KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS

SETTING
Daly City, CA - This is the town, located in San Mateo County, where David grows
up. The majority of the action takes place within Davids home. !e lives in a middle
class neigh"orhood in an average house. The city stretches to the #aci$c %cean on
the &est and almost to the San 'rancisco (ay on the )ast. *t shares a "order with
San 'rancisco.
Chinatown, San Francisco- &here Mom took the "oys on a day trip during the
+good days., She taught them a"out the Chinese people and their culture. -fter
returning home, she played %riental music and decorated the home with Chinese
lanterns. 'or dinner she prepared Chinese food and gave the...
LIST OF CHARACTERS
Maor Charact!rs
Da"i# $!l%!r - Main character and narrator. David su/ers severe child a"use at the
hands of Mother. The story details his harrowing e0istence in a small California
su"ur". !e overcomes remarka"le odds and survives unthinka"le torture. -t the
"eginning of the story he is a very small child1 he is rescued as a $fth grader1 in the
)pilogue he is a grown man.
Cath!rin! Ro!r"a $!l%!r - Davids mother. &hen he is a small child she is
referred to as +Mom,- she is "eautiful, sweet, and nurturing. -s she starts to
"ecome a"usive, he refers to her as +Mother., -t this point she takes no interest in
her appearance and is overweight. David can never recall the color of her eyes or
hair.
St!&han 'os!&h $!l%!r - Davids father. !e is a $reman in San 'rancisco. *nitially,
he is Davids hero and protector. )ventually, as he sinks into alcoholism and
depression he...
Minor Charact!rs
Mr( Hans!n - Davids principle who $nally reports his case to the police.
Mr( )i!*l!r - Davids $fth grade homeroom teacher who talks with the police a"out
what he has seen.
Miss Moss - Davids $fth grade math teacher1 she speaks with police. *n second
grade she "ecame concerned a"out David and reported to the principal, who
re2uested a meeting with Mother, during...
3 -dditional characters are outlined in the full study guide.
CONFLICT
The major con4ict of this story is "etween David and Mother. There are the o"vious
physical con4icts "etween them, which consist of Mother hurting David and David
trying to survive. There is also the more su"tle underlying psychological con4ict
"etween the two in which Mother is trying to reduce David to as little as possi"le
and David is trying to maintain and shred of dignity. There is also a....
#rotagonist - David
-ntagonist - Mother
Clima0 - *nterestingly, the clima0 of this story occurs in the $rst chapter where the
school nurse once again e0amines David and the teachers confer a"out the
situation. &hen they $nally "ring in the o5cer there is an uncertainty of whether
David will "e saved or returned to another...
%utcome - %5cer Smith takes David to the police station where the o5cer phones
Mother to..
SHORT $LOT + CHA$TER S,MMARY -Syno&sis.
The story opens at the end of the horri$c journey of $fth grader, David #el6er,
through one of the most severe documented cases of child a"use. -t school after a
morning of washing dishes in scalding water, "eing "eaten, and "eing +rewarded,
with his "rothers leftover cereal, David is e0amined "y the school nurse for signs of
a"use-yet again. %n this morning the school o5cials decide this has gone on for
too long and must "e reported to the police.
The police take David into the custody of the San Mateo 7uvenile Department1 he is
freed of Mothers torment.
'rom here David remem"ers the rollercoaster ride that has "rought him thus far.
!is earliest memories are very happy. !is mom was nurturing and "eautiful. She
made every e/ort to make life magical for him and his two "rothers. Mom, David,
his "rothers, and their $re- $ghter father, Stephan lived in a modest home in Daly
City, C-. *t was $lled with pets, joyful holiday cele"rations, and family fun1 it was a
wonderful place to "e.
!owever, this home soon turned into a hellish nightmare for little David.
Davids mom soon "egan spending her days not taking her sons on e0citing day
trips, "ut lying on the couch.
She stopped wearing makeup and getting dressed. 8ight-hearted happy hours
twisted into a ...
THEMES
Maor Th!/!
The major theme of - Child Called +*t, is th! a0ility o1 th! h2/an s&irit to
o"!rco/! r!/ar3a0l! o##s(
Mother progressively treats David worse- yet he "ecomes stronger despite an
escalating sense of isolation. !e survives.
Minor Th!/!s
There are many minor themes in this story. They include the themes of9
D!t!rioration: this can "e seen with Mother, 'ather, the general relationships with
in the family, and places such as the ;ussian ;iver. This theme also supports the
major theme of the a"ility of the human spirit. This is accomplished "y ju0taposing
David with Mother and 'ather. Mother succum"s to her +odds., (ecause David
narrates the story, we do not know what the motive is for her treacherous "ehavior1
however, it is fair to assume she is acting in response to ill forces working in her life.
This is hinted at in the....
H!ro 4*2r!s - This can "e seen with Mom, 'ather, <od, and David when he calls
himself Superman. Mom is the hero of Davids childhood1 she a"ruptly "ecomes the
villain of his youth. 'ather is Davids hero during the days of Mothers torture
"ecause while he is home, David is safe. !e also promises David that..
-dditional themes are discussed in the complete study guide.
MOOD
The mood of this piece is som"er "ut inspirational. *t is som"er merely "ecause the
nature of the topic. *t is inspirational "ecause the author has already alerted the
reader of the outcome from the onset. Therefore, the reader knows David will
survive and every "attle wound he su/ers...
5ACKGRO,ND INFORMATION 6 5IOGRA$HY
David 7ames #el6er was "orn Decem"er =>, ?>@A in Daly City, California. !e was
the second oldest of $ve male children. This is an entirely true story written "y the
author himself. David was rescued from the torment of his mother, Catherine
;oerva at age twelve and then lived in foster care until of legal age. &hen he turned
eighteen he joined the B.S. -ir force. During his years of service he played a
pertinent role in %peration 7ust Cause in Desert Storm and Desert Shield. )ver since
Dave has continued to lead an inspiring and ama6ing life for which he has "een
recogni6ed "y the last three #residents of the Bnited States9 ;eagan, (ush, and
Clinton.
?>>A named him the California Colunteer of the year. *n ?>>D Dave was named one
of the Ten %utstanding Eoung -mericans. *n ?>>F, he "ecame the only -merican to
"e named one of %utstanding Eoung #ersons of the &orld. *n ?>>@ he was honored
at the %lympic games in -tlanta "y "eing selected to carry the Centennial torch.
-s an author, David has received literary acclaim. - Child Called +*t, Gpu"lished in
?>>HI and his most recent
!elp Eourself, have "oth "een nominated for the #ulit6er #ri6e. -ll of his...
LITERARY + HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
This is the true story of David #el6ers tormented childhood, as told "y the survivor
himself. The people, places, and events are not $ctitious creations- though they are
hardly "elieva"le. This case is the third worst to "e reported in the history of
California State. &hile appalling to read how so many people were aware of this
atrocity and so little was done for so long, it is important to "ear in..
CHA$TER S,MMARIES 7ITH NOTES
CHA$TER 8 9Th! R!sc2!:
S2//ary
*n Chapter %ne we meet main character and narrator, David. !e "egins "y telling
us a"out the morning of his rescue from the terri"le conditions in which he lives
with his a"usive mother. This morning he is forced to wash the familys dishes in
scalding water and is "eaten for removing his hands from the sink. !e is fed only as
a reward for doing these +chores.,
&hen David arrives at school the school nurse who has apparently caught on to his
mothers "ehavior, puts him through a routine inspection. !e descri"es his "adly
tattered out$t that he has "een forced to wear to school every day for two years1 he
also details how the other children tease him a"out his stench. The principle, Mr.
Jiegler, and other faculty call the authorities to report Davids mother. David is
taken "y a police o5cer to the police station. David is under the impression that is
will "e going to jail "ecause he "elieves he is "ad. The o5cer calls Davids mother
to tell her David is under the protection of the San Mateo 7uvenile Department. !e
then assures David that he is now free.
Not!s
#el6er "egins his story with its denouement, or resolution. !e achieves this "y
descri"ing his last morning living under the a"usive control of his mother : March H,
?>KD. The actual "eginning of the horrid tale occurs in the ne0t chapter, in the
?>@As. This techni2ue accomplishes a few things including catching the readers
attention immediately and making the rest of the story all the more un"elieva"le
"ecause the reader knows that David survives. Most importantly, it creates a story
of survival not one of demise. *t introduces the major theme of the power of the
human spirit to overcome remarka"le odds. This chapter also esta"lishes two of the
main characters, David and Mother. David has seemingly sustained his tormented
way of life for many years "ecause he has "ecome cunning and a"le to anticipate
Mothers games. This is evident in the opening scene where he cleverly pretends to
"e fearful of Mother, when in reality he doesnt care if he is "eaten- he is playing
along so he will "e allowed to eat. !owever, the torture has left him weak, tattered,
apprehensive, and essentially "rain washed.
-n e0ample of this is his encounter with the o5cials at school. &ith the school
nurse, he tries to use a variety of Mothers lies to e0plain his injuries1 he feels guilty
when he admits the truth. &hen hugged "y the nurse and later "y Miss &oods his
description of their warmth and scent is an antithesis of the cold Mother1 he revels
their nurture. 'inally, when the o5cer takes him to the station, David thinks he is
"eing placed in jail "ecause he is a +"ad "oy.,
Mother is portrayed as ugly "oth physically and emotionally. She is over-weight and
takes no interest in her appearance. 'ar worse, she is vicious and physically
a"usive of David. The opening scene depicts what seems to "e a typical +chore, of
hers - making David wash dishes in scalding water, una"le to remove his hands.
David also recounts what seems to "e a very typical "eating. 8ater when the nurse
e0amines him, there is evidence of many "eatings, and most shocking : a sta"
wound scar. (y the end of the chapter we have met David and Mother, e0perienced
the elements of their treacherous relationship, and witnessed his miraculous rescue.
The following chapters will prove just how miraculous this rescue is.
CHA$TER ; 9Th! Goo# Ti/!s:
S2//ary
David descri"es a time when his family was like the +(rady (unch., &e $nd out
that the "eginning of his childhood was surprisingly wonderful. !is home was $lled
with a variety of pets. !is mother went to great lengths to make the holidays for
her hus"and and three sons e0tra special with decorations, stories, and presents.
She took the children of many day trips and picnics. )very summer she planned an
e0citing vacation for her family. She took every opportunity to create adventures
for her children, and made life magical for them.
Not!s
*n this chapter we are "rought to the "eginning of the story, which "egins almost
like a fairy- tale. David is the oldest of three "oys. !e lives in an average middle
class home in Daly City, California. !is father, Stephen 7oseph, is a $re $ghter. !is
mother, now identi$ed as Catherine ;oerva, is a devoted mother and housewife.
Chapter = is written in the past tense, which will continue until the )pilogue, and
indicates the true "eginning of the story. Most importantly, it esta"lishes an ironic
foundation for the rest of the twisted tale in that it makes Davids torment Ga"out
which we already knowI all the more heart "reaking.
This chapter also esta"lishes the two separate entities, +Mother, and +MomL
Mommy., Mother, as we have seen, is vindictive and tormenting. Mom is sweet and
loving. There is a foreshadowing of what his mother will "ecome. David descri"es a
time when Mom said she was sick and madly painted the steps, tacking mats onto
them "efore they were dry. !owever, Mom is not yet a"usive : she said she merely
wanted to surprise his father. David also descri"es a particular outing when Mom
took them to Chinatown. -fter learning all a"out the Chinese people Mom created a
magical evening at home with %riental music and food. She gave the children
fortune cookies. Davids ironically stated9 +8ove and honor thy Mother, for she is
the fruit that gives thou life.,...
O<ERALL ANALYSES
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Da"i# $!l%!r - David is the main character, narrator, and protagonist of this story.
Through out the course of his a"use at the hands of Mother, appro0imately seven
years, he undergoes drastic change physically and psychologically. -t the onset he
is a seemingly normal child in normal family. !owever, as his mother slowly sinks
into a demented alcoholic fren6y, David, deteriorating physically from..
Cath!rin! Ro!r"a $!l%!r - Catherine or Mother is the antagonist of the story and
Davids foil. *n the "eginning of the story she is a sweet and nurturing woman who
lives for her family. She does everything she can to make her familys life "lissful.
!owever, she then slips into a psychotic state in which she lives only to...
St!&han $!l%!r - 8ike Mother, 'ather also e0periences a spiraling deterioration
throughout this story. !is most important deterioration, though, is his fall from hero
status. This is also a source of irony. 'ather is a $re$ghter and trained to save lives-
to "e a hero. !owever, his half-hearted attempts to help David at....
$LOT STR,CT,RE ANALYSIS
This plot is uni2ue and interesting "ecause it is a series of true events. Therefore, it
is of particular importance to pay attention to the each event that is detailed
"ecause they are not simply creations of the authors mind, "ut chosen from many
memories for a speci$c purpose.
David himself tells the story in the $rst person. This is e/ective "ecause this
essentially an account of his internal struggle to survive. (esides his physical
survival, the author places a great emphasis on his emotionalL psychological
survival- of which we would not know if this were told in the third person. #el6er
"egins his story in the present tense, from which later chapters will depart. *t can
"e inferred that this...

THEMES 6 THEME ANALYSIS
The a"ility of the human spirit to overcome remarka"le odds - This is the major
theme of the story. This theme is integral to plot, characters, and is essentially
#el6ers main message.
&ith regard to plot, #el6er "egins his story at the end. This is vital to this theme
"ecause it makes this a story of survival, since we know David has survived. 'rom
here the plot is directed in such a manner so as to show the reader how1 therefore,
communicating the theme of the spirits a"ility.
;egarding characters, this story a/ects all three of its main characters : David,
Mother, and 'ather. *t also is furthered "y foiling Mother and David, and David and
'ather to an e0tent as well. David is o"viously the e0ample of this message. This is
most conspicuous in that the entire story is one of Davids surviving remarka"le
odd. That this survival was the a"ility of his spirit, his will, is more su"tle. The
readers $rst clue this is just as importantly a psychological survival is in Chapter ?.
Davis states9 +."ut * havent let her take away my will to somehow survive, Gp FI.
-s the story continues David increasingly grows wise to Mothers actions and $nds
ways to survive despite her Ge.g. stealing food, asking women to make him lunch,
pretending to "e afraid of her in order to get what he wants.I -lso important to this
theme is how #el6er highlights the psychological elements of Mothers de"auchery.
This is especially evident in Chapter F where Mother follows David ...
$OINT OF <IE7
- Child Called *t is a $rst person narrative. This means that this is a story that is told
through the e0perience of one person commenting on what is going on around him.
*t is marked "y the use of +*,. This story is recounted through the eyes of David
#el6er, a victim and survivor of...
IM$ORTANT =,OTATIONS AND ANALYSIS 6 =,OTES
?. +* never felt as safe and as warm as that moment in time, at the ;ussian ;iver.,
GDavid, p.=@I This is important "ecause it descri"es a perfect time in Davids
childhood and helps to e0plain what the ;ussian ;iver will sym"oli6e for David for
his entire life. -lthough as he will later return Gtwice in this storyI to $nd the
dynamics of his family have changed, or the "uildings have changed, the river itself
does not. This reinforces the theme of the a"ility of the human spirit- like the river,
no matter what has happened to David he has survived....