(Further Interpretation of the Elements in the story.)

A Character Analysis of   JOHN

John, very simply put, hates almost everything. Specifically, he dislikes and resents all authority or symbol of authority, especially two immediate realities in his young life -- school and his parents. To demonstrate his independence, he creates disturbances in the classrooms and the school itself. He celebrates his famous fruit roll and lights firecrackers in the school bathroom, and manages always to get away with it. It is the getting away with it that satisfies him greatly and motivates him to keep on doing it. Besides, the kick that the other kids get out of it reinforces his attitudes and so he just goes on and on doing it. Until he finds someone who believes in him and accepts him as he is.

There are indications that John is bored an unhappy as well, but this is also due to the fact that he does not take interest in school subjects and activities and therefore finds no outlet (escape) for his internal anxieties and pressures.

Lorraine suggests that he may be reacting (overreacting) to problems at home. His father, says Lorraine, sets a poor example for John by drinking heavily. And his mother seems more concerned about having a clean house than a happy son. [The truth is that she is also in this way escaping from her own problems with her husband's vices.]

John admits he and his father have a lot of trouble communicating and implies that many of his pranks are a means of "punishing" "Bore" for being unfair. John feels picked on and distrusted by his father. Perhaps he is only living up to his parent's image of him as a "problem child."

John recognizes flaws (defects) in his parents' values, life- style, and manner of communicating. Nevertheless his own defect is to quickly blame his parents for all of the family's problems and for his own as well. He does not accept his own lack of responsibility in the whole situation. Instead of confronting the problems courageously, John drinks, smokes, and tries to make life as miserable for his parents as he feels they are making it for him. He resents his parents' expectations of him and is sarcastic, antagonistic, and impatient when he expresses his opinion. He does not realize that he himself does as poor or bad a job as his own parents in not communicating well.

And finally, every time that John pulls a prank or rushes out of the house in anger to avoid confronting and dealing with his parents, he widens the gap that prevents their understanding one another.

LORRAINE'S Influence on John

Lorraine understands and shares John's dissatisfaction and unhappiness with home and school. Her home life is "different" than his she says. But the truth is that she too suffers from excessive, offensive, and damaging parental criticism at her home. Her mother's constant pushing the idea of her being fat and ugly are a constant and deteriorating force and influence in her own life, too.

Lorraine appreciates John for what he is as opposed to his father's remarks of what he "should" be. Lorraine allows John to assume a leadership role and she respects his decisions. When she disagrees with him, she listens attentively to what he has to say and presents reasonable and intelligent arguments to support her point. This is in opposition to his father's lack of recognition of John as a person who possesses his own thoughts and ideas, and does not have an ear for John's true opinions and feelings. This lack of acknowledgment impedes his father from listening to John and developing a healthy and happy relationship with him.

Lorraine, rather than compete with John, encourages him constantly, thus reinforcing his self-esteem (the way he views himself as a person). And because she genuinely cares about him, she is able to criticize his bad habits without any reprisals on his part -- without getting him angry at her.    Top

JOHN and the Pigman

John sees Mr. Pignati as an easy target for his silly pranks and games. The old man is vulnerable and perhaps a little "crazy." But as things develop John discovers that Mr. Pignati is so incredibly nice and genuine and trusting that John finds it hard to trick the Pigman without feeling guilty.

Gradually, John learns to trust, respect, and even love Mr. Pignati. He finds in the Pigman something so much needed by him and so denied by his own parents that he finds it hard not to change. He finds it increasingly difficult always to take and never to give back. After a while, he and Lorraine begin taking things to the Pigman. They cannot give much materially -- they are able to only furnish drinks and food. But, they do provide company and friendship and an ear to listen to Mr. Pignati. Perhaps the greatest change of all in John's behavior is that he gets a job and begins to work for others without stopping to think what he will get in return. For the first time, perhaps in a long time, John commences to become unselfish again.

AFFECTION for the Pigman

When people, especially young people, are denied the affection they need at home under normal circumstances, they most often seek it elsewhere outside the family. Sometimes there is a successful surrogate (substitute) situation with another person, but most often there is only a temporary or provisional sort of substitute.

In the story, both John and Lorraine keep their relationship with the Pigman a secret, especially from their parents whom they know would not even begin to understand it. Particularly Lorraine is very careful not to allow her mother to even suspect there is such a relationship. In general terms Lorraine and John keep this knowledge from their parents in order to protect the Pigman from their parents' selfishness and distorted way of viewing them and life in general.

Later they even realize that the Pigman needs to be protected from such greed and abuse as found in some of their acquaintances or "friends." When Norton corners John in the cemetery to question him about Mr. Pignati's house and possessions, John even risks a fight to make it clear that the Pigman is off limits.

Finally Lorraine and John tell the Pigman their true identities to free themselves from the guilt they feel for having lied to him. Although they know Mr. Pignati's secret -- that his wife Conchetta is dead -- they never confront him openly with it. When Mr. Pignati finally confesses, the mutual action of confession among the three creates a bond of friendship, warmth, and trust for each other. Now they have a personal relationship which, if protected, may even last for a very long time.

Later in the story as events develop, the trust between John and Lorraine and the Pigman is affected and torn because of the unwise decisions which young people sometimes make -- the rash desires to do something without really considering the outcome or the consequences of their action. Under John's leadership, John and Lorraine act on impulse without realizing they are risking losing Mr. Pignati's friendship and trust. Without considering the responsibility they now had in caring for the Pigman's home while recovering in the hospital.    Top

Clearing the CONSCIENCE

Now in the present, John and Lorraine both feel compelled and obligated to write about the Pigman. John claims he is writing his part of the story to cheer Lorraine, and Lorraine states she is doing it because she wants to get it on paper before she forgets how it really was. But there is more to it than this.

The Pigman meant a great deal to both John and Lorraine. He was a friend, a partner in fantasy and fun, a provider, and ultimately a surrogate parent. He led them to discovery and to the discovery of themselves in a truer way. He taught them how to become more open, honest, and loving, and that two people (like himself and his wife Conchetta) can care so much for each other. His death taught them that people are responsible for their actions, and that decisions cannot be made without considering the possible outcomes. It also taught them that making decisions requires thinking of how they may affect or influence others. Theses lessons account in part for their writing the book. John and Lorraine feel responsible for Mr. Pignati's death, so also they want to commemorate him. The book is tribute to the Pigman and a lasting reminder of their acceptance of responsibility.

The DISCOVERY of SELF

When alone at Mr. Pignati's house, John and Lorraine decide to dress up in Mr. Pignati's and Conchetta's clothes and cook spaghetti dinner. They both previously find themselves missing the Pigman terribly. Being in the house alone in such a state brings them even closer to Mr. Pignati, and pretending to act as the Pignati's did once brings John and Lorraine even closer to themselves by discovering how they really feel towards each other. By masquerading in the Pignati's clothes they attempt to once again escape reality -- to escape their feeling alone again (without Mr. Pignati there), and to ultimately escape their home problems.

In the past, pretending, fantasizing, and playing games has been a way of escaping reality and avoiding confrontation with their problems. But this time, their fantasy and game lead them to realize that they care very much for each other -- even more than they thought. When the charade suddenly pushes them into this new knowledge of each other's feelings, they abruptly catch each other in their new experience and are surprisingly alarmed and uncomfortable. Fantasy has suddenly changed into reality.