A Child Called "It" Term Papers

A Child Called "It" term paper may present a two-pronged analysis of the ever-increasing problem of child abuse. Although it is believed that there is now a greater degree of discussion of this social problem within the public discourse, a diminishment of the taboos surrounding its mention has not helped to depreciably diminish the rate at which child abuse is thought to occur within the United States. The primary text used as the basis for this discussion is David Pelzer’s A Child Called “It,” which graphically recalls an eight-year period of extreme emotional and physical abuse which he withstood from his profoundly unbalanced mother during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The lack of institutional vigilance against child abuse during this period of the twentieth century is part of the discussion of this text, as well as the lasting effect of Pelzer’s ordeal. In addition, an overarching, research-based discussion of the impact of child abuse upon the victim and the larger community is presented in conclusion.

According to Pelzer’s own statement in the “Author’s notes” section of A Child Called “It”, the book was deliberately written in a simple style that accurately “depicts language that was developed from a child’s viewpoint. The tone and vocabulary reflect the age and wisdom of the child at that particular time.” Indeed, to this reader’s mind, this was the most bold and effective aspect of A Child Called “It” – the complete lack of a clear and lucid explanation for Catherine Pelzer’s behavior is an accurate reflection of most real-world cases of serious and sustained child abuse and neglect.