Child Abuse In David Pelzer's A Child

The life of David Pelzer began with horrifying odds; however, he managed to pull himself from the ashes of poverty to become the admired man he is today. He endured overwhelming amounts of psychological and physical abuse during his youth. He suffered brutal indignities endorsed by his mother and during his early years he was tortured in an inhumane and degrading environment. During the latter years of his youth, he was placed in the foster care system and he went on to service the military. During his career as an author, Pelzer published many successful biographies (Foster Club.) The first successful memoir was titled "A Child Called It." It was a non-fiction novel depicting Pelzer's childhood. As an adult, Pelzer became an advocate for children

in unhealthy situations. Most people who begin life in such unfortunate circumstances would not be able to adjust to a normal healthy lifestyle; however, Pelzer began with atrocious circumstances and managed to deviate from a life of horror into a successful businessman and father (Pelzer.)
To understand David Pelzer, you must comprehend the psychological trauma developed during his childhood. His relationship with his mother was strained, to say the least. His mother, Catherine Pelzer, seemed to have suffered from a psychological issue that repeatedly compelled her to attempt murder on her third born son. She would incapacitate Pelzer in baths of freezing temperatures, and forcibly induce her adolescent son to consume small amounts of ammonia. After consuming the chemical cocktail, Pelzer would be forced to masticate his own vomit. Pelzer was often treated like a slave in his own home. He was forced to spend his days doing every chore imaginable while other children his age gathered at the park for baseball games. Occasionally during his monotonous routine Pelzer's mother would gas him with sadistic mixtures of noxious chemicals (Pelzer.)He suffered numerous injuries from the constant abuse, including burns on his arms due to being restrained and involuntarily placing his arm against the burning eyes of a stovetop. The situations mentioned above can only give someone a glimpse into the childhood traumas of David Pelzer.
Along with physical abuse, neglect was one of the many tools in the arsenal of Catherine Pelzer. She failed to provide adequate care for her children. David Pelzer spent much of his childhood malnourished as a result of Catherine's neglect. Often times he resorted to stealing food from fellow students lunch boxes at Thomas Edison Elementary School and from local convenient stores to relinquish his hunger. As Catherine caught on to his indiscretions, she would drastically overreact with her disciplinary methods by brutalizing her feeble helpless young child. Pelzer lived in the basement during ages five and six. He was often thrown down the stairs into the basement when his mother would punish him. She would deprive him of covers or a bed to sleep on (Pelzer.)
Catherine Pelzer also enlisted Dave's younger brother to serve as her personal "Nazi." His younger brother, Richard, collaborate Dave's memories of the horrific child abuse. He admits to watching Dave's every move to make sure he didn't steal any food, and he would occasionally make up accusations just to watch Dave endure harsh punishment from his mother. Unlike Dave's three other brothers, Richard does not deny any of Dave's accusations. At the age of twelve, Dave was rescued and placed in foster care; however, Richard remained with his mother and he took Dave's place as the family slave. Richard says, "I don't think she was capable of love and she should never have had children" (Sydney Morning Herald.)
Catherine Pelzer never faced any charges for her crimes.

Her crimes have been claimed to be some of the worst cases of child abuse ever recorded in California. She was never prosecuted, and the charges were never pressed for her unspeakable acts of cruelty. To this day, no one is quite sure why David Pelzer was the only child removed from Catharine's custody. On the day of her funeral, there was only six people present, her mother and her sons. Not one person cried for the death of Catherine Pelzer. They only felt relief that the abuse had finally come to an end (Sydney Morning Herald.)

Dave Pelzer was placed into foster care as a result of his teachers risking their careers in order to save his life. Authorities ensured him that he would be safe from his brutalizing mother. Pelzer bounced around at least five separate foster homes. During this time his mother fought to have Dave committed into a mental institution; however, Dave was released from the foster care system when he enlisted into the United States Air Force at the age of

eighteen.
During his career in the United States Air Force, he played a major role in Desert Storm, Desert Shield, and in Operation Just Cause. He was in charge of midair refueling of the highly secretive SR-71 Blackbird and F-117 Stealth Fighter (Foster Club.)Even though Pelzer's time was mostly occupied by active duty, he still managed to accommodate several hours volunteering for his community. In 1990, he received the JC Penny Golden Rule Award and he was nominated the California Volunteer of the Year. In 1994, he was the only American honored as the Outstanding Young Person of the world. In 2005, he was honored the National Jefferson Award alongside Colin Powell, Sandra Day O'Conner, and Bob Hope (Pelzer.) He received accommodations from presidents Clinton, Bush, and Reagan. He also joined a distinguished group of alumni whose members ranged from Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, Walt Disney, and Nelson Rockefeller. Dave Pelzer carried the Centennial Flame in the 1996 Olympics. He is one of the only people to have three books in the New York Times best sellers list simultaneously (Foster Club.)
Dave's first book was "A Child Called It." It stayed on the New York Times best-seller for over six years. He continued to write and publish eight books throughout his life. Each book was significantly influenced by his childhood abuse. "The Lost Boy" was a sequel to "A Child Called It," and he was recognized as an international best seller. It was also New York Times Bestseller for more than four years. "A Man Named Dave" was the conclusion to Dave's trilogy and was recognized on the New York Best Sellers list for more than two years. It was also another international best-seller. Dave Pelzer wrote many international best sellers, including: "The Privilege of Youth" and "Help Yourself." Pelzer also published "Too Close to Me," "Moving Forward," and "Help Yourself for Teens." All of his work serves as either a memoir of his childhood or advocating to help others (Pelzer.)
He gained many accomplishments from his career as an author.

"The Child Called It" was nominated the Pulitzer Prize (Pelzer.) His trilogy that stemmed from this book is highly recommended by many of his adoring fans. These books tell the stories of Dave's abuse, his time in foster care, and the life he lives today (Burmester.) In summary, the first book of the series outlines his early childhood and the physical and psychological abuse of his mother. "In an effort to cope emotionally, David searches for the ‘mommy' who has been replaced by this mother," says Becky Burmester in her article, "Dave Pelzer's Books May Change Your Life."

The second book, "The Lost Boy" is characterized by Dave's recollections of the abuse and his years in foster care. It ends with Dave leaving the foster care system (Burmester.) The conclusion to the trilogy is titled, "A Man Named Dave." This book retells parts of Dave's story accounted for in the first two volumes; however, this volume has greater insight and explains his adult life and how his experiences have influenced his life

(Burmester.)
His world renowned trilogy has inspired and helped many people throughout the years. Becky Burmester states, "Reading these books gave me greater understanding of the continuing role the birth family plays in the lives of children even when the birth parents have been terribly inadequate or even harmful to their children." Becky Burmester is a foster parent and is one of many people who gain inspiration from Dave's Story (Burmester.)
In conclusion, Dave Pelzer was one of five children birthed by Catherine and Stephen Pelzer. During his childhood, he overcame severe psychological and physical traumas. In his teen years, he entered foster care until the age of eighteen when he enlisted in the military. He remained active in his community, even after becoming a famous author. He now spends the majority of his time advocating for teens.