David Pelzer wrote A Child Called "It" as an autobiographical account of his abusive childhood. In the first chapter, he describes "The Rescue" from his life of extraordinary abuse at the hands of his mother, which is classified as the third worst case of child abuse on record in the state of California. In this book, he describes the way his mother inflicted various harms upon him, including physical, emotional, and verbal abuse. Interestingly, he also narrates that he alone was singled out for this extreme abuse, and that his mother rarely treated his siblings in the same way.
Since his story was released, some have come forward to cast a light of doubt on the veracity of the claims. His own brother, Richard Selzer, does not support the claims made in the book. Others say that his abuse is greatly exaggerated in the book; some say that it never happened at all. Critics point to the earliest memories reflected in the book and question the credibility of a young child's "memories."
As a testament to the credibility of David's claims, his former teacher includes a letter at the end of the novel, attesting to the truths reflected in the novel. He notes,
Food missing from other students’ lunches was traced to this thin, sad boy. Questionable bruises appeared on exposed parts of his body. Everything began to point to one thing: this kid was being beaten and punished in ways far beyond normal parental practice. It was several years later when I learned that what I was witnessing in my classroom was the third worst case of child abuse on record in the entire state of California.
This testimony does support David's claims, yet questions still circulate about the believability of the abuse. Nevertheless, the story is written as an autobiography and thus as a true story.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.