A Child Called “It”
In the United States, approximately 7.2 million children become victims of child abuse annually (Child Abuse Statistics). In an effort to relay the seriousness of the crimes committed against children, Dave Pelzer wrote a memoir called A Child Called “It” to share his personal experience at the hands of his abusive parents. His memoir is an account of one of the most extreme child abuse cases in California history. He vividly recounts a childhood filled with forced starvation and intense beatings. In his powerful autobiography, he conveys his struggle with alienation. However, his story is an uplifting one, in that it describes how his determination enabled him to survive the horrors of physical and psychological child abuse. His journey through a traumatic childhood highlights his ability to preserve his identity in spite of the dehumanization, and in that, he becomes a survivor of child abuse.
A Child Called “It” provides insight into child abuse from a first-hand account of Dave Pelzer’s experience with it. The author states that the common belief that child abuse is easily identified is untrue. He also disputes the notion that child abuse is easily rectified as untrue and overly simplistic. For example, in the afterword, he states that the general public is “unaware of the extent of child abuse” (Pelzer, 171). Pelzer believes that the extent of this problem lies beyond the understanding of most people. He also highlights the effects that it has on children. He supports his position with several forms of abuse that he recounts in the novel; such as how his mother forces him to eat his own vomit, beats him, starves him, and burns him. He explains how despite the seriousness of his ordeal and the fact that other adults see evidence of it, they remain idle. For example, one of his teachers notices signs of David’s abuse but lets himself be manipulated by Pelzer’s mother despite the obvious evidence to the contrary. David’s mother is able to persuade the teacher into disbelieving his own eyes with “David had an overactive imagination…had struck and scratched himself to get attention, since the recent birth of his new brother…staff at school had been instructed to pay attention to my wild stories of child beating or not being fed,” (53). Despite the obvious fact that Pelzer was being abused, “my…shirt had more holes than swiss cheese…same shirt I’ve worn for about two years…slash-like marks on my face…my teeth are chipped from having been slammed against…counter top” (7), the adult in the situation that had both evidence of wrongdoing and the power to rectify it, chose to ignore the signs in favor of remaining inactive. By sharing this experience, Mr. Pelzer emphasizes the ease of obscuring child abuse by perceiving the legitimate emotions of children as false.
The application of abuse takes a darker tone when his mother begins to attempt to strip away his self identity. At first, she begins to refer to him as “the boy,” implying that he does not deserve to be acknowledged. As the intensity of the abuse increases, she begins to refer to him as ‘it,’ a pronoun reserved for inanimate objects and animals. In doing so, she betrays her inability to empathize with her son’s humanity; she no longer sees his “humanness”. This form of dehumanization pushes Pelzer to reach the point where “…death would be better than my prospects for any kind of happiness. I was nothing but an It,” (Pelzer, 141). Pelzer faces other injustices–such as starvation and intense beatings–with strength. However, he finds it difficult to defend himself against this. He begins to consider death a favorable alternative to being an “It”. Pelzer showcases the importance of one’s self-worth. Without seeing the virtues of oneself, a downwards spiral into defeat is inevitable. Thus, Pelzer begins to provoke his mother into taking his life. “My morale had become so low that in some self-destructive way I hoped she would kill me…hoping I could provoke her enough that she would end my misery,” (Pelzer, 141). Without self-respect, Pelzer is at his weakest. He takes on the view of his abuser and wishes himself dead.
The theme of perseverance plays a significant role in the novel. Pelzer's determination to survive his abuse makes it possible for him to withstand the experience. As Pelzer treats the stab wound inflicted upon him by his mother, he decides that he will persevere, “I wanted to just…quit..but the promise I made…kept me going…I wanted to show…that she could beat me only if I died, and I was determined not to give in, even to death” (Pelzer, 91). By making the decision to not “give in,” Peltzer maintains his morale which allows him to endure the trauma. Pelzer shares a deeply painful and personal story but he strikes an uplifting tone that is buoyed by his ability to believe in himself. He claims that,“It is important for people to know that no matter what lies in their past, they can overcome the dark side and press on to a brighter world,” (Pelzer, 166). Pelzer inspires readers suffering through similar abuse with what it takes to overcome alienation. He empowers them by providing sound to their voices, because in spite of everything, “I am free” (Pelzer, 160) Pelzer says.
Dave Pelzer's abusive relationship with his mother nearly costs him his life. However, his determination provides him the strength to persevere and stand up to his abusive mother. Pelzer’s story inspires victims of child abuse to hold on to their will to survive. It reminds us that are fortunate to avoid being scathed by child abuse that it is far too easy to ignore. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” (George Santayana, Goodreads). We must learn from the experiences of others to protect children and to help those that have undergone the ordeal outlined in this book.