1. HERO NOTES: Dave Pelzer
Using Powerpoint to Collect and Organize Your Notes GOAL: minimum 25 or more notes

2. Hero TAG – What kind of a hero is Pelzer according to Barron?
“For a hero, what counts is character. For a celebrity, what counts is fame.” (Barron 3)
Pelzer - blend of survivor hero and hero within.
Survivor Hero: a person who overcomes a major survival experience such as a plane disaster, accident, or act of terrorism > > > relates to a person’s will to live (Barron 33)
Hero Within: a person who overcomes a major battle within himself/herself > > > relates to a personal challenge such as a physical challenge, illness, addiction, depression (self rescue) (Barron 53)

3. Challenges – What were his challenges in his early life?
physically, mentally, verbally, and emotionally abused by his alcoholic mother
started with small disciplinary consequences (sitting in the corner) and changed to burns and bruises (Pelzer 30)
“Gripping my arm, Mother held it in the orange-blue flame. My skin seemed toe explode from the heat. I could smell the scorched hairs from my burnt arm.” (Pelzer 40)

4. Challenges – What were his challenges in his early life?
abuse gradually came from his brothers also; took advantage of him and viewed him as a family slave with continual bullying (Pelzer 36)
“When they approached me, my heart became hard as tone, and I am sure that they saw the hate etched in my face.” (Pelzer 135)

5. Challenges – What were his challenges in his adult life?
joined the Air Force at age 18; flew plans that refueled the SR-71 Blackbird and f-117 Stealth Fighters, both used in highly secretive military operations in Iraq
continued to deal with the consequences of his abuse as an adult and had a goal of making himself a better person (“All About Dave Pelzer.”)

6. Challenges – How did he overcome his challenges?

7. Challenges – How was his life different after the challenges?

8. Revelations – What did he learn about life?

9. Revelations – How does he pay it forward?

10. Return – How did he return home?

11. Return – What is his life like today?

12. Works Cited "About Dave Pelzer." Dave Pelzer - The Official Site
N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Feb
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Pelzer, David J.. A child called "it": an abused child's
journey from victim to victor. Deerfield Beach,
Fla.: Health Communications, Print.