Chapter Three: Bad Boy *O.E.
Stem: While reading chapter two and chapter three, readers notice a
drastic change in the way David explains his childhood. In chapter two,
he refers to his mother as, “Mom” while in chapter three she turns into
“Mother.” This change in David’s diction directly relates to the change in
his relationship with his abusive mother.
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As David’s relationship changed for the worse, how was he able to
determine the type of day he would have? How did this make him feel? Use
evidence in the text to support your answer.
Explain David’s motivation behind finding his mother’s “lost” treasures. Use
evidence in the text to support your answer.
Why was it such a shock to David when his father knelt down before
leaving the house one day and requested that he be a “good boy”?
CHAPTER FOUR: THE FIGHT FOR FOOD
1. What did David begin to fantasize about?
2. Who gave David a glimpse of hope throughout this
“hell” he as living in? How did this make his situation
worse?
3. Who was the first one in David’s school to suspect
that he was being abused? How did that several
month-long situation end?
Chapter Four: The Fight for Food
1.
2.
3.
Food
His father gave him a “glimpse of hope” because he would
fight for him and argue with David’s mother to allow “The
Boy” some food. This arguing made David’s situation worse
because Mother would always win and torment David even
more.
Miss Moss – 2nd grade teacher questioned his attentiveness
and reported her concerns to the principal. The night she did
so, David received a bloody nose and lost a tooth. Mother
went into school the next day with the newborn and told the
principal that her son, David, was a habitual liar and had an
“overactive imagination” (Pelzer 53).
Chapter Four: The Fight for Food
4. Why didn’t David’s father or his brothers ever do
anything about the abuse he was enduring from his
mother?
5. Elaborate on how David shows endurance
throughout Chapter Four.
Chapter Four: The Fight for Food
4.
5.
Although David’s father would argue for him that
he should receive food, David reminds the
audience that his mother never acted as odd when
the other family members were around.
David shows endurance through his will to survive.
His endurance is seen as he deals with bullying in
school, the fight for food and its continuous
setbacks, and lastly, how he tolerates his mother’s
horrific “games.”
Chapter Four: The Fight for Food
6. Towards the conclusion of Chapter Four, David feels
as though he is slipping farther and farther apart from
his father. He actually states how, “I hated Mother to
no end, but I hated father even more” (p.67). Why
does David feel this way towards his father?
7. Why was David’s anxiety growing while he was
doing his chores on the day where he begged for
food at the wrong house? (p.71)
Chapter Four: The Fight for Food
6. David begins to despise his father because the abuse he
endures from Mother is revealed throughout the chapter.
David’s father becomes an eyewitness account to his abuse
and does nothing to stop it.
7. David’s anxiety is growing during this day/night because
his mother is simply following him around. He is attempting
to anticipate her hit, but instead, she keeps following him
around, taunting him. Clear mental/emotional abuse here.
He has been trained like a dog to know when she is upset
and what he will receive for being “bad.” The anticipation
alone is enough for him to have a mental breakdown.
CHAPTER FIVE: THE ACCIDENT
1. Why did David refer to Russell as Mother’s “little
Nazi?”
2. After “the accident,” Mother attends to business,
which is strictly keeping David alive. However, there
is a slight change in her behavior the night that
David is stabbed. Where has her
frightening/abusive demeanor gone? Why?
3. How is the sparkler a metaphor for David’s
inconsistent treatment after “the accident” occurs?
Chapter Five: The ACCIDENT
1.
2.
David noticed how Russell didn’t seem fazed by the
tone of their mother’s voice. He didn’t flinch when
their mother screamed out loudly, because even at
age four or five, Russell knew he was never the brunt
of her aggression.
Mother could have stopped her abuse because she
sensed that David might not survive another day.
Although she shows NO emotion, she allows him to
lean against her, tells him he can play outside with his
brothers, and asks him if he would like a sparkler.
Chapter Five: The ACCIDENT
3. The sparkler is a metaphor for the inconsistent
treatment David receives. He is finally allowed
to play with his brothers, he receives a “toy” that
he never thought he’d EVER have access to, and
then he savors the temporary fun until the
sparkler fizzles out. The key point is that the
sparkler is temporary fun, similar to the
temporary, care he receives from his mother.
CHAPTER SIX: WHILE FATHER IS AWAY
1. In what way were the roller skates another way for
Mother to torture David?
2. Describe Mother’s “apology.”(p.123) What do you
think caused David’s mother to change her behavior
in that moment?
3. Even after Mother’s actions began to change, why
did David still feel like he was, “walking on
eggshells”? (p. 124)
4. What was Mother’s overall motivation in changing
the way she treated David?
CHAPTER SIX: WHILE FATHER IS AWAY
1.
2.
3.
David’s mother forced him to roller skate outside their
house for houses at a time in the cold weather. She
made the situation appear as if David loved skating,
even in the cold bitterness.
Mother’s apology appears sincere. She could have
deep remorse due to her new relationship with Shirley
and Shirley’s concerns.
“Walking on eggshells” is an expression used to
describe someone’s actions when he/she is on high
alert, using caution, and being very careful. David
was not sure if his mother had truly changed or would
revert back to her daily, abusive ways.
CHAPTER SIX: WHILE FATHER IS AWAY
4. Mother’s motivation was fueled by the house
visit she knew would occur the following day.
David’s mother was expecting a visitor from
social services so she apologized and began to
treat David as a human again.
CHAPTER SEVEN: THE LORD’S PRAYER *O.E.
When one is traumatized, harassed, and mentally, physically, or
emotionally abused for a period of time, he/she can suffer from a loss
of identity.
 How do you know that David suffered this loss throughout reading
his story? Cite a piece of evidence from the story.
Flat characters are those who exhibit one dominant quality.
 Explain how Mother is the perfect depiction of a flat character
throughout the entire autobiographical novel. Use evidence from
the book to support your answer.
 Can someone develop the same self-worth they possessed before
abuse took place?