As I read this part of the book, I read about the struggles for David to get food. Living in his own home and trying to work hard to get food at only 6 years old. I don't know how a mother could be so cruel. This part of the book reminds me of the Holocaust. All the children that suffered in there working to get a fraction of bread and not even half a bowl of soup. That's David. He tries his best to be a 'good boy' so that his mother could at least give him left overs, he tries really hard to be a good boy but this starving has lead him to steal food at school.

"On weekends, to punish me for my thefts, Mother refused to feed me. By Sunday night, my mouth would water as I began to plot new, foolproof ways to steal food without getting caught."

In the First Amandment we hear about the right for us to have freedom of speech, to say what you want. Government can't punish you for it, they can't stop you from saying what you think or feel. You should be able to say anything you want whenever you want, not be instructed when to do so... That's just crazy to me, I mean if they tell you when you can and cannot speak then who tells them when they can or cannot speak, it just doesn't work that way.

"I tried to tell her that I missed her, but Mother refused to let me speak. I tried once more and Mother dashed to the bathroom, snatched a bar of soap and crammed it down my throat. After that I was no longer allowed to speak unless I was instructed to do so." Freedom of speech in his own house is a right David does not have...

He went on to saying "I lick the burn and soothe my throbbing arm...The pain... I wanted to scream, but I refused to give Mother the pleasure of having a reason to 'punish' me once more tonight."

2-3

Have you ever been so scared of something that just with the sight of it or even the sound of whatever it is just terrifies you? I know that the sound of a hissing snake scares the life out of me and it's picture gives me goosebumps. Well this little boy feels like that about his mother, when once upon a time she was so loving and now her once nurturing voice has changed to that of a wicked witch.

How can one be so afraid of the person who gave them life? I mean isn't that one of the people that doesn't want to hurt you, doesn't want to see you in pain? I guess it isn't like that for everyone, and I'm sorry for them. Your mom should be the person you respect, after all she carried you for 9 months and she struggled with helping you grow and succeed in all the places you needed to succeed. But what if that one person doesn't care if your hurt, they make you feel terrified. How can you have such respect for them?