David J. Pelzer

David J. Pelzerhttps://www.goodreads.comA hero should be made of three things. Bravery, courage and inspiration. Although there are many other traits, and everybody has their own heroes and their own definition of hero, these three traits stand out the most. Dave Pelzer experienced situations no kid ever deserves to experience. Because of what he was put through, he is now and author and has inspired many. Pelzer was born on December 29, 1960 where he was loved by his mother and his father, but overtime, his mother became corrupt from alcohol and started beating, starving, and poisoning Pelzer. He was rescued after teachers noticing the bruises and placed into foster care until 18 where he joined the Air Force. He is now an author of several self-help books and a book documenting his childhood, “A Child Called ‘It’.” Bravery, determination and inspiration are very important characteristics for a hero to have. Bravery allows them to step up to any obstacle they may face, determination keeps them wanting to overcome those obstacles, and inspiration allows them to get others to the same or follow in his/her path. Dave Pelzer showed bravery by outsmarting and disobeying his mother for survival, he showed determination by continuously fighting for life when things got worse, and he showed inspiration by inspiring others to take his message. Because of this, Pelzer should be considered a hero.

Bravery is a key characteristic in making a hero. Simply because bravery allows a person to overcome any obstacle that may come their way. After being starved for a few days, Pelzer decides that he can get food, so he comes up with an idea, which, “was to sneak away from the playground and run to the local grocery store, and steal cookies, bread, chips or whatever I could. In my mind, I planned every step so I could calculate my pace and later apply it to my trip to the store (Pelzer 59).” In order to survive, Pelzer came up with an idea of sneaking out of the school to get food to stay alive. This helps show that Pelzer is brave because he had the guts to ditch school and steal food for his own survival. Which, if he got caught, would lead to serious consequences. A second example of Pelzer showing bravery is when his mom is trying to burn him on the stove. After burning his arm, Pelzer decides that he wants to stay alive. Thinking to himself, “Suddenly, I began to realize the longer I could keep myself off the stove, the better my chances were for staying alive … Mother never acted this bizarre with anyone else in the house. In order to survive, I had to buy time (Pelzer 42).” To stay alive, Pelzer thinks quickly to realize if he can buy time and wait for his brother to get home, he can prevent himself from getting burnt. Pelzer shows bravery in this moment because he is aware of the fact he can survive as long as he is able to think ahead of his mother. In conclusion, bravery is a key characteristic in making a hero. Pelzer shows bravery by overcoming the obstacles that his mother put in front of him, and by finding ways to keep himself alive even if it meant it could get him in trouble.

Dave in Kindergartenhttps://www.davepelzer.comOne of the next traits a hero should have is determination. Determination allows a person to strive for their goal no matter how hard they get put down. One example of Pelzer showing this characteristic is after realizing he’s had enough of his mother’s beatings, and when he was, “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 (Pelzer 43).” With his time alone, Pelzer tells himself that he can survive only if he is able to think ahead. This shows Pelzer showing determination because he believes in himself that he can survive. In addition, another example of Pelzer showing determination is stated by Jerry Carroll who is writing an article for SFGate Magazine. Carroll says, “He was finally rescued in 1973, when the evidence of starvation and physical abuse -- he was 12 years old but weighed only 68 pounds -- became so obvious that police and social workers acted” After years of being starved, and physically abused, Pelzer was rescued at the age of twelve and was severely underweight. This proves that Pelzer shows great determination because he could’ve given up at any moment but held on and was able to make it out alive despite the trauma he was put under. In conclusion, determination is a very important part of being a hero, and Pelzer shows it by holding on to survival and not falling to what his mother wants. To make him weak.

Pelzer in the Air Forcehttps://www.davepelzer.comInspiration is the third and final characteristic a hero must have. A hero must inspire somebody to do the same, or follow in their mindset. One example of Pelzer showing inspiration is in what he does for a living. He’s an author and speaker, but besides that he spends his time helping others, as said by Jardine in her article for the Telegraph, where she says, “If there’s a disaster, he’s there. Whether it’s boosting the morale of American troops in Iraq, helping those made homeless by Hurricane Katrina, or responding to a child who has disclosed abuse, he wants to be there, telling people that he survived, so can they.” Pelzer is always at a scene of disaster or hurt to help out because he wants to people to now that if he can survive, they can too. Pelzer shows he’s inspirational from this because of the way he acts nicely towards others, and it could inspire others to follow in his path and do the same. Another example of Pelzer showing inspiration is shown in David Plotz’ article for Slate Magazine, where he says, “Still, Pelzer has other virtues. He really does inspire abuse victims. Online bulletin boards overflow with gratitude from fellow survivors: If he overcame a hellish beginning and made a normal, happy life for himself, then I can too. He relentlessly encourages other troubled kids to be resilient and stop wallowing.”  This helps prove that Pelzer is very inspirational because he is spreading the message you can live a normal life no matter what you’ve went through. He also has inspired others such as abuse victims to not back down and always be resilient. Lastly, inspiration is also another very important characteristic a hero should have because it strikes the hearts of others and lets others follow him.

Dave Pelzer has shown the traits bravery, determination, and inspiration all because of the wrath and abuse his mother put onto him. He showed bravery by doing things that would get him under trouble for his own survival, showed determination by fighting for his life and not giving up, and showed inspiration by impacting the lives of others by helping out. Pelzer inspires me and others because he proves that anybody can survive any obstacle thrown at them no matter how big or tough the obstacle is. He really is telling a good message through his books and through his words. For a person to encourage others they can make it through the worst, is a light in the darkness that some might need. That is really what a hero is. Somebody who wants people to know they can make it through, and still live happily ever after.

Works Consulted

Jardine, Cassandra. “Dave Pelzer: 'You Don't Get over It, Just Accept It'.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 20 June 2008, www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/donotmigrate/3554740/Dave-Pelzer-You-dont-get-over-it-just-accept-it.html.

Carroll, Jerry. “The Beaten Path / Author David Pelzer Chronicles a Nightmare Childhood.” SFGate, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Feb. 2012, www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/The-Beaten-Path-Author-David-Pelzer-chronicles-3000408.php.

Plotz, David. “Dave Pelzer.” Slate Magazine, Slate Magazine, 29 Sept. 2000, www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/assessment/2000/09/dave_pelzer.html.

Pelzer, Dave. A Child Called "It". Health Communications, 2015.