Themes: Life and Death

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The book is rich with imagery and explores themes of life and death. Lorraine's father has died, and her mother comes home each day with complaints and harsh remarks about her dying patients. For example, she comments on one elderly patient, "I wish this one would hurry up and die." She even compares funeral homes, thinking about which offers a bigger kickback for referrals. Lorraine's mother's indifference to death starkly contrasts with Lorraine's profound sensitivity to suffering and mortality. This sensitivity makes her empathetic towards Mr. Pignati, who is grieving the loss of his wife.

Inside Mr. Pignati's home, John and Lorraine find documents related to Conchetta Pignati's funeral. They read these with a mix of sadness, horror, and fascination. Zindel includes some of these documents verbatim in the book, likely because many young readers would find this peek into the adult world as captivating as Lorraine and John do.

Before Mr. Pignati's passing, John is unaffected by the deaths of several relatives. He wasn't close to them, so the bodies in the caskets seemed "just like a doll" to him. He describes the experience as if he were in Beekman's toy department, with everything on elaborate display. Because he was emotionally detached from the deceased, he perceived the situation superficially and childishly. He admits that he behaved this way to avoid confronting his fear of death: "Anything to get away from what was really happening." This changes drastically when Mr. Pignati dies, and John is directly impacted by the loss. He can no longer escape or detach himself as he did before.

Moreover, feeling isolated and rejected by his family, John has taken up several self-destructive habits, like smoking and drinking. At one point, Lorraine tells him, "You must want to die." He doesn't have a clear answer to this, and near the book's conclusion, he admits, "Maybe I would rather be dead than to turn into the kind of grown-up people I knew." However, he eventually realizes this isn't the solution either and decides, "Our life would be what we made of it—nothing more, nothing less."

Expert Q&A

John's feelings about death in The Pigman

In The Pigman, John exhibits a complex attitude towards death. Initially, he shows a cavalier and indifferent stance, often using humor to mask his true feelings. However, as the story progresses and he confronts the reality of Mr. Pignati's death, he becomes more introspective and acknowledges the emotional impact and gravity of loss.

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Themes: Consequences

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