Chapter 10, The Source Summary and Analysis

When Stephen turns one year old, Pelzer takes his small family to visit his grandmother. He seeks closure, though he knows he will never understand the reason for his abuse. He also visits his mother, dreaming that, perhaps, he will stand up to her.

He finds her house to be exceedingly unkempt. Dust lies everywhere and the odor is almost overpowering. Pelzer suspects that his mother only allows the disarray because she senses that her time is limited. She looks very unwell.

In her cryptic language, she tells Pelzer that his stabbing had been an accident, though Pelzer remembers the truth. She appears to separate David and the boy called "It" in her mind. David visualizes getting his revenge on this helpless woman, even as she continues placing blame on her drinking and even Pelzer's nosy teachers...