s father, was intoxicated when he left, but I don’t think that should have mattered. David’s father, also did apologize to David before he left. In my opinion, that is not enough. I think that also would have been much better if David’s father had left for a couple days, then went back to get David. I also believe that when his father said that he can’t take it ll anymore, including David, he was making David feel like it was his fault that he was leaving, because he was so young and didn’t understand it was because of his mother. The reason this is so controversial is because some people may think that his father did this to protect himself, but in my opinion, as a father, you should be putting your child before of yourself.

#david pelzer #a child called it #blog post 4

David Pelzer’s Mother as a Bride.

#david pelzers mother #david pelzer #a child called it

The Boy’s Going to Die

The first passage I chose is from page 87, and the chapter called ‘The Accident’.

‘”David’s going to die. The Boy’s going to die.”’

This quote happens right after David’s mother stabs him, and he wakes up in the bathroom. His brother Russell was chanting this as he woke up from his unconsciousness. I found this passage very troubling for me. The fact that David’s mother had brainwashed her other son’s so much that they are chanting and somewhat happy after their mother literally stabbed one of their brother’s, really hit me hard. I could never imagine anyone ever feeling like that towards one of their family members. I can’t ever imagine ever being treated the way David was treated, by the person who is supposed to keep you safe, and love you unconditionally. I found it extremely hard for me to read this part of the book, and I almost couldn’t get through it. Just reading what happened to him throughout this chapter, made me cringe. I think this passage from my novel, really showed how no one in David’s family really cared about him, and showed how they truly feel towards him.

This passage is from page 153, and the chapter called ‘The Lord’s Prayer’.

“That day I wished Mother would have mercy and kill me quickly.”

This passage happens right after David’s father leaves his mother. His mother talks to him about how he has no one to save him or protect anymore. I think this passage shows great significance for the rest of the novel. I think that this is the point where David really started to give up on his life, and his survival. In my opinion, he is basically saying that he would rather his mother just kill him then keep trying to survive everyday. I think that this also shows that David held all his will to survive in his father. I believe that he thought his father was his only way out of his misery, and once his father left, his only way out was gone. After this point in the book, David completely gave up on his will to survive. He started not trying to do his chores as well, and started doing them slower, hoping that his mother would beat him to death. I think that if his father was to have stayed in his life, he would have gotten out of his situation a lot sooner, and would have maybe had the courage to tell someone what was going on at home sooner. This passage from the novel, was a huge turning point for David.

#david pelzer #a child called it #blog post 3

A baby photo of David Pelzer

#david pelzer #a child called it

Mother, Father, and Mother’s Sons.

At the beginning of the novel, David and his family seemed very happy. They went on yearly vacations together, and acted as a very loving family. Throughout the novel, David’s relationship with every one of his family member’s changed. Most of all, his mother’s. Things quickly changed with David’s mother when she began to start drinking more and more. His mother began to severely abuse him. She began beating him constantly, and telling him that he was nothing. He was also treated as the house slave, being forced to do all the house chores. She also constantly starved David, and only ever let him has scraps of food off of his brothers plates, if he was lucky. When he came home from school, he was forced to throw up anything he ate that day, and then eat it again, or get badly beaten. She also tried to make him lie on top of a gas stove as punishment, and did force him to burn his arm severely. Two of the most terrible things that she ever did to David throughout the novel was stab him in the gut, and another was lock him in the bathroom with a bucket of Clorox and Ammonia. David and his mother’s relationship was by far the worst of them all. David’s mother also dramatically changed the relationship between him in his brothers by making sure that David was never allowed to play with his brothers, or even allowed to look at them.

Another relationship that really changed throughout the novel was between David and his father. At the beginning of the book, his father was his hero. Whenever his father was around, his mother would never hurt him, he found his father like a safety blanket to him. This all changed when his father started staying at work more and more, and only ever coming home for very sort periods of time. His father did try to bring him food at some times, but he started doing this less and less for David. He also would help David with all of his chores, but this quickly changed, because his mother would not allow it. Eventually David thought that his father didn’t really care about him, because when he left, he didn’t take David with him. By the end of the novel, David hated his father as much as he hated the rest of his family.

#a child called it #david pelzer #blog post 2

A quote by David.

About David Pelzer

My first impression about David, was that before his mother started abusing him he was a very nice kid, who didn’t do anything wrong. As the book went on, David becomes a very scared, insecure, and hungry child, who had to steal and break the law to keep himself alive. Throughout the whole book so far, I have felt extremely bad for David.

David has gone through so many struggles from the beginning of the book, to the point that I am at right now. The biggest struggle that I think he’s gone through so far, is him trying to find any food he can to keep himself alive. First, having to steal food from other kids, then running to the grocery story on his lunch or his cafeteria to steal food, and lastly, picking scraps out of the garbage.

David’s life will have dramatically changed from this experience, as well as anyone else would if they had to go through this experience. I don’t think that David will ever take anything for granted, especially food, ever again.

#a child called it #david pelzer #blog post 1

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

A Child Called "It"