A Child Called It: One Child’s Courage to Survive

Pelzer describes the summer of 1979, just before his 11th birthday. Since school is not in session, it’s harder to find food. Russell, Dave’s younger brother, has become Catherine’s spy, watching Dave closely and at times inventing stories so Dave will receive punishment. Dave refers to Russell as Catherine’s “Little Nazi” (69). However, the author acknowledges that this spying behavior was not Russell’s fault; Russell was brainwashed by their mother. One day, while yelling at Dave and holding a carving knife, Catherine loses her balance and accidentally stabs Dave in the chest. Dave watches Catherine’s body “weave back-and-forth” before she careens forward (70). He feels a sharp pain before passing out.

When Dave gains consciousness again, he is in the bathroom. Warm blood pumps out of his chest. Catherine dresses his wounds with gauze. Dave notes Catherine’s skill and remembers she had wished to become a nurse before marrying Stephen. Dave expects Catherine to take him to the hospital, but instead she orders him to finish cleaning the dinner dishes. Dave obeys, though he is weak from blood loss. When his mother leaves the room, Dave quietly tells Stephen that Catherine stabbed him. However, Stephen does not look up from the newspaper. After a while, Stephen responds with exasperation, “Damn it boy, we don’t need to do anything that might make her more upset!” (72).

After Dave finishes the dishes, his mother allows him to play outside with his brothers and light festive sparklers. As Catherine kneels down to help Dave light the sparkler, he imagines the scent of her perfume from years ago. He wonders if she is trying to make amends with him. He feels warm and happy at the acceptance of his brothers as they play together. For a moment, he feels like part of the family again. Watching the sunset gives Dave momentary relief from his hunger and his pain. However, this relief does not last long. Afterward, Dave is sent back to the basement to sleep. In the morning he finds that his hands and chest are covered in dried blood.

Three days later, Dave is still feverish. In examining his wound, Dave realizes it is infected. Instead of asking his mother to redress the wound, Dave does so himself, despite the pain. However, he feels proud of taking care of himself.

After Catherine stabs Dave, Stephen spends less time at home and more time at work. When he is home, Steven makes a habit of helping Dave wash the dishes. Privately, Stephen promises Dave that one day they will both “get out of this madhouse” (81). Stephen’s alcoholism worsens. One day, Stephen kneels down to tell Dave that he is sorry. Dave notices the dark circles under his eyes, his “beet red” neck, and the gray hairs beginning to cover his black hair (82). Once when Stephen is away, Catherine starves Dave for 10 consecutive days. Catherine goads Dave into begging by putting a plate full of food in front of him, only to snatch it away at the last minute. When Catherine finally does give Dave food, she mocks him and tells him, “You eat like a pig!” (85).

Catherine begins forcing Dave to endure the “gas chamber” treatment (86). She locks Dave in the bathroom with a bucket filled with ammonium and Clorox, which chokes him due to the fumes. His throat feels like it is on fire. Dave survives by breathing through the air vent. After he is released from this treatment, Dave coughs up blood. In another one of Catherine’s punishments, she forces Dave to stay submerged in cold water in the bathtub for hours, then stand in the shade of the backyard or crawl into bed soaking wet. Dave’s brothers come in and out of the bathroom with barely a glance at their brother. Other times, they bring their friends to come look at him.

At the end of the summer, Catherine instructs Dave to mow lawns for money, which she pockets. Since Catherine’s quota on Dave’s earnings is so high, he steals $9 from a little girl’s piggy bank. Hours later, the girl’s father knocks on the Pelzers’ front door demanding the money back. As punishment, Catherine beats Dave until he is “black and blue” (87).

At the beginning of fourth grade, a substitute teacher reports Dave’s injuries to the principal, suspecting abuse. Later that year Catherine tells Dave she is sorry for how she has treated him and begins to cry. She draws him a warm bath and allows him to wear new clothes. For a short period of time Dave is allowed to play with his brothers and attend family dinners. One day, when Stephen is at work, a woman from social services comes to visit Catherine. The woman asks Dave if his mother ever beats him. Dave replies that only when he is a “bad boy” (99). After the woman leaves, Catherine flies into a rage. She screams at him, “You little shit!” and banishes him to the garage (99).