Chapter 4 of A Child Called “It” is entitled, somewhat appropriately, “The Fight For Food.” As part of her abusive reign of terror, David's mother has stopped feeding him all of a sudden. It's bad enough that she physically abuses him and sends him to school in worn-out old clothes, but not feeding him is a new low even by her standards.

Under the circumstances, it's no surprise when David resorts to stealing lunches from his classmates. They don't know what's going on at home; they just see David as a thief. Therefore, so they tell the teacher on him, who in turn tells David's mother.

Her reaction is as reprehensible as it is predictable. Not for the first time, and not for the last, she gives him a good hiding. For good measure, she continues to starve him, which is precisely what had led to Dave's stealing food from his classmates in the first place.

Dave is now effectively a non-person at home. It's as if he doesn't exist. His father sneaks him some food occasionally, but he's long since given up trying to protect Dave in any meaningful way from his mother's persistent abuse. The small amounts of food given to Dave by his father symbolize the lack of proper care and support that he receives from him.