A man named Dave by Dave Spelzer

Autobiography by Dave Pelzer :



“To stay warm is to stay alive.

I'm mentally and physically exhausted. It's been months since I've been able to escape through my dreams. As hard as I try, I cannot go back to sleep. I'm too cold. I cannot stop my knees from shaking. I cautiously rub my feet together because I somehow feel if I make any quick movements, "The Mother" will hear me. I am not allowed to do anything without The Mother's direct authority. Even though I know she has returned to sleep in the bottom bunk bed of my brother's bedroom, I sense that she still has control over me.

The Mother always has.”

The book is called “A man named Dave” by Dave Pelzer. This book is about how Dave was able to be an honorable human after the atrocious life he lived. His full name is Dave James Pelzer; he was born on the 29th of December of the year 1960. Dave got abused till he was 12, he’s case was the worst and the most talked case in the state of California. What surprised everyone was that he went to school with bruises and sings of child abuse. The teachers did not ever pay attention or take this to authorities. In my opinion this shows that even though America says that we are all safe and that we are a country that we can trust on. This just shows the opposite, it shows how the people we are supposed to trust, in this case our educators are not doing their job. Their supposed to make sure we are safe and they are supposed to teach us and give the example of the role of a human to follow. In his case he went through school till the age of twelve without someone taking the correct measures. After someone filed a report he was then sent to a foster home, he lived with them until the age of 18. After that he was determine to educate the world. To step up from the silence, how he did this was by publishing a couple of books, and giving speeches. Pelzer is also the first American to ever win the “Outstanding Young Persons of the World Award.” He had a goal, which was to inspire others that they do not have to suffer in silence but that they deserve and will overcome it.Some connections i had with the book, is one of a girl named Sophia, my mom has a child day care. The girl was only four when she came to us. She was living with her Aunt because her parents were drug addicts that never fed her or never cared for her. In Tijuana before her Aunt took care of her, Sophie would live on the streets , she would steal, she learned bad habits that her parents did. When she came to us it was hard for us to take care of her because she would steal things and say bad words, hit and have a really violent personality. Throughout time my family and I taught her manners. She then got adapted by a foster home. I was able to connect this with the book because it was similar case as Dave's. She also lived a rough life but then was able to overcome it and be a good person after the help of my family. Another connection i can make is text to world. For example in the news their was a case of a little boy who suffered child abuse. He was brutally beat and then tied to a bathroom for days because of his "bad behavior". I can connect this to the book because it was also a case of child abuse that happened in real life. When i hear of things like thisi cannot believe it happened, or I also just do not want to believe it. I can also connect this book to one that I read called "Always Running" by Luis Rodriguez. It is about this guy who overcomes his life as a gang member and now he is a person of respect, since he is a writer and has published a couple of books. This book answered many of my questions, but some questions that i would like to know the answer to would be. What was the turning point in his life?Some people think that he made up some of things for attention, I want to know what he thinks about that. Also the reason to why and how did he manage to pulish his book? Was it hard for him to write and re think of everything that he went through.

The Child Called It By David Pelzer

"I wished I could somehow manage to escape the place I now called the "Madhouse."(6,Pelzer)

"All those years you tried your best to break me, and I’m still here. I make mistakes, I screw up, but I learn. I don’t blame others for my problems. I stand on my own. And you’ll see. I’m going to make something of myself."(Pelzer)

These two quotes are what, to me, describe the book. The first quote is Daves' truthful thought during the whole book. He literally lives in a hell hole. This book is his life and even though he had to go through all that abuse from his family he was still able to see beyond that tragic life he had and he bettered himself. It is important because without Dave's determination in being able to take his experience to the best he could and being able to become a person of honor takes a lot especiallyto turn to an author that has written an autobiography.

I can connect this book to an experience that I was had to take care of. My mom had a child day care at our house. On the book, Dave, got affected by everythng he sees and goes through. We once experienced how affected little kids are because of problems that happen at home, we took care of a 5 year old girl and her one year old brother. Her parents were in jail, they would come out and go back in. The 5 yr. old girl experienced her dad getting taken away by the cops. If you were to ask her she tells you exactly what happened that night. I remember that when we would here the siren of the cops she would grab her brother and hide either under the table or in back of the sofa. I can connect this to Dave because he also got affected by what went on at home. Another connection would be when i volunteered at a school in Tijuana, Mexico. There was a 7 year old boy that everyday he came to school with a new bruise. So the teacher and I decided to take him to the office again. They had already done its part but nothing seemed to be done. I contacted a social worker which did take some action to this particular case. I am able to connect this experience to the book because how Dave would describe everything that happened and that he got, is exactly how this 7 year old boy would talk. Thirdly, I can connect this book to my sisters elemantary school friend, she got burned by the iron by her mom for wanting to by ice cream. I can relate this scene to the book because Dave also got burned with the stove by his mom.

“My relationship with mom drastically changed from discipline to punishment that grew out of control. It became so bad at times, I had no strength to crawl away–even if it meant saving my life.”

- I chose this picture because it shows a little kids' hand and it states a fact of the rate of child abuse in the United States itself. I find this picture perfect to the book because it lets everybody know that the rates are going higher and higher by that minute, that there are cases similar too Dave's or even worse. The quote is from the book, it is on of he strongest quotes in the book.

If you were in Dave's' position what would you do differently?

Would you let our mom do all that to you?

Would using self defense against your own mom be considerate not having morals?

or unethical?

What are we doing wrong as a country for this to be happening?


I liked this book, it made me cry, and reflect on many things, such as life itself. At the beginning of the book I couldn't believe that there was someone that actually had to go through this. I have been wanting to read this book since i was in middles school, and just this year i finally read it. I feel that I was meant to have read it this year because now I am mature and I was able to understand the meaning of the book. It is also a bit strong so if I would have read it a 5 years ago, i do not know how I would have reacted. This book has made me value life and value the family I have. I recommend this book to the teens and adults.