The Pigman

Unit Plan
Prereading: Agree ~ Disagree

1. Most adults just don’t remember what it was

like to be young.
2. Parents should trust their children.
3. Teenagers should not drink alcohol at all.
4. There’s no harm in practical jokes or pranks.
5. A person can’t be used unless he lets himself
be used.
6. No one can force you to do anything you don’t
want to do.
7. A child learns his values from his parents.
8. Your life is what you make of it- nothing more
and nothing less.
 Prereading: Read the following and check the
situations that apply to you:

Making a mean remark about a friend

Cheating on a test or homework assignment
Deliberately starting a fight or argument
 Ridiculing or making fun of someone else
Stealing
Causing physical harm to someone else
Being cruel to an animal
Shouting at a parent or other adult
Damaging the property of another person
Lying to avoid punishment
 Prereading: For each item, explain how
each response might or might not be
helpful in dealing with guilt:
Trying to forget about the incident
Apologizing to the person involved
Talking it over with a friend or parent
Analyzing actions and the reasons behind them
Writing about the incident in a diary or journal
Doing nothing, but resolving not to repeat the
wrongdoing
Openly confessing the guilt
Hating yourself
 Vocabulary: Chapters 1-5
 avocation—hobby
 subliminally—unconsciously; without thinking
 compassion—sympathy for other people; pity
 distort—to twist the truth; to give a false impression
 mortified—extremely embarrassed or ashamed
 philanthropy—act of charity intended to help a
person or a group of people
 prevarications—lies
 patron—one who provides financial support to
artists or writers
 subsidize—to provide financial aid
 Vocabulary: Chapters 6-8
 antagonistic—hostile; given to fighting or
arguing
anxiety—a fearful concern or nervousness
omens—clues as to what will happen in the
future
nocturnal—of the night; active at night
eerie—strange and frightening
ritual—customary series of events
ingrate—ungrateful person
 Vocabulary: Chapters 9-11
 berserk– crazy; insane
putrid—rotten
interrogating—questioning
mull—to think about; ponder
assassin—murderer; killer
predicament—difficult situation or
problem
mundane—ordinary; commonplace
 Vocabulary: Chapters 12-15
infantile—childish
hovel—small, often dirty house; shack
hors d’oeuvres—foods served as appetizers
incongruous—dissimilar; not belonging
together
proficiency—skill
Read “The Oath” and answer the following:

What is a “memorial epic”?

What to you expect the story will be about
when you hear that term?
What mood is created by the language used
in “The Oath”?
What is your initial reaction to John and
Lorraine?
 Chapters 1-4
For each chapter, answer the following:

What happened?
Who was involved?
What do you think will happen next?
 Chapters 1-4 Discussion Questions
 What kind of reputation do you think John gains among students
through his bathroom bombings and fruit rolls? What is your
attitude toward his behavior? What do you think motivates him
to pull these stunts?
 Do you think John’s system of cursing is a cop-out, childish, or a
good compromise? What is your opinion of his philosophy of
cursing?
 Analyze John and Lorraine’s first meeting. What brings them
together? On the basis of that first meeting, what predictions
would you make about:
◦ Who will be the leader?
◦ Will they become romantically involved?
◦ What common interests might they share?
◦ How will others view the relationship?
 By the end of chapter 4, who seems the best storyteller to you:
John or Lorraine? Which narrator would appeal to you more as a
friend? Explain.
Literary Skills: Humorous Devices
 Hyperbole—extreme exaggeration
◦ She demanded her employees ask permission to breathe.
 Understatement—opposite of hyperbole; the user of
understatement wants to downplay something
◦ The man mildly protested when the angry mob decided to
hang him.
 Euphemism—the use of a polite or roundabout term
in place of language that is considered too informal
or impolite
◦ Using “restroom” instead of “toilet” or “tipsy” instead of
“drunk”
 Sarcasm—a bitter or sneering remark which mocks a
person, thing, or idea
◦ Of course, we want to listen to another boring lecture.
 Literary Skills: Humorous Devices
Identify what type of device is used in the following examples. Write H for hyperbole, U for
understatement, E for euphemism, or S for sarcasm

_____1. Mrs. Jensen talks as though Lorraine needs major surgery and multiple body braces in order
to look attractive.
_____2. John puts the bombs behind the unmentionables in the boys’ bathroom.

_____3. Lorraine says the Pigman is dying to talk.

_____4. Lorraine admits that she’s not Venus or Miss America.

_____5. John thinks he’d better let Lorraine have the typewriter before she has a heart attack.

_____6. John says he warmly refers to his father as the Bore.

_____7. Lorraine thinks John could project his eyes straight up to the second balcony.

_____8. John says that he severed maternal relations for a while.

_____9. Lorraine maintains that John isn’t as insensitive to Homo sapiens as he pretends.

____10. John says that anyone who believes it’s fun to end the day with Problems in American
Democracy needs a straightjacket. (2 answers here)
Literary Skills: Humorous Devices:
On your own: Create your own examples of each of the
humorous devices below.

 Hyperbole:

 Understatement:

 Euphemism:

 Sarcasm:
Literary Skills: Character Conclusions
1. Compassion John Lorraine

Evidence
Doesn’t roll fruit during defends Miss Reillen; feels
postman’s lecture sorry for Mr. Pignati

Conclusion
2. Attitude John Lorraine
toward Lying

Evidence Enjoys lying to his

parents about aliens;
Lorraine says he lies to
pretend life is more
exciting

Conclusion lying is not ethical when it is

done to cheat someone; lying
in jest or joking is acceptable
3. Self- John Lorraine
Confidence

Evidence

Conclusion Is confident of his Lacks confidence about her

appearance, influence, appearance and appeal
and looks
4. Cautiousness John Lorraine

Evidence

Conclusion Not cautious; doesn’t More cautious than John;

consider sometimes admires his daring
consequences for and tries to imitate it, other
himself or others times shocked
5. Respect John Lorraine
for
authority
Evidence Tries to use Freud and
medical evidence to convince
John to quit smoking; doesn’t
respect her mother

Conclusion Has no respect for

authority; goes out of his
way to defy it
6. Practicality John Lorraine
Evidence Thinks he will be a great Thinks they should record
actor; states that events before they repress
cursing is not shocking them; thinks she can be an
since most people curse actress

Conclusion
7. Sense & John Lorraine
type of
humor
Evidence Calls Dennis & Norton
“two amoebae;” makes
fun of Miss Reillen

Conclusion Has a good sense of humor

that is mostly directed at her
own folly or John’s exploits
8. Creativity John Lorraine

Evidence

Conclusion Creative in unconventional, Creative in less rebellious

rebellious ways ways
Assessment on Chapters 1-4

Name this
pig for +2:
Write the
bottom of
your quiz.
 Multi-genre Connection:
“What We Might Be, What We Are” ~X.J. Kennedy

If you were a scoop of vanilla If you were a plate of spaghetti

And I were the cone where you sat, And I were your piping-hot sauce,
If you were a slowly pitched baseball We'd not even need to write letters
And I were the swing of a bat, To put our affection across.

If you were a shiny new fishhook But you're just a piece of red ribbon
And I were a bucket of worms, In the beard of a Balinese goat
If we were a pin and a pincushion, And I'm a New Jersey mosquito.
We might be on intimate terms. I guess we'll stay slightly remote.

Write a one paragraph connection between this poem and

The Pigman.

Be ready to share with the class.

Reading
For chapter 5, answer the following:

What happened?
Who was involved?
What do you think will happen next?
Chapters 1-5 Activity
Draw a picture of John, Lorraine, or Mr.
Pignati, then choose a quote from chapters
1-5 to describe what you have drawn
 Character Focus

Choose four adjectives to describe each of

the major characters. Find one quote for
each character to support your answer.
 Assessment
MC Quiz on chapters 1-5
Name the pig for +2 on your quiz
Reading
For chapter 6, answer the following:

What happened?
Who was involved?
What do you think will happen next?
 Literary Skills: Simile & Metaphor
 Simile: Bobo’s appearance

 Metaphor: Norton’s meanness

 Simile: John’s lies

 Metaphor: Mr. Pignati’s collection of pigs

 Literary Skills: Foreshadowing & Inference

Writing: Write one good paragraph

addressing the following based on inferences
and foreshadowing.

Discuss why you think Zindel (through John and

Lorraine) lets readers know from the beginning
that the Pigman will die. How does the
revelation of this fact affect the tone and
suspense created by the book? How does it
affect your response to the characters—
particularly John, Lorraine, Mr. Pignati, and
Norton? Decide whether or not you prefer Mr.
Pignati’s death is revealed at the beginning.
Give reasons for your response.
Check for Understanding
Complete the check for understanding on
chapters 5-6.

Be sure to answer in COMPLETE

SENTENCES!

Extra bonus: Who is your favorite

character & why? (Answer on the back
of your paper for +2)
Writing

How do you express your individuality?

Do you wear unusual clothes? Style your
hair a certain way? Listen to certain types
of music? Jot down a few of the ways
that you express who you are.
Reading
For chapter 7, answer the following:

What happened?
Who was involved?
What do you think will happen next?
 Chapter 7 Discussion Questions
 John says he seeks out cemeteries because he hopes to find proof
that “there’s a chance I’ll be doing something a little more
exciting than decaying.” Why might John be interested in that
issue when he is so young? What does John’s obsession indicate
about his attitude toward life?
 How would an acting career suit John’s talents? What desires
would acting satisfy for him? Why is John’s father, on the other
hand, so opposed to such a career?
 Examine and comment on one of the clashes between John and
one or both of his parents. Indicate who you feel is to blame and
why. What would you have said if you were in John’s place and
why?
 Why do you think Mr. Pignati says his wife is away on a trip
when she is actually dead? How does the purpose of his lies
compare to the purpose of John’s lies?
 Realistic Fiction
The lives and psychology of common people
and how they are defined
The dialogue or narration written in vernacular
Moral issues faced by ordinary people and
how they are explored
Painful and unpleasant facts of life and how
they are unavoidable
Characters’ good and bad sides
Resolution of characters’ problems
Effect of setting, true-to-life details
Graphic Organizer: find examples of how The
Pigman is realistic fiction
Artistic Connection

Pretend you are John or Lorraine. Create

a postcard from your favorite destination
visited with Mr. Pignati. Decorate the
front of your postcard and then write a
brief description of what you did at the
location and what you liked about it on
the back.
Reading
For chapter 8, answer the following:

What happened?
Who was involved?
What do you think will happen next?
 Literary Skills: Conflict

 Man VS Man: the character faces a problem with

one or more characters in the story
 Man VS Himself: the character faces a physical or
emotional problem or struggle
 Man VS Society: the character faces a problem with
part of society (government, school, traditions,
etc…)
 Man VS Nature: the character faces a problem with
some source of nature (cold, storm, etc…)
 Man VS Fate: the character faces a problem with a
force such as fate, God, or luck
Literary Skills: Conflict

The Pigman literary skills conflict.doc

 Literary Skills: Setting & Mood
Independent Writing

Pick one of the following settings and circle your choice.

Describe it in two or three paragraphs. Use specific
details to create a vivid picture in the mind of your reader.

◦ John’s house
◦ Lorraine’s house
◦ Beekman’s Department Store

Before you begin writing, decide what mood you associate

with the setting. Note that mood on the line below and
convey it in your description.
Character Focus

How does Lorraine react to Mr. Pignati’s

gifts? Compare her reaction to John’s.
What would you have done if Mr. Pignati
offered to treat you?
Value Line
◦ Rank the following in order of importance
and be ready to defend your choices:

 Making a lot of money

 Finding love
 Holding a high level job
 Having close friends
 Being a good parent
Writing

How would you define “old age”? What

emotions, qualities, or ideas do you
associate with that term? Based on your
definition, do you think Mr. Pignati is
old? Find evidence to support your
answer.
Reading
For chapters 9-10, answer the following:

What happened?
Who was involved?
What do you think will happen next?
 Chapters 9-10 Discussion Questions
 How does John react when Norton confronts him about the Pigman? Do
you think John’s reaction is wise, or should he have acted differently?
Explain. What might be the consequence of this confrontation? Explain
your answer.

 What were John’s motives for starting to drink? Why do you think he still
drinks: is he trying to avoid life, find excitement, or cause others pain?
Explain.

 Are John’s parents cruel for forbidding him so many things? Why or why
not? How might the Pigman’s leniency be good for John? How might it
be harmful?

 In what ways is Mrs. Jensen cruel and in what ways is she pitiful? How
have her life and job probably shaped her personality? Do you think she
is a victim or is she responsible for her actions?

 Why do you think John and Lorraine confess they are not charity
workers? In turn, why might Mr. Pignati confess that Conchetta is dead?
Predict how these confessions will affect the friends’ relationship.
Literary Skills: Denotation/ Connotation (page 1)

Lying
◦ Dictionary definition

◦ John

◦ Lorraine

◦ John’s parents

◦ Whose meaning is closest to your own?

 Literary Skills: Denotation/ Connotation (page 2)
Stealing
◦ Dictionary definition

◦ Norton

◦ Lorraine

◦ Lorraine’s mother

◦ Whose meaning is closest to your own?

 Literary Skills: Denotation/ Connotation (page 3)

Success
◦ Dictionary definition
◦ John’s father
◦ John
◦ Whose meaning is closest to your own?
 Literary Skills: Denotation/ Connotation (page 4)

Home
◦ Dictionary definition
◦ John’s mother
◦ Mr. Pignati
◦ Whose meaning is closest to your own?
 Literary Skills: Denotation/ Connotation (page 5)

Death
◦ Dictionary definition

◦ John

◦ Mr. Pignati

◦ Lorraine’s mother

◦ Whose meaning is closest to your own?

 Literary Skills: Denotation/ Connotation (page 6)

Drinking
◦ Dictionary definition
◦ John’s father
◦ John
◦ Lorraine
◦ Whose meaning is closest to your own?
 Literary Skills: Denotation/ Connotation (page 7)

Smoking
◦ Dictionary definition
◦ John
◦ John’s mother
◦ Lorraine
◦ Whose meaning is closest to your own?
 Literary Skills: Denotation/ Connotation (page 8)

 Define morality denotatively and connotatively.

First, look up the dictionary definition of morality.
Then, define each of the following character’s
concept of morality. Finally, answer the questions
that follow.

◦ Dictionary definition
◦ John
◦ Lorraine
◦ Lorraine’s mother
◦ John’s parents
◦ Mr. Pignati
◦ What is your own connotative definition of morality?
Which character’s view is closest to your own?
Literary Skills: Characterization
Character? Rating Evidence

Fun M

Love L

Sex M

Money M

Magic H
(creativity)
Reading
For chapters 11-12, answer the following:

What happened?
Who was involved?
What do you think will happen next?
Chapters 11-12 Discussion Questions
 When and why do John and Lorraine pretend to be Mr. Pignati’s
children? Do you think they would actually like to be his children?
Why or why not?
 How has John and Lorraine’s relationship changed? Is this a positive or
negative change? Explain.
 Look back over the following incidents and comment on how the author
portrays John. Pay close attention to John’s personal characteristics and
his relationship with other people. Use specifics to support your answer.
◦ John’s description of Lorraine carrying flowers
◦ John’s decision to take the keys
◦ When Lorraine tells John: “Stop it. I’m not kidding.”
◦ John’s lie to the operator
◦ John’s decision to invite friends to have a party
Reading
For chapters 13-14, answer the following:

What happened?
Who was involved?
What do you think will happen next?
Chapters 13-14 Discussion Questions
 What is the general mood of the party scene, as John sees it? Does the
mood change at any point? If so, when? If the party chapter had been
told by Lorraine, how do you think the mood would have differed?
 Examine how Lorraine matures after the party. How does Lorraine
deal with her mother in an adult way? What mature realization does
she make about her behavior at Mr. Pignati’s house?
 Why do you think Mr. Pignati reacts so violently to news of Bobo’s
death? What literal and symbolic links exist between the two
characters?
 Describe what you would do if you were a parent and police officers
brought your child home, reporting that he or she had been drinking
and wrecked someone’s house. Compare your reaction to the reaction
of Lorraine’s mother and John’s parents. Whose reaction is most likely
to lead either John or Lorraine to improved behavior in the future?
Why?
Literary Skills: Realism
 The lives & psychology of common people are
depicted
The dialogue or narration is written in vernacular
(every day speech)
Moral issues faced by ordinary people are explored
Painful and unpleasant facts are not avoided
Most characters have good and bad sides
Many of the characters’ problems are not easily
solved
Setting is described with vivid, true-to-life details
Literary Skills: Realism

The Pigman literary skills realism.doc

Assessment
Bonus for MC Quiz: (+2 each)
◦ Who is the author of this novel?
◦ Name this.
Reading
For chapter 15, answer the following:

What happened?
Who was involved?
What do you think will happen next?
 Discussion Questions
Lorraine says that she and John murdered the
Pigman. Earlier, however, John said that they may
have hastened Mr. Pignati’s death, but they didn’t
murder him. Whom do you agree with and why?

What does John mean when he says that he and

Lorraine “trespassed,” as did the Pigman? And,
what “dies” in John and Lorraine as the result of
their trespassing?
Literary Skills: Plot Structure

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resou
rces/interactives/plot-diagram/
Literary Skills: Plot Structure

The Pigman literary skills plot structur

e.doc

..\Elements of a Plot Diagram].ppt

Literary Skills: Dynamic Characters


The Pigman literary skills dynamic cha
racters.doc
Plot Review
With partners, create a poster of the plot
chart to this novel.

Make sure you fully explain each element

Create your poster neatly & colorfully

A-Z Novel Review

Using ALL 26 letters of the alphabet,

create a review list of characters, themes,
conflicts, etc…
Be ready to explain & share with the class
Literary Skills: Motifs

The Pigman literary skills motifs.doc

 Literary Skills: Theme

The Pigman literary skills theme.doc

Literary Skills: Symbols

The Pigman literary skills symbols.doc

Assessment
The Pigman culminating activity tic tac to
e projects.doc
Final test review
http://www.saratogaschools.org/academic
/terry/pigman/gamesQz.html