A Child Called "It": Only Win if I Die

 A Child Called "It"

This is a very intense, eye moving book. It is about a young boy (Dave Pelzer) whom gets abused emotionally and physically by his mother. His mother claims that Dave is a "bad boy" and that he is no longer part of the family. Dave is not allowed to eat unless he earns it by which his mother makes the decision. His father try to sneak him food, but it isn't always successful. When he goes to school he begins to steal from other kids lunches and then starts stealing from the store. When mother finds out he gets beaten. Mother yells at him to get in the scorching hot oven or to eat poopy diaper. When will he finally feel free?

 

" You've made my life a living hell!" she sneered. "Now it's time I showed you what hell is like!" Gripping my arm, Mother held it in the orange-blue flame."

This quote was said by Dave Pelzer's mother. She is stating this quote when she is trying to force him  into the oven. His mother is quoting this towards Dave, to make him feel like crap, to emotionally hurt him, to make her feel accomplished. This quote is heartbreaking, it makes me feel what he felt. It brings tears to my eyes that any mother would ever say that to her child. It's not the child's fault he was brought into this world, he has an innocent soul, and hasn't done anything wrong. All he wants is to make his mother happy, to be part of the family, to feel loved, and to be able to eat.

                                                    
                                                     Middle Book Summary.     
               

                 Has David really gotten away with getting food?
                Did his mother's friend not realize who he was?

David comes home, terrified that waiting for him is a beating from his mother. He begins his chores with fear, fear of not knowing what or when mother will beat him.She thinks he is quick little s**t. By thinking he was so fast and him not knowing what his punishment is, she forces him to drink ammonia, dying flashed in front of his eyes. Will David survive ammonia being forced down his mouth twice?

Good Passage:

The passage I have chosen from my reading today is :

" I wanted to just lie down and quit , but the promise I made years ago kept me going.I wanted to show The B*tch that she could beat me only if I died, and I was determined not to give in,even to death."

This passage is significant because this is David keeping a promise to himself.

He isn't giving up and he is going to fight the abuse that he gets from his mother.

And ignore the man he once believed was his superhero.

The only way he will let his mother win is by her killing him.

David is keeping faith in himself.

Ending It:

The words free might run across his mind, while he walking down the street towards the pizza

store. Dreaming of escaping and living at Russian River, the old hangout spot for "the family".

When a police officer picks him up David is more nervous than ever. Will he see right past David's eyes

and not force him home? Will David return to being beat after being picked up and sent to the police station? When will his next meal be? What will mother do next?

Is he ever going to be free?