Dave Pelzer was a young boy that survived one of the worst beatings in California’s history. In his book, A Child Called “It”, you too will learn to enjoy life a little bit more and to never give up.
Dave was a skinny, malnourished, and weak boy that was brutally beaten, starved, and mistreated by his mother. He has short blonde hair and soft light blue eyes. Many times he came to school with bruises and and scratches all of his body covered up only by his old, unwashed, smelly clothes. He has light skin covered with many scars as well.
Often how Dave looked on the outside resembled how he felt on the inside. He had no friends, so at school he was lonely, quiet, shy, and sad. At home was different; he was very scared. At some
times, he was wistful that his father would come home, because only then the beatings would stop. But, he was also very brave and courageous. He survived and showed his Mother that he is stronger than her, and by doing that, he proved to everyone that he can withstand anything.
Once when Dave was in elementary school, he came home and his Mother said that she saw him playing on the grass at recess in school which was strictly prohibited at home. He was then told to strip off his clothes and stand by the kitchen stove. His mother turned on the gas burners on the stove top and forced his hand over them. “You’ve made my life a living hell!” she sneered. “Now it’s time I showed you what hell is like!” After almost burning his arm off, she told him to climb up onto the stove and lie down so she could watch him burn to death. Dave then realized that the longer he could stall, the faster his brothers would come home and she would stop. Ignoring the chronic pain in his arm, he held her off long enough to survive another day. He had won and she knew it. After reading this section of the book, I vowed to never complain again about my family. Dave Pelzer has taught me many things. He taught me to enjoy everyday because it could be worse, to enjoy the little things, and to never give up. I hope that someday everyone gets to read his book, because it will stick with you your whole life, and you will never forget it.