Zindel, Paul. 1968. THE PIGMAN. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 006026828X.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Although Paul Zindel's outstanding young adult novel, The Pigman, was published over forty years ago, the characters and themes are timeless and still resonate with readers today. John Conlan and Lorraine Jensen both come from homes where the parent/child relationship is strained. John lives in the shadow of his older brother who is married and works on Wall Street. In the words of Mrs. Conlan, "Kenneth never gave us any trouble" (p. 33). John is a very creative and attractive young man. He also drinks, smokes, and lies a lot. In his first year of high school, he was known as the "Bathroom Bomber". He perfected a method of delayed ignition which allowed him to be far from the bathroom by the time the bomb went off. Lorraine lives with her frazzled, hard-working mother, a private duty nurse. Her parents separated when Lorraine was a toddler, and her father died subsequently several years later. Zindel does not relegate the characterizations of the Conlans and Ms. Jensen to the background. They are revealed through anecdotes and conversations with their children. The foibles and eccentricities of the parents are integral to the personalities and quirks of John and Lorraine. John's father, "phonied up a car-insurance claim to get a hundred dollars..." (p. 29). His mother cleans compulsively and tells lies to salesclerks to get Green Stamps. Lorraine's mother steals from her patients and belittles and berates her daughter. In Lorraine's own words, "If I made a list of every comment she's made about me, you'd think I was a monstrosity" (p. 11). Secondary, supporting characters are given enough detail to be descriptive but not elaborate portrayals of teachers and classmates. The third main character is the Pigman himself, Mr. Angelo Pignati. He is the victim.
Zindel tells the story of John, Lorraine, and the Pigman from the point of view of the two young protagonists. John and Lorraine decide to record their experiences with Mr. Pignati in a "memorial epic". They take turns writing the chapters of the epic. This in effect gives the book two narrators who provide their own unique perspective on the events that take place. What starts out as a telephone prank leads eventually into a complicated, co-dependent relationship between the two teens and the Pigman. Mr. Pignati's loneliness is exploited by John and Lorraine to get money and things they want like roller skates, fancy food, and alcohol. A detail that reveals the age of this book is the discovery of a "small plastic card" by John in the Pigman's upstairs bedroom. John and Lorraine have never seen a credit card before (p. 83). An underlying theme of personal responsibility and accountability is revealed in the series of events that unfolds in The Pigman. John and Lorraine begin by tricking Mr. Pignati into making a donation to a non-existent charity they have invented. As time goes by, they spend time with him in his home and come to see him as a human being with feelings and emotions. The two lonely young people respond to Mr. Pignati's kindness and attention, elements that are absent in their homes. They continue, however, to take advantage of his generous nature while feeling occasional pangs of guilt. When Mr. Pignati is hospitalized following a health crisis, John and Lorraine host a raucus party in his house. He returns unexpectedly to find his home in total disarray. His young friends take responsibility for the mess and try to make it up to him by offering to clean the house and take him on an outing. The two remorseful teens and the lonely, disappointed old man go to the zoo to see Mr. Pignati's favorite animal, Bobo the baboon. Mr. Pignati had asked the teens to visit Bobo for him while he was in the hospital. When they get to the ape house they learn from a zookeeper that Bobo has died. Mr. Pignati has a heart attack and dies. John and Lorraine are stunned by the Pigman's death and must now live with the consequences of their selfishness. If they had visited Bobo as promised, they could have broken the news of his death to Mr. Pignati gently. Coupled with their guilt is the sorrow they feel for the loss of someone that they now recognize as a friend.
REVIEW EXCERPTS/ACCOLADES
An Outstanding Book of 1968 - The New York Times Book Review
"An intensely moving story of believably alienated young people." - Library Journal
"John and Lorraine, sophomores in high school, tell the tragic story of their friendship with a lonely old man whom they love and destroy." - Booklist
BOOK HOOK
>Lead a booktalk discussion about John's and Lorraine's relationship with their parents. Do kids today share some of the same communication issues with their parents? What about their relationship with Mr. Pignati? Can teens and older adults be friends? Why or why not?
>Read The Pigman and Me, a memoir by Paul Zindel to get an inside look at the inspiration for Mr. Pignati.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Although Paul Zindel's outstanding young adult novel, The Pigman, was published over forty years ago, the characters and themes are timeless and still resonate with readers today. John Conlan and Lorraine Jensen both come from homes where the parent/child relationship is strained. John lives in the shadow of his older brother who is married and works on Wall Street. In the words of Mrs. Conlan, "Kenneth never gave us any trouble" (p. 33). John is a very creative and attractive young man. He also drinks, smokes, and lies a lot. In his first year of high school, he was known as the "Bathroom Bomber". He perfected a method of delayed ignition which allowed him to be far from the bathroom by the time the bomb went off. Lorraine lives with her frazzled, hard-working mother, a private duty nurse. Her parents separated when Lorraine was a toddler, and her father died subsequently several years later. Zindel does not relegate the characterizations of the Conlans and Ms. Jensen to the background. They are revealed through anecdotes and conversations with their children. The foibles and eccentricities of the parents are integral to the personalities and quirks of John and Lorraine. John's father, "phonied up a car-insurance claim to get a hundred dollars..." (p. 29). His mother cleans compulsively and tells lies to salesclerks to get Green Stamps. Lorraine's mother steals from her patients and belittles and berates her daughter. In Lorraine's own words, "If I made a list of every comment she's made about me, you'd think I was a monstrosity" (p. 11). Secondary, supporting characters are given enough detail to be descriptive but not elaborate portrayals of teachers and classmates. The third main character is the Pigman himself, Mr. Angelo Pignati. He is the victim.
Zindel tells the story of John, Lorraine, and the Pigman from the point of view of the two young protagonists. John and Lorraine decide to record their experiences with Mr. Pignati in a "memorial epic". They take turns writing the chapters of the epic. This in effect gives the book two narrators who provide their own unique perspective on the events that take place. What starts out as a telephone prank leads eventually into a complicated, co-dependent relationship between the two teens and the Pigman. Mr. Pignati's loneliness is exploited by John and Lorraine to get money and things they want like roller skates, fancy food, and alcohol. A detail that reveals the age of this book is the discovery of a "small plastic card" by John in the Pigman's upstairs bedroom. John and Lorraine have never seen a credit card before (p. 83). An underlying theme of personal responsibility and accountability is revealed in the series of events that unfolds in The Pigman. John and Lorraine begin by tricking Mr. Pignati into making a donation to a non-existent charity they have invented. As time goes by, they spend time with him in his home and come to see him as a human being with feelings and emotions. The two lonely young people respond to Mr. Pignati's kindness and attention, elements that are absent in their homes. They continue, however, to take advantage of his generous nature while feeling occasional pangs of guilt. When Mr. Pignati is hospitalized following a health crisis, John and Lorraine host a raucus party in his house. He returns unexpectedly to find his home in total disarray. His young friends take responsibility for the mess and try to make it up to him by offering to clean the house and take him on an outing. The two remorseful teens and the lonely, disappointed old man go to the zoo to see Mr. Pignati's favorite animal, Bobo the baboon. Mr. Pignati had asked the teens to visit Bobo for him while he was in the hospital. When they get to the ape house they learn from a zookeeper that Bobo has died. Mr. Pignati has a heart attack and dies. John and Lorraine are stunned by the Pigman's death and must now live with the consequences of their selfishness. If they had visited Bobo as promised, they could have broken the news of his death to Mr. Pignati gently. Coupled with their guilt is the sorrow they feel for the loss of someone that they now recognize as a friend.
REVIEW EXCERPTS/ACCOLADES
An Outstanding Book of 1968 - The New York Times Book Review
"An intensely moving story of believably alienated young people." - Library Journal
"John and Lorraine, sophomores in high school, tell the tragic story of their friendship with a lonely old man whom they love and destroy." - Booklist
BOOK HOOK
>Lead a booktalk discussion about John's and Lorraine's relationship with their parents. Do kids today share some of the same communication issues with their parents? What about their relationship with Mr. Pignati? Can teens and older adults be friends? Why or why not?
>Read The Pigman and Me, a memoir by Paul Zindel to get an inside look at the inspiration for Mr. Pignati.
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