Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer Character Analysis in A Child Called It

Catherine Roerva Pelzer is the antagonist of A Child Called “It”. For years, she abuses her son, Dave Pelzer, for reasons that are never made clear: she hits him, burns his arm, forces him to eat feces and vomit, and starves him for days at a time. While Dave suggests that Mother is a heavy drinker and may suffer from depression, he doesn’t offer any theories about why she singles him out for abuse, or what motivates her to continue abusing him year after year. Sometimes, her cruel behavior seems sloppy and half-accidental—for example, when she drunkenly stabs Dave. But on other occasions, the memoir shows that Mother’s cruelty is premeditated and cunningly designed to make Dave suffer as greatly as possible. Even more bafflingly, Mother sometimes treats Dave with love and tenderness and then returns to abusing him—again, readers never understand why. The result is that, even by the end of the memoir, Mother embodies evil, which can be neither explained nor understood. She’s a force of pure malevolence, which Dave must escape at all costs.

Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer Quotes in A Child Called It

The A Child Called It quotes below are all either spoken by Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer or refer to Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

After I count her steps, making sure she’s gone, I breathe a sigh of relief. The act worked. Mother can beat me all she wants, but I haven’t let her take away my will to somehow survive.

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer

Page Number and Citation: 4

Explanation and Analysis:

In the first chapter of A Child Called “It”, Pelzer establishes one of his most important themes: the refusal to submit to cruelty. In the 1970s, Dave Pelzer is a small, defenseless boy, living with an abusive mother. Mother wields almost total power over her child; she can deny Dave food, force him to clean the house for hours, and beat him senseless, seemingly without any fear of punishment. But in spite of Mother’s power, Dave finds small, personal ways of resisting Mother. Although he’s too young to fight back, Dave refuses to give in to despair. No matter how Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam

From above, I felt someone hug my shoulders, I thought it was my father. I turned and became flushed with pride to find Mom holding me tightly. I could feel her heart beat. I never felt as safe and as warm as that moment in time, at the Russian River.

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer

Page Number and Citation: 26

Explanation and Analysis:

In Chapter Two, Dave talks about his early childhood. Strangely, Dave’s early years with his Mother are idyllic: she’s a model parent, who seemingly treats her children with nothing but affection. The chapter closes with this passage, in which Dave and his siblings go to the nearby Russian River and look out at the water. Dave feels warm and secure as Mother embraces him. (Notice that, in this chapter, Dave refers to his mother as “Mom,” perhaps suggesting that, at this point, he had a much more intimate, loving relationship with her.) The passage is baffling because, only a few Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus cor

Mother would simply grab me and smash my face against the mirror, smearing my tear-streaked face on the slick, reflective glass. Then she would order me to say over and over again, "I'm a bad boy! I'm a bad boy! I'm a bad boy!"

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer

Page Number and Citation: 30-31

Explanation and Analysis:

As Dave Pelzer grows older, Mother begins to abuse him more and more harshly. She begins hitting him in the face, smashing his face into the mirror, and forcing him to repeat that he’s a bad boy. Although Mother’s physical abuse is harsh, her psychological abuse is arguably even harsher. By forcing Dave to repeat that he’s been bad, she effectively forces him to accept that he deserves his punishment and, by extension, that he’s an inherently bad person who doesn’t deserve happiness or kindness. As Pelzer makes clear toward the end of the memoir, he’s spent years trying to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaeca

While I was cleaning the bathroom, I overheard an argument between Mother and Father. She was angry with him for "going behind her back" to buy me the paintings. Mother told Father that she was in charge of disciplining "the boy" and that he had undermined her authority by buying the gifts. The longer Father argued his case, the angrier she became. I could tell he had lost, and that I was becoming more and more isolated.

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer, Stephen Joseph Pelzer / Father

Page Number and Citation: 39

Explanation and Analysis:

In this passage, which takes place shortly after Christmas, Dave overhears his parents arguing about his Christmas presents. Mother, who’s begun to abuse Dave very harshly, has told Dave that he won’t be receiving any Christmas presents because he’s a bad boy. Father, on the other hand, has purchased a few gifts for Dave; however, after an argument with his wife, he seemingly agrees to submit to her authority and continue to treat Dave as a bad child. Throughout the book, Father is the family member who Dave loves best. However, Dave also acknowledges that Father is a weak, spineless Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati e

Standing alone in that damp, dark garage, I knew, for the first time, that I could survive. I decided that I would use any tactic I could think of to defeat Mother or to delay her from her grizzly obsession. I knew if I wanted to live, I would have to think ahead. I could no longer cry like a helpless baby. In order to survive, I could never give in to her. That day I vowed to myself that I would never, ever again give that bitch the satisfaction of hearing me beg her to stop beating me.

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer

Page Number and Citation: 43

Explanation and Analysis:

Although Chapter Three is full of horrific acts of cruelty, it ends on a cautiously optimistic note. Dave is still getting used to his new life: with Mother beating him and abusing him almost every day. However, he comes to realize that he must never submit to Mother’s authority: at the very least, he must preserve his dignity and self-respect, rather than begging her for mercy. Dave keeps his promise to himself for the remainder of his time spent living with Mother. Why does it matter that Dave refuses to beg Mother for mercy? Dave isn’t strong or old enough Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debit

When I returned from school the next afternoon, Mother smiled as if she had won a million-dollar sweepstakes. She told me how she had dressed up to see the principal, with her infant son Russell in her arms. Mother told me how she had explained to the principal how David had an overactive imagination. Mother told him how David had often struck and scratched himself to get attention, since the recent birth of his new brother, Russell. I could imagine her turning on her snake-like charm as she cuddled Russell for the benefit of the principal.

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer, Russell Pelzer

Page Number and Citation: 53

Explanation and Analysis:

In Chapter Four, Dave’s teachers begin to notice that he shows signs of serious abuse—his clothes are always torn, and he’s covered in bruises and scratches. However, as Pelzer explains it, Mother is able to alleviate Dave’s teachers’ concerns by lying and claiming that Dave hurts himself to get attention, and that he’s jealous of the new baby, Russell. After this chapter, Dave’s teachers don’t raise any serious concerns about his condition until 1973, when they finally call the police and ensure that Dave won’t live with Mother anymore. The passage paints a disturbing picture of life in the 1970s, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta.

Sometimes at the grocery store, if I felt things weren't just right, I didn't steal anything. As always, I finally got caught. The manager called Mother. At the house, I was thrashed relentlessly. Mother knew why I stole food and so did Dad, but she still refused to feed me. The more I craved food, the more I tried to come up with a better plan to steal it.

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Stephen Joseph Pelzer / Father, Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer

Page Number and Citation: 62

Explanation and Analysis:

Because Mother refuses food to Dave on a regular basis (she feeds him sometimes, but not enough), Dave is forced to look for food in other place. He tries raiding the trashcans at home, stealing food from his peers, and, eventually, shoplifting from a local grocery store. On one occasion, the manager of the grocery store catches Dave in the act of stealing, and reports him to Mother, who beats Dave (even though the only reason he’s stealing food in the first place is that she’s denying him three meals a day). The passage is another example of how negligent Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde

I knew no one could help me. Not my teachers, my so-called brothers or even Father. I was on my own, and every night I prayed to God that I could be strong both in body and soul. In the darkness of the garage, I laid on the wooden cot and shivered until I fell into a restless sleep.

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer, Stephen Joseph Pelzer / Father

Page Number and Citation: 68

Explanation and Analysis:

As Dave’s life goes on, he begins to give up on other people. His mother is abusive and cruel, his brothers treat him like a slave, and go along with Mother’s abuse, and even Father—seemingly the kindest person in his family—is a horrible, neglectful parent who allows Mother to hit and starve his own child. Dave teaches himself not to rely on other people; however, he also turns to God for help and comfort (A Child Called “It” is an explicitly Christian book at times, and Dave credits God with helping him survive his time with Mother and becoming a Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor aspe

The more I tried to focus on my options of what she might do to me, the more my inner strength drained away. Then an idea flashed in my brain: I knew why Mother had followed every step I took. She wanted to maintain a constant pressure on me, by leaving me unsure of when or where she would strike.

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer

Page Number and Citation: 72

Explanation and Analysis:

At the end of this chapter, Dave goes to a neighbor’s house to beg for food; to his horror, the neighbor is one of Mother’s friends—he’s sure that the friend will call Mother, and Mother will end up beating him for daring to ask other people for food. When Dave gets home from school that day, however, he finds that Mother is unusually quiet and passive. Gradually, he realizes what Mother is trying to do: knowing full-well that Dave is terrified of her, she’s trying to overwhelm with the anticipation of punishment waging psychological warfare on her son. The passage Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo.

I stuttered, "Father . . . Mo . . . Mo . . . Mother stabbed me."
He didn't even raise an eyebrow, "Why?" he asked.
"She told me if I didn't do the dishes on time, she...she'd kill me."
Time stood still. From behind the paper I could hear Father's labored breathing. He cleared his throat before saying, "Well . . . you ah . . . you better go back in there and do the dishes."

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Stephen Joseph Pelzer / Father (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer

Page Number and Citation: 89-90

Explanation and Analysis:

In Chapter Five, one of the most famous (and notorious) parts of the book, Mother stabs Dave with a kitchen knife while Dave is doing the dishes. Mother has been drinking heavily, and she staggers toward Dave, driving the knife into his chest. Both in the book and in interviews, Pelzer has insisted that the stabbing was, technically, an accident—Mother was very drunk and, in spite of her record of abusiveness, wasn’t trying to cut her son with the knife. In this passage, however, Dave tells Father that Mother has stabbed him. Outrageously, Father seems unfazed by this news. Instead Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor aspe

To survive her new game I had to use my head. Lying on the tiled floor I stretched my body and, using my foot, I slid the bucket to the door. I did this for two reasons: I wanted the bucket as far away from me as possible, and in case Mother opened the door I wanted her to 1et a snoot full of her own medicine.

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer

Page Number and Citation: 108

Explanation and Analysis:

In this passage, Mother has forced Dave to clean a bathroom with Clorox and ammonia. She locks the door, meaning that Dave has to inhale the rough, toxic fumes of the cleaning chemicals. While cleaning the bathroom, Dave makes a point of pushing the bucket of chemicals as far away from him, and as close to the door, as possible—partly because he wants to limit the fumes he’s breathing, and partly because he wants Mother to inhale some of the fumes. The passage is a great example of how Dave finds small ways of resisting Mother’s authority, even as he Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi ne

Mother's hand on my shoulder brought me back to reality. "'Well, tell her, sweetheart," Mother said, smiling again. "Tell her that I starve you and beat you like a dog," Mother snickered, trying to get the lady to laugh, too.

I looked at the lady, My face felt flushed, and I could feel the beads of sweat forming on my forehead. I didn't have the guts to tell the lady the truth. "No, it's not like that at all," I said. "Mom treats me pretty good."

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 125

Explanation and Analysis:

In this passage, Mother has treated Dave kindly for weeks. She’s assured him that she’ll never beat or starve him again, and that, from now on, she’ll love him unconditionally. However, Dave eventually realizes what’s going on: Mother is only pretending to be kind to Dave, so that Dave won’t tell the social services officer that she beats him. In the scene described in the passage, Dave has an opportunity to tell the social services officer that Mother abuses him. However, Dave is so intimidated by Mother’s presence that he doesn’t take advantage of his opportunity. Dave has been conditioned Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Moles

As I sat alone in the garage, or read to myself in the near darkness of my parents' bedroom, I came to realize that I would live like this for the remainder of my life. No just God would leave me like this. I believed that I was alone in my struggle and that my battle was one of survival.

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer, Stephen Joseph Pelzer / Father

Page Number and Citation: 131

Explanation and Analysis:

Chapter Seven starts on an especially miserable note. Dave has been the victim of child abuse for many years now; after so many years, he’s beginning to give up all hope that his life will get better. Dave has come to accept that beatings and starvation are regular parts of his life; furthermore, he’s largely given up praying to God for salvation, or even hoping that his life might improve someday. Surely, he reasons, no God would allow him to treated so horribly. Although Chapter Seven begins with utter misery, it ends more optimistically. Dave regains his optimism (indeed, the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus

Father shook his head and said in a sad voice, “I can’t take it anymore. The whole thing. Your mother, this house, you. I just can't take it anymore.” Before he closed the bedroom door I could barely hear him mutter, "I . . . I'm . . . I'm sorry.”

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Stephen Joseph Pelzer / Father (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer

Page Number and Citation: 149

Explanation and Analysis:

In this passage, Father announces that he’ll be moving out of the house. He and Mother have been fighting for a long time now, and now he’ll be living somewhere else (shortly afterwards, Dave learns that his parents are separating permanently). The news that Father is leaving is especially tough for Dave because, in addition to the usual anxieties that accompany a parent’s departure, Dave is frightened that, without Father around to protect him, Mother will begin abusing him even more severely. The passage is also the defining example of Father’s weakness. He understands that Mother is abusing Dave and, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error.

As Mother drove out of the McDonald's parking lot, she glanced back at me and sneered, "You are all mine now. Too bad your father's not here to protect you."

Related Characters: David Pelzer / Dave (speaker), Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer (speaker), Stephen Joseph Pelzer / Father

Page Number and Citation: 152

Explanation and Analysis:

In this passage, immediately after Dave says goodbye to Father for the last time, Mother confirms Dave’s worst fears. Just as he’s suspected, Mother is going to abuse him even more harshly than she did before. Gleefully, Mother tells Dave that he’s at her mercy from now on—nobody’s going to protect him from her wrath anymore. (However, in the previous chapters, it had seemed that Mother was abusing Dave more overtly and that she was no longer concerned with hiding her behavior from Father—suggesting that Father wasn’t really “protecting” Dave in the first place. However, Pelzer doesn’t really address this Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Oc

Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer Character Timeline in A Child Called It

The timeline below shows where the character Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer appears in A Child Called It. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...going hungry again, he frantically tries to rinse the dishes in scalding hot water. Suddenly, “Mother” hits the narrator in the face, and he falls to the floor. He begs, “Please,... (full context)

Later that morning, Mother drives the narrator and his brother to school. She tells the narrator that, tomorrow, she’s... (full context)

Neglect and the Normalization of Evil Theme Icon

...that he’s had “enough of this.” Frightened, the narrator begs Mr. Hansen not to call Mother again, but Hansen promises he won’t. (full context)

The police officer asks the narrator to tell him about Mother, but the narrator refuses, afraid that Mother will find out. When Miss Moss assures the... (full context)

...drives Dave to a police station. After completing some paperwork, he asks Dave for his Mother’s phone number. Dave is initially reluctant to give him the number, since he’s afraid that... (full context)

...of the Golden Gate Bridge. Dave’s father, Stephen Joseph, is a fireman, and his mom, Catherine Roerva , is a determined, loving homemaker. She’s extremely neat, and spends hours scouring disinfecting kitchen.... (full context)

...still has vivid memories of celebrating the holidays with his family. The day after Thanksgiving, Mom would begin decorating for Christmas, and Dave loved decorating the Christmas tree and singing carols.... (full context)

...to watch the sunset. As he watches the sun set over the nearby Russian River, Mom hugs him. He says he’s never felt as safe and warm as he does then. (full context)

Dave’s relationship with Mom changes very quickly, however, to the point where things get so bad he has “no... (full context)

Mother begins to punish Dave more and more harshly. At first, she punishes him for being... (full context)

Father works long hours—sometimes twenty-four hours at a time. In times like this, Mother punishes her children especially harshly. She forces them to search the entire house for something... (full context)

One day, while Father is at work, Mother yells for her children. While Dave’s brothers run away, Mother—whose eyes are bloodshot—hits Dave again... (full context)

Dave loves school because it’s an escape from Mother. He makes friends and gets good grades. One day, however, Mother yells that Dave will... (full context)

...Dave. One day, when Dave does well on an assignment, he shows the assignment to Mother; Mother responds by telling Dave that he won’t be receiving anything for Christmas. On Christmas,... (full context)

In the spring, Mother becomes “den mother” for the local Cub Scouts team. She invites children to the house... (full context)

...on, he decides that he’ll try as hard as he can to delay or defeat Mother—he’ll never, ever give in to her or give her the pleasure of begging her to... (full context)

After Mother burns Dave, school becomes his refuge. In September, he returns to school with new clothes;... (full context)

At home, Dave is barely a part of the family anymore. Mother no longer uses his name, and Ron, Stan, and Father mostly ignore him. Sometimes, Father... (full context)

The year Dave goes to the second grade, Mother becomes pregnant. Miss Moss, Dave’s teacher, asks Dave why he has so much trouble paying... (full context)

...of the family drive out to Russian River to go camping. Dave gets along with Mother better than he has in a long time, but the “magical feeling” is gone. One... (full context)

...school, wearing the same clothes he wore last year. Instead of driving Dave to school, Mother forces Dave to run to school. At school, Dave’s old friends make fun of him... (full context)

...again, while also stealing from the store. One day, the manager catches him and calls Mother; Mother beats Dave. (full context)

After dinner, Mother scrapes leftovers into the garbage can and then makes Dave wash the dishes with scalding... (full context)

...the classroom, he’s proud that he’s fed himself. But when he comes home that day, Mother punches him in the stomach and forces him to stick his finger down his throat... (full context)

After Dave eats his vomit, Mother throws some old newspapers at him and informs him that, from now on, he’ll be... (full context)

Suddenly Mother calls Dave upstairs. She tells him, “I have a cure for your hunger,” and orders... (full context)

One day, Mother squeezes soap into Dave’s mouth and makes him swallow. Secretly, Dave doesn’t—he just keeps the... (full context)

...1971, Dave is ten years old. He’s come to learn what punishments to expect from Mother—above all, beatings. He’s also learned to reflexively tense his body whenever Mother is nearby. He’s... (full context)

...the family eats dinner—Dave isn’t allowed to eat with the rest of his family. Suddenly, Mother shouts for Dave to come into the kitchen and clear the dishes. As he clears... (full context)

As Dave clears the dishes, Mother continues to yell, brandishing a big knife at him and threatening to kill him if... (full context)

When Dave wakes up again, Mother is wrapping a cloth around his chest. Mother often said that she’d intended to be... (full context)

Father walks into the house. Dave gasps, “Mother stabbed me.” Without raising an eyebrow, Father asks, “Why?” Dave explains that he’d been doing... (full context)

...looks down and sees that his shirt is covered in blood. Dave goes upstairs, where Mother removes his shirt and dresses him in an oversized T-shirt. Mother allows Dave to rest... (full context)

Before going to bed, Mother feeds Dave some food. He sleeps in the garage, trying not to think of the... (full context)

Three days after the “accident,” Dave feels awful, but Mother is back to her old ways. Dave doesn’t ask Mother for any help. In private,... (full context)

...time at home. He makes excuses, but Dave doesn’t believe them. When Father is home, Mother doesn’t hurt Dave as often. One evening, Father helps Dave do the dishes, and tells... (full context)

During one period when Father is gone for work, Mother starves Dave for ten days. She makes sure that Dave eats no food, locking the... (full context)

When Father is away, Mother forces Dave to clean the bathroom with ammonia and Clorox. She locks him inside, so... (full context)

During the summer, Mother makes Dave mow lawns and give her the money he earns. The previous Easter vacation... (full context)

One day, Mother summons Dave to the bathroom, where he finds her filling the tub with cold water.... (full context)

In the coming weeks, Mother begins to use the “bathtub and backyard treatment” on Dave more and more often. Dave’s... (full context)

...listen to another record. Then Dave runs home, where he begins his chores, and afterwards, Mother forces him to sit in the backyard in the cold. Dave begins to cry—the substitute... (full context)

...even worse. Bullies tease him, and he has a hard time finding food. After school, Mother makes him vomit to prove that he hasn’t eaten anything that day. She whips him... (full context)

...Dave is sent to the school nurse. At first, Dave tells the nurse the lies Mother has instructed him to repeat. But gradually he begins to trust the nurse, and tells... (full context)

...carve pumpkins for Halloween while Dave sits alone in the cold bathtub. Dave can hear Mother telling her other children ghost stories and treating them with love and warmth—he’s so furious... (full context)

...receives a pair of roller skates, which he later learns are another instrument of torture: Mother forces Dave to skate outside without a jacket in the cold while the other children... (full context)

In March, Mother goes into labor, and Father takes her to the hospital. Dave is very relieved to... (full context)

One Sunday, Mother tells Dave that she’s sorry, and that she wants to “make up for all the... (full context)

...asks Dave if he’s happy; Dave says that he is. When the woman asks if Mother ever hits him, Davis hesitates. He realizes that Mother has been spoiling him recently so... (full context)

...grade, Dave decides that there is no God: he’s convinced that no God would let Mother beat him. On the surface, Dave has learned to appear calm and emotionless, even when... (full context)

Dave thinks about killing Mother, and making her feel his pain and loneliness. He also despises Father for being a... (full context)

...slogan for the school newspaper, Ziegler makes a point of praising Dave, and even writes Mother a letter complimenting Dave. Mother reads the letter and laughs derisively. She tells Dave that... (full context)

In the coming weeks, Dave begins doing his chores more and more carelessly. He wants Mother to know “I didn’t care anymore.” Once, when Mother takes Dave to a grocery store,... (full context)

...thing that keeps Dave sane is his baby brother Kevin, who he loves. Shortly before Mother gives birth to Kevin, she tries to choke Dave, and Dave fights back by kicking... (full context)

As the holiday season approaches, Mother argues with her own mother on the phone, and then takes out her anger on... (full context)

That year, for Thanksgiving, Father comes to the house and Mother allows Dave to eat with the rest of the family. The dinner is silent and... (full context)

As Mother drives home, Dave clasps his hands together and silently prays. As the car pulls into... (full context)

Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer Character Analysis

Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer Quotes in A Child Called It

Chapter 1 Quotes

Chapter 2 Quotes

Chapter 3 Quotes

Chapter 4 Quotes

Chapter 5 Quotes

Chapter 6 Quotes

Chapter 7 Quotes

Mother / Mom / Catherine Roerva Pelzer Character Timeline in A Child Called It