How Did Dave Pelzer Survive In 'A Child Called "It"'?

Reading 'A Child Called "It"' was like watching someone crawl through hell with nothing but sheer will. Dave Pelzer survived his mother's torture through a mix of desperate cunning and physical endurance. He learned to steal food scraps when she starved him, hiding them in his clothes or under his mattress. The kid became a master of pain management, zoning out during beatings by focusing on counting or imagining escape. School became his sanctuary, not just for the meals but because teachers were the only adults who showed him kindness. His survival strategy was basically becoming a ghost at home—invisible, silent, moving like smoke to avoid triggering more abuse. The most heartbreaking part? He survived by convincing himself he deserved it, that this was normal, until one teacher finally noticed the bruises and called CPS.

Dave's survival in 'A Child Called "It"' is a case study in human resilience. The abuse started small—extra chores, occasional slaps—but escalated into horrific acts like forced ammonia inhalation and stabbings with kitchen knives. What kept him alive was a combination of micro-strategies. He scavenged like a feral animal, eating frozen leftovers from the dog's bowl or licking condensation off windows for water. His body adapted to withstand starvation, surviving on maybe 500 calories a day for years.

Psychologically, he created mental escapes. During prolonged punishments like standing in a bathroom filled with chemical fumes, he'd dissociate by replaying memories of pre-abuse happiness with his family. School was his lifeline; he intentionally arrived early to raid trash cans for unfinished lunches. The turning point came when he realized reporting the abuse to his father did nothing—that's when he switched tactics to enduring until someone outside the family intervened. The book shows how child abuse victims often survive by developing hyperawareness of their abuser's moods and splitting their identity into 'the kid who gets hurt' and 'the kid who knows this isn't forever.'

What's rarely discussed is how Dave weaponized his mother's neglect. When she forgot to lock the basement where she imprisoned him, he taught himself to pick the latch with a bent spoon. He intentionally provoked her at predictable times (like right before school) so the bruises would be fresh enough for teachers to see. This wasn't just survival—it was guerrilla warfare against his own family.

As someone who works with trauma survivors, Pelzer's account in 'A Child Called "It"' reveals textbook coping mechanisms under extreme stress. His survival hinged on three pillars: resourcefulness, dissociation, and covert rebellion. The resourcefulness was brutal—drinking from the toilet when denied water, using old newspapers as bandages for wounds. Dissociation let him mentally exit during torture sessions; he describes watching his own abuse like it was happening to someone else.

What fascinates me is his covert rebellion. Dave kept a secret list of every injury with dates, hiding it inside a wall. He practiced smiling in mirrors so teachers wouldn't suspect anything was wrong. When his mother forced him to vomit after sneaking food, he learned to regurgitate on command to fake compliance. These weren't just survival tricks—they were acts of defiance. The most powerful moment comes when he realizes his mother enjoys his suffering, and that's when he starts surviving *for* himself rather than just enduring. The book's legacy isn't just about abuse; it's a manual on how the human spirit armor-plates itself against cruelty.