Term Paper On A Child Called It By Dave Pelzer

Upon completing A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer for a second time, I am completely convinced becoming an educator is my purpose in life. The first time I read this book was in middle school and although the book did stir up a lot of my emotions and was a difficult read, it does not compare to the effect it had on me as I read it for a second time as an older woman. Dave Pelzer wrote a memoir that highlighted the horrific abuse he received from his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother, all while living with his father, siblings, and attending school. The book expresses the torturous, unpredictable games his mother would play with him. These games took a physical, emotional, and mental toll on Dave’s life and this is all evident through his description of the abuse and his desire to no longer live. Throughout the story, we are introduced to adults that could have potentially rescued Dave earlier on in his life. The book was useful in highlighting some major warning signs I should look out

Many of these adults were exposed to the red flags that signified clear cut child abuse. However, if this case of child abuse had occurred in the year 2017 there were many situations that could have been handled differently. One of the adults that could have rescued Dave and could have done things differently is his father. His father, who was a fire fighter at the time, lived with the family and was exposed to the abuse. Although, the mother would conduct some of her most hideous acts of abuse when she was alone with Dave, the end results were not hidden from the father. Being that his father was present throughout the situation, in the very beginning Dave saw his father as his potential super hero, someone who could stand up for him and pull him out of his misery. However, the father did not play the role of a hero and instead walked away and abandoned his