Background
Through the eyes of an abused child, David Plezer narrates the story of a small man who made an effort to escape his abusive mother. By examining the character and personality development, storyline, and writer’s perspective, one can attempt to investigate the many types of child abuse and their psychological effects on children. Since the issue is directly connected to a child’s psychological development, theories relevant to developmental psychology within the social work ontology are required (Hutchison, 2016). They illustrate how David’s efforts to escape his mother’s influence continued even after state officials had taken him in, until he could finally demonstrate his ability to surpass the horror of his mother’s attitude.
Developmental Theory
A process that results in the development of unique skills is called development. In this context, various psychologists hold differing perspectives on development and growth. According to Malti (2021) and Tomasello (2020), the goal of developmental psychology is to examine how people evolve as unique individuals. In short, development describes the uniqueness of psychological states, whereas growth encompasses the accumulation of bodily weight and physical capacity.
Some theories use the phases of psychosocial development to describe the development of one’s life. Namely, Erikson’s model distinguishes between trust versus mistrust, autonomy versus shame, initiative versus guilt, competence versus low self-esteem, identity versus role confusion, intimacy versus isolation, generativity versus stagnation, and integrity versus despair (Lawford et al., 2019; Orenstein & Lewis, 2022). These stages range from birth to one year, one to three years, three to six years, six to twelve years, twelve to eighteen years, twenty-one to forty years, twenty-five to sixty-five years, and sixty-five and older, respectively (Orenstein & Lewis, 2022). Each of the mentioned stages has its own specific developmental tasks.
In contrast, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development posits that distinct stages can be identified in the latter. Specifically, these stages refer to sensory-motor, pre-concrete, and formal operational stages (Hanfstingl et al., 2019; Sanghvi, 2020). Several forms of self-encouragement are used to sustain and promote self-encouragement at every stage mentioned. In other words, what has been accomplished during one stage will be preserved and used as a foundation during the next. Additionally, one can accumulate beneficial experiences through defensive mechanisms. That person will become wiser and more responsible as a result of this experience.
Case Discussion
Macro-Systemic Intervention
The first-person narration allows readers to feel every emotion the protagonist, David, is experiencing. The dynamics of David’s life reveal that he is a complex individual attempting to endure his mother’s constant abuse. In this book, his character is dramatically revealed, showing his personality and attitude toward ongoing events, as well as his resolve to withstand the abuse, regardless of how harsh it becomes.
“I act timid, nodding to her threats. ” ‘Please,’ I say to myself, ‘just let me eat. Hit me again, but I have to have food.’ Another blow pushed my head against the tile countertop. I let the tears of mock defeat stream down my face as she stormed out of the kitchen, seemingly satisfied with herself. 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. I haven’t let her take away my will to somehow survive. I finish the dishes, then my other chores. For my reward, I receive breakfast left over from one of my brother’s cereal bowls.” (Plezer, 2004, p. 4)
David, who was at a 6–12-year-old developmental stage, already understood that to survive, he needed to find food. His efforts include stealing, dozing off while his mother tortured him, and being extremely submissive, since these were the only ways for him to eat. After establishing the protagonist’s general situation, the first chapter tells readers about David’s rescue, made possible by his schoolteacher, which effectively ends the motherly abuse. It indicates that the environment in the microsystem was only changed through the intervention of actors from the macrosystem, that is, school and social welfare staff.
“I run to the administration office, and I’m there in a flash. My throat is raw and still burns from yesterday’s ‘game’ my mother played against me. The secretary leads me into the teacher’s lounge. After she opens the door, it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust. In front of me, sitting around a table, are my homeroom teacher, Mr. Ziegler; my match teacher, Miss Woods; the school nurse, Mr. Hansen; and a police officer. I have no idea that they are about to risk their jobs to save me.” (Plezer, 2004, p. 9).
The narrative then returns to the time when David was four years old. His mother still cherished him, and David was content with his family. In other words, the second chapter, labeled “Good Times,” illustrates the side of David that appreciated his mother’s and other family members’ closeness toward him. The following lines allow us to safely assume that David considered her the perfect woman and mother.
“My Mother, Catherine Roerva, was a woman of average size and appearance. I never could remember the color of her hair or eyes, but Mom was a woman who glared with love for her children.” (Plezer, 2004, p. 18).
“When it came to housekeeping, Mom was an absolute clean fiend. After feeding my two brothers, Ronald and Stand, and me breakfast, she would dust, disinfect, scour, and vacuum everything. No room in our house was left untouched. As we grew older, Mom made sure we did our part by keeping our room neat. Outside, she meticulously tended a small flower garden that was the envy of the neighborhood. With Mom, everything she touched turned into gold. She didn’t believe in doing anything halfway. Mom often told us that we must always do our best in whatever we do” (Plezer, 2004, pp. 18–19).
Overall, readers can observe David’s affection and admiration for his mother, which contrasts sharply with the events in the opening chapter. The mother, on the other hand, sincerely loved her sons and her home. Even her neighbors envied how well she took care of everything. As Piaget’s developmental psychology states, children of David’s age are in the sensory-motor and preoperational phases of understanding and experiencing events. Thus, David begins to assess the state of his mother and home using his sensorimotor abilities, which helps him feel satisfied and relaxed.
His joy in living with his siblings and parents is a definitive sign of this secure condition. Although David’s father was unable to spend more time with his family due to his demanding work as a firefighter, David never felt a lack of love or attention.
Consequently, if Erikson’s psychosocial development theory were applied at this point, David would not have developed any bias or negative feelings toward his mother during the initial developmental stages (Gibb et al., 2022). As a result, David had no reason to mistrust his mother. The maternal love expressed through providing him with his daily needs, for instance, hunger or thirst, significantly contributed to his comfortable state. Overall, the mother’s closeness to her children explains why David was initially not scared of her.
Deterioration of the Micro-System
The tension in this tale begins to surface when his mother undergoes a behavioral change and begins to abuse David. In the Bad Boys chapter, David claims that, due to disciplinary issues, his mother’s treatment of him has changed drastically. Due to frequent disciplinary punishments from his mother, David began to fear her. This story’s tension stems from his dread, which also helps to further the plot’s development.
“About this time, Mom’s behavior began to change radically. At times, when her father was away, she would spend the entire day lying on the couch, dressed only in her bathrobe, watching television. Mom got up only to use the bathroom, get another drink, or reheat leftover food. When she yelled at us, her voice changed from that of a nurturing mother to that of a wicked witch. Soon, the sound of my mother’s voice began to send tremors down my spine. Even when she barked at one of my brothers, I’d run to hide in our room, hoping she would soon return to the couch, her drink, and her TV show” (Plezer, 2004, p. 30).
The history of David’s abuse began when he was four years old, and it only got worse as time passed. From Erikson’s perspective, at this developmental stage (three to six years old), David is taking the initiative rather than accepting guilt (Lawford et al., 2019). Namely, he made an effort to become more independent by putting on his own clothing, preparing his own meals, and using the restroom. Moreover, David did not experience developmental issues throughout this stage of his life, as he felt welcome and loved at home in his early years.
However, as David continued to experience the abuse, the notion that David’s father was not at home during these episodes became of particular importance. David wished his father would assist him, but his hopes proved futile. Eventually, once David realized his father knew about abuse and chose not to act, he made the child despise his parent: “When I opened them, I stared at Father, who turned away to avoid my pain. At that moment, I hated Mother to the end, but I hated Father even more” (Plezer, 2004, p. 64). David’s anger toward his father grew because, according to Tomasello (2020), he was still in the pre-conventional stage. He already distinguished right from wrong, implying that his mother’s attitude was wrong, but he still did not have his father’s help. It was this disillusionment that led David to turn against his father.
Silent Abuse Acceptance
When a child doesn’t meet their parents’ needs or expectations, they are prone to criticism and discipline. This refers to the concept of a good child in terms of its impact on psychological development and on altering parent-child relationships. In the story, David’s mother, who believed he wasn’t a nice child because he often disobeyed her directives, realized he could develop strategies to deal with each punishment. The quote that supports this assertion states: “This will teach The Boy to quit stealing food!” (Plezer, 2004, p. 76).
However, it was precisely her actions that prompted David to act. Between the ages of four and six, when David was at the initiative-versus-guilt stage of Piaget’s cognitive development, he began to take the initiative by making plans and attempting new activities (Sanghvi, 2020). Otherwise, he believed that he might not have the ability to resist and that he had no other option but to submit to his torment.
The Lord’s Prayer, Chapter 3 of A Child Called It, has one of the story’s most vital events concerning the next developmental phase. This chapter describes David’s abuse during a time when his instructor, a member of a meso-system, was highly pleased with him. In contrast, David took pride in having the best writing among his peers. He had hoped that his mother would share his enthusiasm, but she never showed appreciation for his efforts.
Moreover, his mother believed his work consisted of only pointless thoughts. “…There is nothing you can do to impress me! Do you understand me? You are nobody! An it! You are nonexistent! You are a bastard child! I hate you, and I wish you were dead! Dead! Do you hear me? Dead!” (Plezer, 2004, p. 140)
David eventually accepted that he was the main issue, just as his mother had claimed, and that his presence was causing his family nothing but trouble. He lost the desire to live, and until his eventual rescue by the instructors from his school, he accepted the abuse that his mother was inflicting on him.
According to Erickson’s theory of psychosocial development, David was between the ages of 6 and 12 when his mother mistreated him, which corresponds to the time of experiencing ability in the face of low self-esteem (Orenstein & Lewis, 2022). Through educational endeavors during this stage, the child will begin to learn how to cooperate and compete effectively. When David was able to write well, he was overjoyed, and his teacher was pleased with him. He consequently implied that once the mother learned of his performance, she would resume treating him usually, but he was mistaken. His mother failed to recognize and acknowledge all that he had accomplished. Therefore, David took a direct hit to his self-esteem and sense of contribution—all his efforts to prove to his mother that he did not like what she thought were gone.
Early Maturity
When David was saved, the book states that he was a fifth-grader. In turn, the abuse started when he was in kindergarten. David became incredibly obedient to whatever his mother did, as seen by his attitude toward abuse and silent submission. His fear of his mother only increased as a result of his behavior. With these interactions, David grew much more mature than his physical age.
“As a small child, I probably had a voice that carried farther than others. I also had the unfortunate luck of getting caught up in mischief, even though my brothers and I were often committing the same ‘crime.’ Initially, I was placed in a corner of our bedroom. By this time, I had become more afraid of Mom. Very afraid. I never asked her to let me come out. I would sit and wait for one of my brothers to come into our bedroom and have him ask if David could come out now and play.” (Plezer, 2004, p. 29)
He struggled with an early degree of aspiration, which led him to a higher level of wisdom. He managed to endure abuse because of his tenacious attitude. He understood that pitying oneself would not bring comfort. Thus, when confronted by his mother, he had to think swiftly and act appropriately. This is consistent with Lawson et al.’s (2020) statement that, to endure, some individuals will preserve all their valuable experiences. In other words, after gaining those experiences, a person will become more intelligent and develop a deeper understanding of life.
Every life stage has an attainable type of transient equilibrium that serves as a starting point for effort and novel endeavors. David started to explore ways to tolerate his mother’s violence as a result of his experiences: “Standing alone in that damp, dark garage, I knew, for the first time, that I could survive. I decided to use any tactic. I could think of defeating Mother or delaying her from her grisly obsession” (Plezer, 2004, p. 43). David’s ability to confront the abuses is attributed to his age between 6 and 11, which corresponds to the concrete phase, according to Sanghvi (2020). In other words, David acquired the ability to reflect on his life’s experiences. This is how he regained his trust and resolved to survive the ongoing abuse.
References
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