The Pigman Essay

“The Pigman” is an older novel by Paul Zindel that is not well written, but has a good plot.

Starts in Franklin High, at one point they venture into the zoo and a substantial amount of time is spent in Mr.Pignati’s home.

John, an attractive high school student who isn’t the most fond of school. Lorraine is John’s friend, she is a good student/person and isn’t the most attractive person.

In the beginning John and Lorraine, two high school students, meet on a bus. Their friendship flourishes and they become close. One day while prank calling with their other friends, Lorraine picks the name “Pignati” on a telephone book. They call him and end up going to his house to collect a fake donation for their fake fund. They meet Mr.Pignati and at

Mr.Pignati shows them around his house and briefly talks about his wife, Conchetta who is on a trip. Mr.Pignati shows them a room that holds porcelain pigs that he and his wife collected from around the world. This is where his name “Pigman” comes from. After leaving Mr.Pignati’s house John drags Lorraine to a market and buys a six pack of beer and a pack of cigarettes. A couple days later, Lorraine and John meet Mr.Pignati at the zoo and Lorraine thinks about all of the bad omens she sees. Mr.Pignati takes Lorraine and John to see this ape named Bobo to which Mr.Pignati stares at it for a long time and throws it peanuts. On another day, Mr.Pignati takes John and Lorraine to a food store. The Pigman insists upon them getting rare foods. He buys food for both Lorraine and John. John goes to Mr.Pignati’s house and finds a funeral paper and realizes that the Pigman’s wife is dead. Lastly in the book, Mr.Pignati ends up having a heart attack and he goes to the hospital. While in the hospital, he tells John and Lorraine that they can stay at his house and make themselves at home. John does this by throwing a party at his house and the children he invited are very reckless; they destroy a lot of things. John, drunk and confused