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| Plot Summary of The Privilege of Youth: A Teenager's Story of Longing for Acceptance and Friendship |
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"Dave Pelzer's biographical account tells of his teen years as an abused child placed into foster care in California in the 1970's. Currently working at an exhausting pace to spread his message of hope and triumph as a public speaker crossing the country for weeks at a time he recounts the events of his teen years that changed the course of his life. He was rescued in 1973 from a childhood home fraught with abuse, starvation, torture and neglect at the hands of his mother; deemed the third worst case of child abuse on record in California up to that time. Despite the newfound freedom and sense of family he got from his numerous foster families, he was still subjected to bullying and torment at school and in his neighborhoods as he struggled to fit in. Often he would put himself a risk of grave injury doing stupid stunts or taking dares to be accepted by his friends David and Paul. Life was better for Pelzer but still very traumatic as he approached the dreaded age of 18 when foster children are cut loose and must go it alone in the world. Pelzer was determined to succeed, after all he had been put through he refused to be complacent and let life beat him.
Pelzer admits he made poor choices along the way by sacrificing school for working menial jobs to save enough money to make it on his own, dropping out of school to work as a car salesman, and dreaming of a career as a Hollywood stuntman. He was fortunate to have the friendship of two men from his neighborhood of Duinsmoore, Mike Marsh and Dan Brazell, who preached to him to finish school and make something of his life. It was his short time living in this neighborhood that made all the difference to Pelzer and the man he became. It was here in the “Leave It To Beaver” world of Menlo Park, CA that he gained a sense of belonging that he had never known. His story is inspiring and has a positive message for kids who think they have a rotten life whether they are in foster homes or living with their parents. Dave Pelzer's message to value what you have, stay in school, work hard and to give your best effort in everything you do has been delivered to thousands of groups across the nation in his role as a spokesman for millions of abused and neglected children."
David Fletcher, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Privilege of Youth: A Teenager's Story of Longing for Acceptance and Friendship |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Kids growing up/acting up?
Yes
Kids:
- parental abuse
Period of greatest activity?
- 1950+
Subject of Biography
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- airforce pilot
Age:
- 40's-50's
Eccentric/Mental
Yes
Eccentric:
- obsessed
- wild
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Ethnicity
- White
Nationality
- American (!)
How sensitive is this person?
- soggy whimpering jelly muffin
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other people
Physique
- average physique
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 7 (a good amount)
United States
Yes
The US:
- California
Century:
- 1960's-1970's
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- explicit references to torture
Book makes you feel?
- encouraged
Commentary on society?
Yes
Commentary on
- decency
Unusual Style:
- a lot of flashback and forwards
Writer's slant towards subject:
- favorable
Story of entire life, or part?
- story of set of events during life
If this is a kid's book:
- Age 14-16
Autobiography?
Yes
How much dialogue in bio?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life?
- 0-25% of book
How much is philosophy rather than life story?
- 0-25% of book
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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