His father only takes notice of him long enough to compare him to his older, more successful brother and point out how he does not measure up to his standard of hard work. In contrast to Lorraine’s overly controlling mom, John’s parents seem to care little about his day-to-day life. He, too, suffers under the tyranny of an unhappy household and copes by drinking alcohol, a trait he learned from his father, and chain smoking. Lorraine endures constant scrutiny of her behavior and her body size from her overworked, hostile mother, and she is forced to lie about her whereabouts when spending time with John and his friends.Įarning the nickname “the Bathroom Bomber” after setting off firecrackers in the boy’s restroom, John has a reputation as a prankster and liar, but he gets by on his charm and wit. Harboring hatred for men born out of her ex-husband’s betrayal, Lorraine’s mother seeks to control every aspect of her daughter’s life, from her wardrobe to her mode of transportation. Lorraine lives with a single mom who works as a palliative care nurse. The other high school students cannot understand what draws handsome rebellious John to the plain and introverted Lorraine, but the two become friends bonded by their mutual understanding of dysfunctional families and shared appreciation of independence. John and Lorraine met on the school bus right before high school began when Lorraine moved into the neighborhood. Each takes their turn narrating the story of how they came to know Angelo Pignati and what happened to him. John Conlan and Lorraine Jensen, high school sophomores living in Staten Island, compose an oath stating they are writing an epic memorial to someone they call the Pigman, and they vow to tell the truth.
The source material was taken from the 1968 edition published by Harper & Row. Zindel wrote a screenplay for the novel, which was used for a 2001 film adaptation directed by Owen Emerson. Zindel published the sequel in 1980, titled The Pigman’s Legacy, and in 1990 he published his autobiography The Pigman & Me. Though the novel made its way onto the reading list in many schools, it has become one of the most banned books of all time, ranking 44 on the ALA’s list of most challenged books from 1990-2000 when some parents found the author’s inclusion of teenage drinking, cursing, and disrespect of adults as offensive and deemed it inappropriate for young readers. The novel was awarded the New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year in 1968, named an ALA Notable Children’s Book, and added to the Horn Book Fanfare Honor List in 1969.
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