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Cydney Funk

AP English

Bruton

3 January 2016

Fueled by Desire

Throughout history humans have slaughtered each other over social issues. To many, this

cruelty seems unnecessary. However, cruelty serves a purpose in society. Although exceptions

exist, victims of cruelty usually have something that the perpetrator lacks and craves.

Not every case of mistreatment starts out with jealously or insecurity--once in awhile it

begins with fear and uncertainty. One of the main reasons Dave Pelzer in A Child Called It

suffered abuse by his mother was because she feared abandonment. Daves father would spend

suspiciously long days at work. He even states that as a small child, [he] realized mom was as

different as night and day when father was home from work (Pelzer 32). She obviously worried

about her husband cheating or walking out on the family. Since she did not know what to do, she

became uncontrollably angry and picked the first thing plausible to punish. In Just Walk On By, a

short essay about what it means to be black, Brent Staples discusses his impact on others. When

talking about his first victim, he states that to her, the youngish black man--a broad six feet

two inches with a beard and billowing hair, both hands shoved into the pockets of a bulky

military jacket--seemed menacingly close (Staples 542). The woman cruelly, wrongly, and

hastily judges Brent due to her role in society as a woman. Since women are targets of rape, they

often live their lives in fear, which can propel their judgemental and cruel behavior. In these two

cases, it is not desire, but fear and awareness that causes the perpetrators cruelty.
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It is an unpopular truth that some people naturally possess traits and objects that are

superior to others, making them targets of cruelty. As Dave Pelzer states in his autobiography

about being abused, As a small child [he] probably had a voice that carried farther than others

(Pelzer 29). Unlike his two brothers and his abusive mother, Dave had a voice to stand up for

himself. Over time this bravery made him his mothers only target. Meanwhile, his two brothers

escaped her cruelty because they were not as strong. The mothers belief that she was weak

encouraged her to knock Dave down to her level. Similarly, Cassio from Shakespeare's Othello is

of higher stature than Iago. The reader sees this difference when the two men speak of

Desdemona. While Iago is vulgar when he speaks of her, Cassio states that Indeed, she's a most

fresh and delicate creature (Shakespeare 2.3.1154). Because Cassio is more respectful and

honorable than Iago, he receives the promotion that Iago wanted. These two victims both have

personality traits that give them an edge over their perpetrators. Without their bravery and strong

will, they would not be targets because they would no longer be threats to their perpetrators.

Perpetrators hunt people who possess what they want. Iago, for example, lacks the ability

to be respectful and honest. Instead, he is manipulative and sets people up to get what he wants.

When Cassio gets his promotion, he has Emilia steal Desdemonas handkerchief and pin it on

Cassio (Shakespeare Act 3 Scene 3). This promotion is due to Cassios ability to be honorable no

matter the situation. Similarly, Dave Pelzers mother was unable to be honest and stand up for

herself. When her husband started to become the drunken father (Pelzer 41), she was unable to

stand up to his abuse. Instead she would pretend that everything was okay and that she was

innocent. Daves fathers presence was the only barrier between him and his mothers abuse, so

when he left mother had complete control over everybody in the household (Pelzer 103). Since

Dave maintained dignity and stood up for himself during his fathers presence, she targeted all
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her anger at him. Her insecurity and jealousy of her sons bravery drove her to resent her child,

as Iagos jealousy caused him to frame Cassio. Perpetrators start out weak, and their weakness

drives them to target the stronger.

Cruelty to others can stem from insecurity and jealousy. When it does not, it stems from

fear. Although cruelty is an unhealthy concept, it is necessary. For people who inflict cruelty, it

is a means of surviving abuse and painful events. Cruelty usually roots itself in desire, sometimes

in fear, but always in surviving.

Works Cited
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Pelzer, Dave. A Child Called "It". Deerfield Beach, Florida, Health Communications,

Inc., 1995.

Shakespeare, William et al. Shakespeare's Othello: Complete Text, Commentary,

Glossary. New York, Wiley Publishing, 2000.

Staples, Brent. Just Walk On By. The Language Of Composition, Bedford/St. Martin's,

Boston, 2013, pp. 541544.