VOCABULARY-Multiple Meanings-The Pigman
Many words have more than one definition. After you read each sentence below, choose
the appropriate definition for the underlined word from the two choices following the
sentences. Put an X in the blank next to that definition.
1. Lorraine did not want to repress her thoughts about what she had done to the Pigman.
_____make new copies
______force into the unconscious
2. John viewed the Pignati house as a phenomenal dump.
_____extraordinary
______apparent to the senses
3. The man claimed that his teaching career had ended because he had lost his power of
concentration.
_____ability to give close attention
_____strength or density
4. John was annoyed by the logic of the floorwalker who told him not to feed the
monkeys.
_____way of reasoning
_____necessary outcome
5. Norton clarified his first question by asking if Mr. Pignati owned anything worth
stealing.
______cleared of impurities
_____made easier to understand
6. Lorraine thought that skating around Mr. Pignati’s house became mundane after she
had done it several times.
_____wordly
_____commonplace
7. The chocolate-covered ants looked like miniature candies.
______minute or tiny
______small painting or model.
8. The policeman’s questions made Lorraine think that they were victims of arrested
mental growth.
______stopped or slowed down
_____taken into custody
9. Although she tried to be honest, Lorraine was guilty of relapses when she explained
her reasons for lying.
_____return to a former condition
______recurrence of a disease
10. Lorraine thought that her mother’s exaggerated crying was intended to make
Lorraine ask for forgiveness.
_____overstated
______overemphasized
11. Lorraine’s attempts to stop John from smoking had no impact on him.
_____violent contact
_____power to move feelings
12. The apples sold in the school cafeteria were so scrawny that John wondered why
anyone brought them.
_____inferior
_____skinny and bony
13. Lorraine was quick to criticize John for his infantile behavior.
_____immature
_____babyish
14. Lorraine believed that John’s real hostility was directed against himself.
_____acts of warfare
_____feelings of anger
VOCABULARY-Multiple Meanings-The Pigman
Many words have more than one definition. After you read each sentence
below, choose the appropriate definition for the underlined word from the
two choices following the sentences. Put an X in the blank next to that
definition.
1. Lorraine did not want to repress her thoughts about what she had done to
the Pigman.
_____make new copies
___X___force into the unconscious
2. John viewed the Pignati house as a phenomenal dump.
______apparent to the senses
__X___extraordinary
3. The man claimed that his teaching career had ended because he had lost
his power of concentration.
_____strength or density
__X___ability to give close attention
4. John was annoyed by the logic of the floorwalker who told him not to
feed the monkeys.
__X___way of reasoning
_____necessary outcome
5. Norton clarified his first question by asking if Mr. Pignati owned
anything worth stealing.
______cleared of impurities
__X___made easier to
understand
6. Lorraine thought that skating around Mr. Pignati’s house became
mundane after she had done it several times.
_____wordly
__X__commonplace
7. The chocolate-covered ants looked like miniature candies.
______small painting or model.
___X___minute or tiny
8. The policeman’s questions made Lorraine think that they were victims of
arrested mental growth.
___X___stopped or slowed down
_____taken into custody
9. Although she tried to be honest, Lorraine was guilty of relapses when
she explained her reasons for lying.
___X__return to a former condition
______recurrence of a disease
10. Lorraine thought that her mother’s exaggerated crying was intended to
make Lorraine ask for forgiveness.
_____overstated
___X___overemphasized
11. Lorraine’s attempts to stop John from smoking had no impact on him.
_____violent contact
___X__power to move feelings
12. The apples sold in the school cafeteria were so scrawny that John
wondered why anyone brought them.
__X___inferior
_____skinny and bony
13. Lorraine was quick to criticize John for his infantile behavior.
_____immature
___X__babyish
14. Lorraine believed that John’s real hostility was directed against himself.
_____acts of warfare
___X__feelings of anger
Vocabulary-Meaning from Context-The Pigman
The meaning of an unfamiliar word is sometimes given or implied in another part of the passage in which
the word appears. Read each of the following sentences from the novel and look for clues that indicate the
meaning of the underlined word. Then put an X in the blank next to the correct definition.
1. John distorts – when he isn’t out-and-out lying.
____twists the truth
____twists the body
____dances
2. The one big difference between John and me . . . is that I have compassion . . . He pretends he doesn’t
care about anything in the world.
____quality of bravery
____intelligent view of complex situations
____ability to feel pity for others
3. He prevaricates just for prevaricating’s sake . . . He can get so involved in a fib that you can tell he
believes it enough to enjoy it.
____plays pranks
____remembers small details
____lies
4. The third omen that this was going to be a bad day was when we went into the nocturnal room of the
Mammal Building.
____conviction that something exciting will occur
____a happening supposed to fortell a future event
____one of the set of three objects or events
5. You should have seen Lorraine carrying eleven gladiolas. She looked like a Mongolian peasant
hawking flowers in a flea market.
____plants in the iris family
____birds native to the Far East
____lucky charms
6. I don’t like spaghetti when it’s normal, let alone congealed.
____thickened by cooled
____uncooked
____formed in long pieces
7. I was mortified picking it up . . . I was sure I’d look like an enormous cow bending over to get it.
____stiffened
____amused
____embarrassed
8. Norton has a reputation for going especially berserk at parties. Even when we used to have kiddie
parties and play spin the bottle, the girls were terrified when it was his turn because he’d bite.
____enthusiastic
____violent
____popular
Vocabulary-Meaning from Context-The Pigman
The meaning of an unfamiliar word is sometimes given or implied in another
part of the passage in which the word appears. Read each of the following
sentences from the novel and look for clues that indicate the meaning of the
underlined word. Then put an X in the blank next to the correct definition.
1. John distorts – when he isn’t out-and-out lying.
__X__twists the truth
____twists the body
____dances
2. The one big difference between John and me . . . is that I have
compassion . . . He pretends he doesn’t care about anything in the world.
____quality of bravery
____intelligent view of complex situations
__X__ability to feel pity for others
3. He prevaricates just for prevaricating’s sake . . . He can get so involved
in a fib that you can tell he believes it enough to enjoy it.
____plays pranks
____remembers small details
__X__lies
4. The third omen that this was going to be a bad day was when we went
into the nocturnal room of the Mammal Building.
____conviction that something exciting will occur
__X__a happening supposed to fortell a future event
____one of the set of three objects or events
5. You should have seen Lorraine carrying eleven gladiolas. She looked
like a Mongolian peasant hawking flowers in a flea market.
__X__plants in the iris family
____birds native to the Far East
____lucky charms
6. I don’t like spaghetti when it’s normal, let alone congealed.
__X__thickened by cooled
____uncooked
____formed in long pieces
7. I was mortified picking it up . . . I was sure I’d look like an enormous
cow bending over to get it.
____stiffened
____amused
__X__embarrassed
8. Norton has a reputation for going especially berserk at parties. Even
when we used to have kiddie parties and play spin the bottle, the girls were
terrified when it was his turn because he’d bite.
____enthusiastic
__X__violent
____popular
Reading Comprehension-Cause-Effect Relationships Inferential-The Pigman
Complete each of the following statements, using details from the novel.
1. John earned the reputation of a practical joker at school because
2. Lorraine interpreted John’s behavior in psychological terms because
3. Lorraine felt that John really was a compassionate person because
4. Lorraine believed that John was laughing at her on the bus because
5. John resented his brother Kenneth because
6. Lorraine lied to her mother because
7. Lorraine did not enjoy visiting the zoo with Mr. Pignati and John because
8. John and Lorraine began to feel at home in Mr. Pignati’s house because
9. Lorraine felt a degree of sympathy for her mother because
10. Mr. Pignati took Lorraine and John to Beekman’s store because
Reading Comprehension-Cause-Effect Relationships Inferential-The Pigman
Complete each of the following statements, using details from the novel.
1. John earned the reputation of a practical joker at school because
He did not like school. Most likely he was bored by school. Also he had
an extremely wild imagination.
2. Lorraine interpreted John’s behavior in psychological terms because
She had read a lot of psychology articles; she searched for reasons to
explain his behavior when she did not really approve of it.
3. Lorraine felt that John really was a compassionate person because
He had befriended her and she did not feel that she was pretty enough
to merit his attention.
4. Lorraine believed that John was laughing at her on the bus because
She felt that she was unattractive; she was self-conscious about her
appearance.
5. John resented his brother Kenneth because
Kenneth was held up to him as a model of success; John felt that his
parents favored him.
6. Lorraine lied to her mother because
Mrs. Jensen would not have approved of her activities or friends. Her
mother would not allow her any freedoms.
7. Lorraine did not enjoy visiting the zoo with Mr. Pignati and John because
She thought the zoo attendants did not understand the animals. Also
she kept noticing the bad omens. Next, the nocturnal room made her
uneasy. She was bored by the snake house. The feeding of the alligators
disgusted her.
8. John and Lorraine began to feel at home in Mr. Pignati’s house because
The Pigman’s hospitality was so sincere; the Pigman was obviously
delighted with their company.
9. Lorraine felt a degree of sympathy for her mother because
She knew how hard her mother worked and how dreary her life was;
she sensed the depth of her mother’s disappointment and loss.
10. Mr. Pignati took Lorraine and John to Beekman’s store because
He wanted to share with them some of the pleasures that he and his wife
had known.
Reading Comprehension-Drawing Conclusions-The Pigman
When you draw a conclusion, you examine the facts and use them as a basis for a reasonable generalization
or opinion. In The Pigman John and Lorraine often draw conclusions about each other and the people
around them. Read each set of facts below. Then underline the most logical conclusion based on these
facts.
1. Facts: John was six feet tall, with long brown hair and large blue eyes.
John easily obtained permission for school absence from Deanna Deas.
In response to Mr. Weiner’s question, John claimed that early American
settlers lived in tree huts.
John typed assignments for Miss Stewart in hour-glass shapes.
Lorraine’s Conclusion:
John was hopelessly careless as a student.
John got away with a lot because he was handsome.
2. Facts: Mrs. Jensen constantly criticized Lorraine’s appearance.
Lorraine had interesting green eyes.
Lorraine was much better looking than her mother admitted.
Lorraine was very self-conscious about her appearance.
John’s Conclusion:
Lorraine’s self-confidence had been undermined by her mother.
Lorraine would have no friends if it weren’t for John.
Mrs. Jensen wished her daughter were more beautiful.
3. Facts: The Conlans had not helped John mend his ways.
Mr. Conlan boasted about cheating the insurance company.
Mrs. Conlan lied about the Green Stamps.
Mr. Conlan made drinking alcohol seem like a sign of maturity.
Lorraine’s Conclusion:
The Conlans were unfit parents for Jon and Kenneth.
The Conlans needed the services of a lawyer.
The Conlans had a lot to feel guilty about.
4. Facts: Mr. Pignati looked sad whenever he spoke of Conchetta’s absence.
Mrs. Pignati ‘s clothes and jewelry were in the bedroom.
John found a pamphlet about death benefits.
John discovered a funeral bill signed by Angelo Pignati.
John’s Conclusions:
Conchetta had deserted her husband.
Conchetta had died.
Conchetta had been spoiled by her husband’s generosity.
5. Facts: The Pigman talked about Conchetta with warmth and deep feeling.
The landlady had insisted that her dead husband would return.
Lorraine knew of many cases in which a man and his wife died within a short
time of each other.
Lorraine’s Conclusion:
People get stubborn when they get older.
Marriage seldom brings anything but sadness.
The love between a man and a woman can be the strongest bond in the world.
Reading Comprehension-Drawing Conclusions-The Pigman
When you draw a conclusion, you examine the facts and use them as a basis
for a reasonable generalization or opinion. In The Pigman John and
Lorraine often draw conclusions about each other and the people around
them. Read each set of facts below. Then underline the most logical
conclusion based on these facts.
1. Facts:
John was six feet tall, with long brown hair and large blue eyes.
John easily obtained permission for school absence from
Deanna Deas.
In response to Mr. Weiner’s question, John claimed that early
American settlers lived in tree huts.
John typed assignments for Miss Stewart in hour-glass shapes.
Lorraine’s Conclusion:
John was hopelessly careless as a student.
John got away with a lot because he was handsome.
2. Facts: Mrs. Jensen constantly criticized Lorraine’s appearance.
Lorraine had interesting green eyes.
Lorraine was much better looking than her mother admitted.
Lorraine was very self-conscious about her appearance.
John’s Conclusion:
Lorraine’s self-confidence had been undermined by her
mother.
Lorraine would have no friends if it weren’t for John.
Mrs. Jensen wished her daughter were more beautiful.
3. Facts:
The Conlans had not helped John mend his ways.
Mr. Conlan boasted about cheating the insurance company.
Mrs. Conlan lied about the Green Stamps.
Mr. Conlan made drinking alcohol seem like a sign of maturity.
Lorraine’s Conclusion:
The Conlans were unfit parents for Jon and Kenneth.
The Conlans needed the services of a lawyer.
The Conlans had a lot to feel guilty about.
4. Facts:
Mr. Pignati looked sad whenever he spoke of Conchetta’s
absence.
Mrs. Pignati ‘s clothes and jewelry were in the bedroom.
John found a pamphlet about death benefits.
John discovered a funeral bill signed by Angelo Pignati.
John’s Conclusions:
Conchetta had deserted her husband.
Conchetta had died.
Conchetta had been spoiled by her husband’s generosity.
5. Facts:
The Pigman talked about Conchetta with warmth and deep
feeling.
The landlady had insisted that her dead husband would return.
Lorraine knew of many cases in which a man and his wife died
within a short time of each other.
Lorraine’s Conclusion:
People get stubborn when they get older.
Marriage seldom brings anything but sadness.
The love between a man and a woman can be the strongest
bond in the world.
Vocabulary-Implied Meanings-The Pigman
Although John and Lorraine use psychological terminology in writing about each other, very often they do
not fully understand these words and therefore misuse them. Some examples of this psychological
terminology are provided below. In the space beneath each statement, explain what Lorraine or John meant
when using the underlined word. A dictionary definition of the term and a page reference from the novel
are provided to guide your answers.
1. “. . . Some magazine did a whole article on mental disturbances, and after I read the symptoms of each
of them, I realized I had all of them – but most of all I had paranoia. That’s when you think everybody’s
making fun of you when they’re not.” (Chapter 2)
Paranoia: a mental disorder characterized by systemized delusions, as of grandeur or especially
persecution, with an otherwise intact personality.
2. “John . . . always has to twist things subliminally.” (Chapter 2)
Subliminal: below the level of consciousness or apprehension.
3. “You’re always blabbing about the subconscious, and you can’t even tell a subconscious suicide when
you talk to one.” (Chapter 5)
Subconscious: unconscious mental activity; occurring without conscious perception.
4. “It (the Conlans’ lying) is a kind of subconscious, schizophrenic fibbing, if you ask me, and if those
parents don’t have guilt complexes, I don’t who has.” (Chapter 4)
Schizophrenia: a major mental disorder characterized by a separation between the thought
processes and the emotions, disortion of reality accompanied by delusions and hallucinations, a
fragmentation of the personality, bizarre behavior, often with no loss of intellectual functions.
5. “She’s (Lorraine’s mother) what the psychologists call fixated on the subject (of how awful men are in
general).” (Chapter 10)
Fixate: to be persistently attached to some person, object, or idea.
6. “If I didn’t know how maladjusted John is at times, I would have simply walked out of that house and
not spoken to him again as long as I lived.” (Chapter 12)
Maladjusted: unable to adjust properly to the circumstances of one’s life.
7. “It’s what they call a compensation syndrome.” (Chapter 4)
Syndrome: a number of symptoms occurring together and characterizing a specific disease or
condition.
Compensation: a mechanism by which an individual seeks to make up for a real or imagined
psychological defect by developing or exaggerating a psychological strength.
Vocabulary-Implied Meanings-The Pigman
Although John and Lorraine use psychological terminology in writing about
each other, very often they do not fully understand these words and therefore
misuse them. Some examples of this psychological terminology are
provided below. In the space beneath each statement, explain what Lorraine
or John meant when using the underlined word. A dictionary definition of
the term and a page reference from the novel are provided to guide your
answers.
1. “. . . Some magazine did a whole article on mental disturbances, and after
I read the symptoms of each of them, I realized I had all of them – but most
of all I had paranoia. That’s when you think everybody’s making fun of
you when they’re not.” (Chapter 2)
Paranoia: a mental disorder characterized by systemized delusions, as
of grandeur or especially persecution, with an otherwise intact personality.
Lorraine is extremely self-conscious and often imagines the others are
ridiculing her.
2. “John . . . always has to twist things subliminally.” (Chapter 2)
Subliminal: below the level of consciousness or apprehension.
John has a habit of exaggerating or twisting the truth without being
aware that he is doing so.
3. “You’re always blabbing about the subconscious, and you can’t even tell
a subconscious suicide when you talk to one.” (Chapter 5)
Subconscious: unconscious mental activity; occurring without
conscious perception.
Although you talk about people doing things without being aware of
why they’re doing it, you can’t recognize a person who might commit
suicide even when you talk to that person.
4. “It (the Conlans’ lying) is a kind of subconscious, schizophrenic fibbing,
if you ask me, and if those parents don’t have guilt complexes, I don’t who
has.” (Chapter 4)
Schizophrenia: a major mental disorder characterized by a separation
between the thought processes and the emotions, disortion of reality
accompanied by delusions and hallucinations, a fragmentation of the
personality, bizarre behavior, often with no loss of intellectual functions.
The Conlans condemn John for lying while being untruthful themselves.
They seem unaware of this double standard, but they certainly must feel
guilty about it.
5. “She’s (Lorraine’s mother) what the psychologists call fixated on the
subject (of how awful men are in general).” (Chapter 10)
Fixate: to be persistently attached to some person, object, or idea.
The memory of her unhappy marriage colors everything that Mrs.
Jensen thinks.
6. “If I didn’t know how maladjusted John is at times, I would have simply
walked out of that house and not spoken to him again as long as I lived.”
(Chapter 12)
Maladjusted: unable to adjust properly to the circumstances of one’s
life.
John sometimes is hard to get along with because he is unhappy and
confused.
7. “It’s what they call a compensation syndrome.” (Chapter 4)
Syndrome: a number of symptoms occurring together and
characterizing a specific disease or condition.
Compensation: a mechanism by which an individual seeks to make
up for a real or imagined psychological defect by developing or exaggerating
a psychological strength.
John’s lying is an attempt to make up for the excitement he thinks he
has missed.
Literary Analysis-Characterization-The Pigman
Identify the characters who made each of the following statements. Write his or her
name and then explain what the statement tells you about the character.
1. “Actually, I hate school, but then again most of the time I hate everything.”
Character:
Explanation:
2. “I didn’t want anyone really to take advantage of the old man. Some people might
think that’s what I was doing, but not the way Norton would have.”
Character:
Explanation:
3. “Sometimes it’s just the way that I say one word that gets her going, and she’s so
quick with her hand it’s hard to think of her being gentle to sick people.”
Character:
Explanation:
4. “People just don’t get jealous of me. I’m the type the boss’s wife would hire for her
husband’s secretary.”
Character:
Explanation:
5. “I’m looking for anything to prove that when I drop dead there’s a chance I’ll be
doing something a little more exciting than decaying.”
Character:
Explanation:
6. I’m asking you to try working for a change. At your age I was working hard, not
floundering around in a fool’s dream world.”
Character:
Explanation:
7. “One part of me was saying ‘Don’t let this nice old man waste his money,’ and the
other half was saying ‘Enjoy it, enjoy doing something absolutely absurd – something tht
let me be a child in a way I could never be with my mother, something just silly and
absurd and . . . beautiful.”
Character:
Explanation:
8. “We loved each other. We didn’t need anyone else. She did everything for me. We
were each other’s life . . . “
Character:
Explanation:
Literary Analysis-Characterization-The Pigman
Identify the characters who made each of the following statements. Write
his or her name and then explain what the statement tells you about the
character.
1. “Actually, I hate school, but then again most of the time I hate
everything.”
Character: John
Explanation: his confusion, not knowing how to deal with his attitudes,
liking little about his life.
2. “I didn’t want anyone really to take advantage of the old man. Some
people might think that’s what I was doing, but not the way Norton would
have.”
Character: John
Explanation: admission of his wrongdoing in using the Pigman to get
money; excuses self on grounds that it was not theft.
3. “Sometimes it’s just the way that I say one word that gets her going, and
she’s so quick with her hand it’s hard to think of her being gentle to sick
people.”
Character: Lorraine
Explanation: fear of her mother’s quick temper; acknowledgement that
she can be kind with others; conflict of reason and emotion.
4. “People just don’t get jealous of me. I’m the type the boss’s wife would
hire for her husband’s secretary.”
Character: Lorraine
Explanation: conviction that she’s not attractive, suing flippancy to
mask her poor self-image.
5. “I’m looking for anything to prove that when I drop dead there’s a
chance I’ll be doing something a little more exciting than decaying.”
Character: John
Explanation: feeling of failure in his life, hope that his existence will be
justified if only after death.
6. I’m asking you to try working for a change. At your age I was working
hard, not floundering around in a fool’s dream world.”
Character: Mrs. Conlan
Explanation: self-pity; resentment of son’s illness; anger at John’s
refusal to work at the exchange.
7. “One part of me was saying ‘Don’t let this nice old man waste his
money,’ and the other half was saying ‘Enjoy it, enjoy doing something
absolutely absurd – something tht let me be a child in a way I could never be
with my mother, something just silly and absurd and . . . beautiful.”
Character: Lorraine
Explanation: conflict about accepting the Pigman’s gifts; awareness of
what she’d missed; confusion of values.
8. “We loved each other. We didn’t need anyone else. She did everything
for me. We were each other’s life . . . “
Character: Mr. Pignati
Explanation: the depth of the Pignatis’ relationship; his helplessness
after Conchetta’s death; his profound sorrow.
Reading Comprehension-Recalling Details/Making Inferences-The Pigman
Identify the following and describe the part each plays in Lorraine and John’s story.
1. The L and J Fund
2. Jane Appling
3. Masterson’s Tomb
4. The Coffee Exchange
5. The Hyper
6. Dixie
7. Nylon Stockings
8. The Assassin
9. Howard Avenue
Reading Comprehension-Recalling Details/Making Inferences-The Pigman
Identify the following and describe the part each plays in Lorraine and
John’s story.
1. The L and J Fund
The Lorraine and John Fund, the bogus charity that provided the
opportunity for John and Lorraine to meet the Pigman.
2. Jane Appling
The schoolmate whose family had no telephone; used by Lorraine when
lying to Mrs. Jensen; participant in the party.
3. Masterson’s Tomb
The Moravian Cemetary where John and Lorraine often went before
meeting the Pigman.
4. The Coffee Exchange
Mr. Conlan’s and Kenneth’s place of business; a sore point in John’s
and his father’s arguments; a place John hated.
5. The Hyper
John’s nickname for his mother, whose nervousness and obsessive
cleaning made John feel that he was unwelcome at home.
6. Dixie
AKA the Confederate, the bum at the ferryhouse who had lost his
concentration, an echo of John’s own wild imagination.
7. Nylon Stockings
Lorraine’s gift to her mother, an indication of her concern and love for
Mrs. Jensen in spite of everything.
8. The Assassin
A character in the Pigman’s game, used by John to represent the threats
he had been using as excuses to avoid responsibility.
9. Howard Avenue
Street on which the Pigman lived; the scene of the teenagers’ betrayl of
Mr. Pignati’s trust; influenced Lorraine’s choice of telephone number
in the marathon.
Literary Analysis-Theme-The Pigman
In writing about the Pigman, Lorraine and John try to examine their guilt and ultimately
learn something from their friend’s death. Consider this theme of guilt as you answer the
questions below.
1. Throughout the novel. both John and Lorraine blame each other or blame other people
for their unhappiness and for the Pigman’s death. Find examples throughout the novel
where John and Lorraine blame each other or blame other people. Be sure to indicate the
chapter in which the incident occurs.
a. John blames Lorraine or others
Chapter
b. Lorraine blames John or others
Chapters
2. What does John mean in his statement on page 148, Chapter 15, beginning, “There
was no one else to blame anymore . . .”?
3. Choose five characters from The Pigman who bear some responsibility for Mr.
Pignati’s death. List them in the order in which you believe they are most guilty, and
explain why. Write your answers on the back of this sheet.
Literary Analysis-Theme-The Pigman
In writing about the Pigman, Lorraine and John try to examine their guilt
and ultimately learn something from their friend’s death. Consider this
theme of guilt as you answer the questions below.
1. Throughout the novel. both John and Lorraine blame each other or blame
other people for their unhappiness and for the Pigman’s death. Find
examples throughout the novel where John and Lorraine blame each other or
blame other people. Be sure to indicate the chapter in which the incident
occurs.
a. John blames Lorraine or others
Chapter
Lorraine: for being the one who brought the Pigman into their lives by
choosing his telephone number in the marathon.
3
Norton: for causing the trouble the night of the party.
5
His mother and Lorraine’s mother for not letting their children have
parties at home, thus prompting them to go overboard on the party
they gave at the Pigman’s
15
The Pigman: for trespassing, for being a child and joining in their
games, even for trying to outdo them in having fun.
15
b. Lorraine blames John or others
Chapters
John: for creating the lie about the L and J Fund which led them to
visit the Pignati house.
4
Norton: for cheating in the phone marathon and prompting her to peek
at the address, thereby directing her to Mr. Pignati.
4
John: for causing the old man to chase him up the stairs, thus bringing
about the first heart attack.
11
John: for all that happened after the hospitalized Pigman gave them
the run of the house.
11
2. What does John mean in his statement on page 148, Chapter 15,
beginning, “There was no one else to blame anymore . . .”?
That he and Lorraine had to face the fact that they were responsible for
their actions and could not blame the others for all that had gone wrong
in their lives.
3. Choose five characters from The Pigman who bear some responsibility
for Mr. Pignati’s death. List them in the order in which you believe they are
most guilty, and explain why. Write your answers on the back of this sheet.
Literary Analysis-Theme-The Pigman
One of the themes in The Pigman is the difficulty of the transition from childhood to
adulthood. Part of Lorraine’s and John’s confusion about growing up was caused by
their reactions to the adults they knew.
In the spaces under each item below, explain the two teenagers’ attitudes.
1. Attitude toward teachers
a. John’s
b. Lorraine’s
2. Attitude toward parents
a. John’s
b. Lorraine’s
3. Attitude toward Mr. Pignati
a. John’s
b. Lorraine’s
4. Which adult helped John and Lorraine most in their transition from childhood to
adulthood? Explain how that adult helped.
Literary Analysis-Theme-The Pigman
One of the themes in The Pigman is the difficulty of the transition from
childhood to adulthood. Part of Lorraine’s and John’s confusion about
growing up was caused by their reactions to the adults they knew.
In the spaces under each item below, explain the two teenagers’ attitudes.
1. Attitude toward teachers
a. John’s
Disgust with Miss King for using slang so as not to seem old
fashioned; rebellious reaction to homework and class assignments;
pokes fun at school disciplinarians; more tolerant of Miss Riellen.
b. Lorraine’s
More favorable than John; makes excuses for Miss Reillen and
Miss Stewart.
2. Attitude toward parents
a. John’s
Ridicules them; resents their nagging, making him feel out of
place and unwanted, holding up Kenneth as a model, obsessions with
housekeeping and earning a living; apprehension at their aging and ill
health; realizing that they share the blame.
b. Lorraine’s
Resents nagging; overprotectiveness, poor homemaking, obsession
with men, stealing from employers and deals with undertakers; makes
excuses for mother’s behavior: demanding job, and disappointment in
marriage, wishes she could be happy.
3. Attitude toward Mr. Pignati
a. John’s
At first suspicious and amused at his childlike desire to please;
pity and protectiveness; genuine affection; gratitude for his generosity.
b. Lorraine’s
Similar to John’s; deep sympathy for his feeling of loss after
Conchetta’s death; reluctant to take advantage of his generosity; senses
his need for their companionship.
4. Which adult helped John and Lorraine most in their transition from
childhood to adulthood? Explain how that adult helped.
Mr. Pignati: by winning their respect, giving them some idea of
the rewards of love and marriage, and providing them with an
opportunity, however tragic the circumstance, to accept responsibility
for their actions.
Reading Comprehension-Drawing Conclusions-The Pigman
Some conclusions that John and Lorraine drew in the course of The Pigman are stated
below. In the space under each conclusion, list facts from the novel that seem to support
that conclusion. In most cases, chapters are given to guide your answers.
1. Lorraine concluded that if she didn’t wear the roller skates in Beekman’s store, she’d
be letting John down. (Chapter 8)
2. John concluded that Norton intended to steal the oscilloscope. (Chapter 9, Chapter
13)
3. Lorraine concluded that the Pigman knew something that other people didn’t know
about love and having fun. (Chapter 10)
4. Lorraine concluded that Mr. Pignati became younger the longer he was with his young
friends. (Chapter 10)
5. The day after the party, Lorraine concluded that something was wrong at the monkey
house. (Chapter 14)
6. John concluded that Mr. Pignati was dead when he collapsed in the monkey house.
(Chapter 15)
7. John and Lorraine concluded that they bore responsibility for Angelo Pignati’s death.
Reading Comprehension-Drawing Conclusions-The Pigman
Some conclusions that John and Lorraine drew in the course of The Pigman
are stated below. In the space under each conclusion, list facts from the
novel that seem to support that conclusion. In most cases, chapters are given
to guide your answers.
1. Lorraine concluded that if she didn’t wear the roller skates in Beekman’s
store, she’d be letting John down. (Chapter 8)
John’s expression when she said that his idea was crazy; her knowledge
that his family didn’t understand his doing things just for fun; her belief
that he liked her because she shared his crazy impulses.
2. John concluded that Norton intended to steal the oscilloscope. (Chapter
9, Chapter 13)
Norton’s asking Mr. Pignati had anything worth stealing; Norton’s
reputation; John’s mention of the electrical equipment; DD’s request
for electrical equipment; Norton caught in the act during the party.
3. Lorraine concluded that the Pigman knew something that other people
didn’t know about love and having fun. (Chapter 10)
His reminiscences about life with Conchetta, that they had needed no
one else to be happy; the good times she and John had shared with him;
her knowledge of her own and John’s families.
4. Lorraine concluded that Mr. Pignati became younger the longer he was
with his young friends. (Chapter 10)
His jokes and games; joining John in imitating the monkeys; playing tag
on roller skates; his growing delight in their company.
5. The day after the party, Lorraine concluded that something was wrong at
the monkey house. (Chapter 14)
Bobo’s empty cage; John and Mr. Pignati’s agitation when Bobo did not
appear when called; weather too cold for Bobo to be outside.
6. John concluded that Mr. Pignati was dead when he collapsed in the
monkey house. (Chapter 15)
No pulse, no trace of breath on the glass lens.
7. John and Lorraine concluded that they bore responsibility for Angelo
Pignati’s death
Their betrayl of his trust; the destruction of his house, pig collection,
and Conchetta’s dress; his overexertion in their behalf – shoveling and
playing tag; by trespassing on his life.
Reading Comprehension-Cause-Effect Relationships-The Pigman
Each of the incomplete sentences on the left-hand side states a cause. Choose the phrase
(or effect) from the right-hand side that best completes the sentence. Write its letter in
the blank.
1. _____ Because Norton was teased about
playing with dolls, he
a. earned a tough reputation
by fighting and stealing.
2. _____ Because Mr. Conlan seemed amused
by John’s drinking, John
b. confessed about the fake
charity.
3. _____ Because the Pigman had been so good
to John and Lorraine, they
c. continued the habit as a
as a way of getting
attention.
4. _____ Because Mrs. Jensen had been betrayed
by her husband, she
d. distrusted and seemed to
hate all men.
5. _____ Because John began combing his hair
and using shaving lotion, Lorraine
e. got to go home rather than
to the police station.
6. _____ Because John and Lorraine had never
able to return their friends hospitality,
they
f. sensed their relationship
was changing.
7. _____ Because Melissa Dumas joined John
in dancing on roller skates, Lorraine
g. telephoned Mr. Pignati
and asked him to go to the
zoo with them.
8. _____ Because Mr. Pignati had not pressed
charges, John and Lorraine
h. was pink with jealousy
9. _____ Because John and Lorraine felt extremely
guilty about the damage done at the party,
they
i. went overboard in asking
guests to the party.
10. ____ Because she could not look anyone in the
eye after the party, Lorraine
j. wore Ben Franklin
sunglasses to the zoo.
Reading Comprehension-Cause-Effect Relationships-The Pigman
Each of the incomplete sentences on the left-hand side states a cause. Choose the phrase
(or effect) from the right-hand side that best completes the sentence. Write its letter in
the blank.
1. _ A__ Because Norton was teased about
playing with dolls, he
a. earned a tough reputation
by fighting and stealing.
2. __C__ Because Mr. Conlan seemed amused
by John’s drinking, John
b. confessed about the fake
charity.
3. __B__ Because the Pigman had been so good
to John and Lorraine, they
c. continued the habit as a
as a way of getting
attention.
4. __D_ Because Mrs. Jensen had been betrayed
by her husband, she
d. distrusted and seemed to
hate all men.
5. __ F_ Because John began combing his hair
and using shaving lotion, Lorraine
e. got to go home rather than
to the police station.
6. __ I _ Because John and Lorraine had never
able to return their friends hospitality,
they
f. sensed their relationship
was changing.
7. __H_ Because Melissa Dumas joined John
in dancing on roller skates, Lorraine
g. telephoned Mr. Pignati
and asked him to go to the
zoo with them.
8. __E__ Because Mr. Pignati had not pressed
charges, John and Lorraine
h. was pink with jealousy
9. __G_ Because John and Lorraine felt extremely
guilty about the damage done at the party,
they
i. went overboard in asking
guests to the party.
10. __J__Because she could not look anyone in the
eye after the party, Lorraine
j. wore Ben Franklin
sunglasses to the zoo.
Literary Analysis-Figurative Language-The Pigman
Similes and metaphors are figures of speech that liken or compare one thing to another.
For each of the sentences below, (a) write down what is being compares, and (b) explain
the comparison. The first one has been done to give you a start.
1. John thought of Dennis and Norton as two amoebae who were too insignificant to be
considered good friends.
a. Dennis and Norton, amoebae
b. their unimportance in John’s life
2. Lorraine had very interesting green eyes that scanned like nervous radar.
a.
b.
3. Lorraine did not consider herself Miss America, but she felt that she was not the
abominable snow-woman either.
a.
b.
4. The TV dinners were supposed to be pork chops, but John said they looked like fried
dwarf’s ears.
a.
b.
5. Helen found a mangy fur stole that looked like it was made out of four hundred
Angora alley cats.
a.
b.
6. Mr. Pignati let out a tiny cry almost like a puppy that had been stepped on by mistake.
a.
b.
7. It seemed as if they monkeys knew something that had happened because they started
making noise and pulling against the bars. I thought they were going to tear them out of
the frames, and I wanted to put my hands to my ears to shut out the jungle that had
surrounded us.
a.
b.
8. Right in the bright sunlight you could see the flashing dome of the ambulance going
like crazy, pulsing like a heartbeat,
a.
b.
Literary Analysis-Figurative Language-The Pigman
Similes and metaphors are figures of speech that liken or compare one thing
to another. For each of the sentences below, (a) write down what is being
compares, and (b) explain the comparison. The first one has been done to
give you a start.
1. John thought of Dennis and Norton as two amoebae who were too
insignificant to be considered good friends.
a. Dennis and Norton, amoebae
b. their unimportance in John’s life
2. Lorraine had very interesting green eyes that scanned like nervous radar.
a. Lorraine’s eyes, radar
b. ability to take in everything
3. Lorraine did not consider herself Miss America, but she felt that she was
not the abominable snowwoman either.
a. Lorraine, Miss America, abominable snowwoman
b. beauty and lack of it
4. The TV dinners were supposed to be pork chops, but John said they
looked like fried dwarf’s ears.
a. pork chops, dwarf’s ears
b. shape
5. Helen found a mangy fur stole that looked like it was made out of four
hundred Angora alley cats.
a. fur stole, Angora alley cats
b. size, quality
6. Mr. Pignati let out a tiny cry almost like a puppy that had been stepped on
by mistake.
a. Mr. Pignati’s cry, puppy’s yelp
b. sudden, surprised
7. It seemed as if they monkeys knew something that had happened because
they started making noise and pulling against the bars. I thought they were
going to tear them out of the frames, and I wanted to put my hands to my
ears to shut out the jungle that had surrounded us.
a. monkey house, jungle
b. noise, violence
8. Right in the bright sunlight you could see the flashing dome of the
ambulance going like crazy, pulsing like a heartbeat,
a. ambulance dome, heartbeat
b. rhythmic motion, pulsing
Vocabulary-Antonyms/Hidden Word Puzzle-The Pigman
Antonym is a word that is opposite in meaning to another word. The hidden words in the
puzzle (running forward or backward, vertically or horizontally are antonyms of the
words in the Clue column. A scrambled spelling of each hidden word is given as an
additional aid. Draw a line around the antonym in the puzzle. Also write it in the blank
next to the clue and scrambled spelling.
CLUE
Calm
Confuse
Danger
Dark
Early
Empty
Entrance
Fall
Feelingly
Friendliness
Frown
Genuine
Healthy
Innocent
Large
Mature
Laugh
Proud
Run
Runny
Serious
Short
Simple
Superior
Synonym
Truth
Unusual
Work
SCRAMBLED SPELLING
ACINP
ACFILRY
AEFSTY
GHILT
AELT
FLLU
EITX
EIRS
BLMNUY
HIILOSTTY
EILMS
AACFIILRT
LLI
GITUYL
AEIIMNRTU
AEFIILNNT
RYC
DEIIFORTM
AKLW
ACDEEGLNO
ILLSY
GNLO
AABEELORT
ACNRSWY
AMNNOTY
AACEIINOPRRTV
ADEMNNU
ALPY
ANTONYM/HIDDEN WORD
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
_____________
_____________
_____________
Vocabulary-Antonyms/Hidden Word Puzzle-The Pigman
Antonym is a word that is opposite in meaning to another word. The hidden words in the
puzzle (running forward or backward, vertically or horizontally are antonyms of the
words in the Clue column. A scrambled spelling of each hidden word is given as an
additional aid. Draw a line around the antonym in the puzzle. Also write it in the blank
next to the clue and scrambled spelling.
CLUE
Calm
Confuse
Danger
Dark
Early
Empty
Entrance
Fall
Feelingly
Friendliness
Frown
Genuine
Healthy
Innocent
Large
Mature
Laugh
Proud
Run
Runny
Serious
Short
Simple
Superior
Synonym
Truth
Unusual
Work
SCRAMBLED SPELLING
ACINP
ACFILRY
AEFSTY
GHILT
AELT
FLLU
EITX
EIRS
BLMNUY
HIILOSTTY
EILMS
AACFIILRT
LLI
GITUYL
AEIIMNRTU
AEFIILNNT
RYC
DEIIFORTM
AKLW
ACDEEGLNO
ILLSY
GNLO
AABEELORT
ACNRSWY
AMNNOTY
AACEIINOPRRTV
ADEMNNU
ALPY
ANTONYM/HIDDEN WORD
__panic________
__clarify_______
__safety_______
__light________
__late_________
__full_________
__exit_________
__rise_________
__numbly______
__hostility______
__smile________
__artificial______
__ill___________
__guilty_________
__miniature______
__infantile_______
__cry___________
__mortified_______
__walk__________
__congealed______
__silly__________
__long__________
__elaborate_______
__scrawny_______
__antonym________
__prevarication____
__mundane_______
__play___________
THE PIGMAN
Preview Questions: Complete the following activities to prepare you to
begin reading the novel The Pigman.
1. On the back of this page, write about your best friend, or one of your
friends. Describe this person, how you met, why you consider this person a
friend, any ups and downs you’ve had as friends, and what kinds of things
you like to do together.
2. For each of the following statements mark with an A if you AGREE with
the statement or a D if you DISAGREE with the statement.
_____1. Most adults just don’t remember what it was like to be
young.
_____2. Parents should trust their children.
_____3. There’s no harm in a few practical jokes.
_____4. A person can’t be used unless he lets himself be used.
_____5. No one can really force you to do anything you don’t want to
do.
_____6. A child learns his values from his parents.
_____7. Your life is what you make of it – nothing more nothing less.
3. Brainstorm a list of behaviors that might get a teenager in trouble with his
or her parents. List a minimum of five, then rank them with the most severe
as #1 and so on.
4. Brainstorm a list of ways that older people in this country are taken
advantage of or mistreated by others. List a minimum of five, then rank
them with the most severe as #1 and so on.
ANSWERS
The Pigman – Chapters 1 – 3
1. What reputation did John earn as a high school freshman?
A prankster, bathroom bomber, organizer of the fruit roll.
2. How did his behavior change when he became a sophomore?
From pranks to lesser crimes like writing on desks.
3. How does Lorraine’s reason for writing about the Pigman differ from
John’s?
Lorraine: to record the events before she can repress them; John: to
ease Lorraine’s misery.
4. What is John’s “source problem,” according to Lorraine?
His family.
5. How did Lorraine and John first meet?
When he sat next to her on the school bus and annoyed her by
laughing.
6. What is John’s opinion about Lorraine’s mother?
She is a distorter who undermined Lorraine’s self-confidence.
7. What is John’s opinion of his own father?
The Bore, who picks on John and doesn’t trust him.
8. Why does John describe the game he played with Lorraine, Dennis, and
Norton as a “telephone marathon”?
Because its object is to keep a person on the line as long as possible.
9. Why does Lorraine feel sorry for Miss Stewart, the typing teacher?
Because her mother lives in the living room of their home.
10. Would you say that John is conceited? Why or why not?
The Pigman – Chapters 4 – 6
1. How did Lorraine and John first make contact with the Pigman?
During a phone marathon.
2. What excuse for phoning did Lorraine give the Pigman?
A donation request from a neighborhood charity.
3. Why does Lorraine think that John really can’t be blamed for lying?
Because his parents also lie.
4. Why did John’s mother refuse to give him money when he asked for it?
Because John had put glue in the telephone lock.
5. What argument did John use to persuade Lorraine to go to visit the
Pigman?
That their visit would ease the old man’s loneliness and possibly save
him from suicide.
6. What was John’s impression of Mr. Pignati when he and Lorraine visited
the Pignati house?
That he was big, in his late 50’s, with a beer belly, a huge smile, and
childishly happy to have visitors.
7. How did Lorraine explain her late arrival home?
She lied and said that she was at a drama club meeting and
luncheonette.
8. What does Lorraine think of her mother?
That she was hung up about men, pretty but seldom smiles,
overburdened by problems and work, had a double standard about
stealing from employers and taking payoffs from undertakers, was
quick to anger, and was not understanding with Lorraine.
9. Briefly describe the three omens that Lorraine refers to in this chapter.
What do the omens have in common?
The cranky peanut vendor, peacock attack of Lorraine, and staring
child in the nocturnal room – these were all confirmations that bad
things happen at zoos for Lorraine.
10. What was the Pigman’s reason for going to the zoo so often?
To visit “Bobo” the baboon, his best friend.
11. What are Lorraine’s impressions of Dennis and Norton?
She thinks that they are two hooligans, troublemakers, and that they
are obnoxious.
12. According to Lorraine, why did Mr. Pignati stay on the line?
Because he was lonely.
13. Why did John get interested in Mr. Pignati?
Because he was going to donate $10 to their charity.
14. How does Mr. Pignati treat John and Lorraine during their first visit?
Why does he treat them this way?
He is extremely friendly and kind to them – playing mind games with
them and showing them around his house.
15. Analyze John’s relationship with his parents. What does Lorraine think
is the cause of the problems between them? Do you think Lorraine is right?
What other factors might be involved? What might the family do to get
along better?
16. In chapter 4, Lorraine says that Norton is a social outcast. What does
she mean by this? Create a definition for this term. Decide which other
characters in the novel might be called outcasts and why.
The Pigman – Chapters 7 – 9
1. Why did John and Lorraine go to the cemetery with Dennis and Norton
after school?
To prevent Dennis and Norton from knowing about the Pigman.
2. What did John like about the cemetery, and what was he trying to prove
by his visits there?
Its beauty, a sense of his own immortality.
3. What made John think that Conchetta Pignati was not really away on
vacation, as the Pigman had explained?
Their discovery of the funeral director’s papers, her clothing and
jewelry.
4. In what way did Lorraine wish that her mother were more like the
Pigman?
Being able to have fun and enjoy life.
5. Why was Lorraine especially delighted by the Pigman’s buying spree in
the fancy food department of Beekman’s?
It helped to make up for what she had never had before.
6. Why did Lorraine agree to roller skate out of Beekman’s with John?
Because she understood his need to do things just for fun, also to
avoid letting him down.
7. According to John, why had Norton become such a tough person?
To compensate for being called a sissy as a child.
8. How does John explain the origins of his beer drinking?
The attention and pride from his father, it was something that he could
do better than Kenneth.
9. In what ways did John find his parents so different from the Pigman?
They were always telling him what not to do, also making him feel
unwelcome.
The Pigman – Chapters 10 – 12
1. How does Lorraine explain the reason for her mother’s attitude toward
men?
An overreaction to her husband’s misbehavior.
2. What did John and Lorraine confess to the Pigman, and what did he
admit to them in return?
Their deception in posing as charity workers; Conchetta’s death.
3. What change did Lorraine notice in the Pigman as he got to know his
young friends better?
He acted younger, tried to keep up with them and top them in having
fun.
4. Why was John uneasy during the hospital visit?
Because of its atmosphere of death.
5. What lie do Lorraine and John tell in order to be allowed to see Mr.
Pignati at the hospital?
They tell the employees that they are Mr. Pignati’s children.
6. What abrupt change of mood did Lorraine and John experience during
the evening of their spaghetti dinner?
From a playfulness to a seriousness that neither of them fully
understood.
7. What changes in John did Lorraine notice after that evening?
John took greater care with his appearance, an awkwardness, and a
tendency to pick fights with her.
8. Do you think that John and Lorraine are falling in love?
9. How does Mr. Conlan feel about John’s drinking and smoking? Do you
think it is right to blame his parents for his bad habits? Is John at all to
blame? Explain why or why not.
He feels guilty especially since he was diagnosed with sclerosis of the liver.
10. How did Lorraine interpret her dream about the room in which Mr.
Pignati kept his pig collection?
As an omen of death.
11. Why did John and Lorraine decide to tell Mr. Pignati the truth – that
they were not collecting for an actual charity?
Because they felt guilty for taking the money from him, and he had become
one of their most favorite people in the world to be around. They wanted to
have a relationship with him that was based completely on honesty—this
was different than any other they had with an adult.
12. What do you think will happen to John and Lorraine? To Mr. Pignati?
In a paragraph explain how you think that the novel will end. Be sure to
base your predictions on actual clues from the novel.
13. Why did John and Lorraine avoid the pigs while they were cleaning Mr.
Pignati’s house?
Because it was too painful and full of too many memories of him—too
sacred.
14. Why was John taking out beer of Mr. Pignati’s refrigerator?
For the party they planned on having later that evening.
The Pigman – Chapters 13 – 15
1. How did John justify holding a party at the Pignati house?
He assumed that the Pigman would have approved.
2. In what ways did the party get out of hand?
Excessive drinking and noise, destruction of the Pignati’s possessions,
John and Norton’s fight, too many guests, Conchetta’s dress was
ripped.
3. Would the party have gone wrong if Norton had not have come? Why or
why not?
4. What was the reaction of Lorraine’s mother upon learning of her
daughter’s involvement at the party?
Slapping Lorraine, anger about Lorraine’s lying, exaggerating crying,
suspicion of Mr. Pignati’s motives.
5. Why did Lorraine decide that her mother could never really understand
her?
Her mother’s suspicions about the Pigman.
6. Lorraine blames John for everything that went wrong from the point
where he hatched the idea of the party. Is she right? Why or why not?
7. Briefly describe Lorraine’s nightmare about Mr. Pignati’s pig room.
What incident does the dream foreshadow? Foreshadow: hints or clues
about what will happen, used to increase the level of suspense.
Mr. Pignati’s death.
8. Why did the Pigman collapse at the zoo?
From a heart attack after learning of Bobo’s death.
9. How did Lorraine react to the Pigman’s collapse?
Sensing that the Pigman was dead, she rushed from the monkey
house, blaming herself and John.
10. Why does John think about his father when Mr. Pignati dies?
He realizes his father’s mortality and that just like the Pigman his father will
not be around forever.
11. Lorraine seems to blame John for what happens to Mr. Pignati. John
seems to blame Mr. Pignati himself. Who, if anyone, is to blame? Carefully
review chapters 14 – 15. Write a paragraph starting your opinion with
supporting details.