American novelist David James Pelzer is an author of autobiographical and self-help books. His 1995 book, A Child Named “It”: One Child’s Will to Survive, chronicled his experiences with child abuse. The book spent several years on The New York Times Bestseller List and, in five years, had sold at least 1.6 million copies.
Pelzer became well-known because of this book, which has also caused controversy due to claims that some events were exaggerated by both journalists and family members.
What was Dave Pelzer’s Book, A Child Called “It” all about
Pelzer’s debut novel was titled A Child Named “It”. It recounts his experience and exposes the abuse he endured from birth to age 12. Pelzer’s mother subjected him to physical and psychological torture. The torture he endured, which included beatings, malnutrition, mind games, and even stabbings, is described in detail in this book. Pelzer eventually escapes his nightmare and is placed in foster care, which brings the story to a close.
Pelzer has stated that he changed some of the characters’ names to keep them anonymous.
Character Analysis of Stephen Joseph Pelzer in the book, A Child Called “It”
Stephen Joseph Pelzer was the name of David Pelzer’s father in the story. He is a helpless and frequently drunk man who seldom ever confronts his wife, Catherine Roerva Pelzer. Over the course of the book, Father serves as a ray of hope for Dave. Scared Dave; he views Father as his defender, despite the fact that it becomes increasingly obvious that he is ignoring his child’s pain.
When Stephen Joseph Pelzer gets older, Dave starts to despise him for letting Mother hurt him. In the end, Father is so frustrated with Mother’s rage that he decides to leave the family permanently. He is a weak, self-centered man who only considers his personal pleasure and safety, not the happiness and safety of his children.
Yet, it’s important to note that Dave names his adored son after his father (at least in the book). Since Father was the only member of the family to consistently express love for him, this may imply that Pelzer still has some love and respect for him. (That might also imply that Dave wants to remind himself of how not to raise his child.)
Dave Pelzer’s Other Bestselling Books
In 1997 shortly after his first book, Dave Pelzer released The Lost Boy: A Foster Child’s Quest for the Love of a Family. The narrative focused on Pelzer’s adolescence.
A Man Called Dave: A Tale of Triumph and Forgiveness was the third book from Dave Pelzer. The book was about his experiences as an adult and how he came to forgive his father.
Furthermore, Dave Pelzer wrote the self-help book Help Yourself: Discovering Hope, Courage, and Happiness in 2001. “My message has always been about resilience,” he said when speaking about his seventh book Moving Ahead.
