The Books: “The Pigman’s Legacy” (Paul Zindel)

Daily Book Excerpt: YA books:

n25778.jpgNext book on the shelf is The Pigman’s Legacy by Paul Zindel.

The sequel!! The sequel is nothing compared to The Pigman – and the plot is basically a repeat of what happened in the first book – BUT – I love The Pigman’s Legacy anyway, because the book starts to focus in on the tormented awkward love affair blossoming between John and Lorraine. The first book only hinted at it here or there – like when the two of them dress up in old vintage clothes and make the spaghetti dinner – and pretend they are old-time movie stars. In that one episode they are approaching the issue … uhm … maybe … we actually …. like each other???

The whole structure of this book is the same as The Pigman. They alternate writing chapters. The book takes place 4 months after The Pigman’s death – and the two of them are still feeling very guilty about it, and they kind of cling to each other (emotionally) in the aftermath. Everyone in the town knows that the two of them were messed up in something that seems quite unsavory on the outside (they were … scamming money from an old man? Who then died??) – so the two of them get even closer, and kind of set loose their other friends, and only hang out with each other.

They are haunted by The Pigman’s old house. It has been vacant for the 4 months – and then one day, walking by there – they notice that someone has moved in. It is apparent that the house is now lived in. They are somehow inextricably drawn there … they NEED to meet the new tenant … even though they KNOW that they should just mind their own business, let the past stay in the past, blah blah.

So they go and yes, a little old man and his dog have moved into the house. He’s not sweet and ethereal like Mr. Pignati – he seems tougher, more wizened – and he is obviously on the run from tax collectors. John and Lorraine make the crazy decision to befriend this lonely crotchety old man … as a way of making up for what they did to Mr. Pignati. Maybe if they can help this little old guy then they will be cosmically forgiven for betraying the Pigman??

But for me – the “plot” is just a side issue. What REALLY hooks me in is John and Lorraine having this growing awareness of each other … as … girlfriend? Boyfriend? And because they are alternating writing chapters for the book – both of them begin to write “secret chapters” that they will not show the other person (although we, of course, get to read them) where they confess their inner feelings, their growing attraction and love for the other. These are two awkward damaged kids. They have horrible parents. They don’t know how to be romantic or to even admit feelings like that. John writes at one point, “Our parents messed us both up so much about sex that we can’t even dance without being so awkward we nearly fall over.”

So I love their secret chapters, their confessionals. I find the book really moving and I’ve read it a bazillion times.

Zindel just GETS it. He understands the Eleanor Rigbys of the world. Those are the people he writes about, the people he loves. He loves all the lonely people. He knows how hard life is. He knows how hard it is to connect. He GETS the importance of such moments – especially to people who are lonely, damaged, and just trying to survive. I love him for that.

Okay – so here is one of Lorraine’s “secret chapters”. The two of them (John and Lorraine) are hanging out at the old man’s house – and he makes them play a game. Where basically he walks them through a visualization exercise: “You’re walking down a road – you see a tree – what does the tree look like?” They both answer. “You see a cup on the side of the road. You pick it up. What do you do with it?” They both answer. And then, afterwards, the old guy analyzes their answers. Lorraine then decides to write one of her “secret chapters” listening to the analysis of John’s answers.


Excerpt from The Pigman’s Legacy by Paul Zindel.

The old guy grunted and sucked in a big breath of air. “All right. Keep your eyes shut and keep walking down the road now until you come to a cup. Do you see a cup?”

“Got it,” John finally said.

“What does it look like?”

“It’s Styrofoam, the kind you get at a hot-dog stand and bite pieces off so you can spit them out – and there’s a soggy cigarette butt in the bottom.”

“What do you do with it?”

“I try to clean it out because I’m thirsty, and I want to drink out of it.”

“Good,” the old man approved, nodding as though at last something was acceptable. “The cup, you see, is the Cup of Love, and your cup is in pretty rough shape, but at least you want to clean it up and start drinking out of it. But your cup is the cup of someone who probably sees love as pretty shaky, something that will fall into pieces and disappear. Somebody who thinks maybe his own love isn’t worthwhile, but there’s a flicker of hope in it for you because you’re willing to try to clean it out.”

I tried to keep my eyes from showing that I was more than routinely interested in the subject at hand. Also, you might as well know that this paragraph that I’m typing now is not going to be seen by John until after this whole memorial epic is finished, or he would probably tear it up – or be very embarrassed that I’m going to start telling you my true feelings about him. Up until now I never said very much about what I really feel for John except that he really is very good-looking, and I like it when he holds my hand because of the electricity and strength he gives me. And it’s true. John and I have had a lot of adventures and have gone a lot of places together. We’ve been alone in cemeteries. We’ve been chased by the police from time to time. We’ve even discussed all the great issues of life, like death, love, careers, war, heaven, God, and school. We’ve gotten dressed up in adult clothes, and had candelight dinner parties for just the two of us. We’ve had beer bashes for the neighborhood gang. We did a lot of silly things and a lot of dangerous things. I just know it’s not going to come as a surprise when I tell you that I’ve been in love with John for quite a while now. In fact some kids at school can’t believe John and I haven’t been making out like bandits with each other for years. And I’m not naive. I know that a lot of surveys and statistics on teenage sex would probably think we were both a couple of freaks if they knew that John and I had not been sleeping together, or even frolicking around in the backseats of cars. Maybe all the kids who will read this will say, “Boy, that Lorraine jensen is a real waste,” but I’m sorry, John Conlan and I have only been friends. Up to now all we’ve been is the two best friends in the world, and there are good reasons we nevere got more intimate than that. And anyone who says the way you were raised doesn’t haunt you the rest of tyour life is nuts. There was one girl in school who used to act like a real loony tunes, and everybody hated her, but I knew there must have been a big problem in her past – and when I checked it out I found out that when she was eight years old her mother murdered her father. In my case you’ve got to understand that my mother hated my father for leaving her very shortly after I was born. And she spent a good deal of time teaching me that boys are dirty-minded and sneaks, and I’m not blaming her because if I had to live the life she did, trying to support myself and a kid without a husband, I would probably be a bit bitter and feel very cheated myself. And thank God she started to mellow out a bit this spring because of all the adult self-help books she’s been reading, but she still hasn’t gone to a psychologist. She still spends a great deal of time reinforcing in me the fear that all members of the male sex are out for one thing. Even though I know she’s always been a bit crackers in the love department, it interfers with any romantic thoughts I have. Anytime I begin to have deep feelings for a boy, I can hear her voice in my mind saying things like “Don’t let them touch you; boys are only out for one thing. Don’t ever be left alone with a boy or he’ll take advantage of you. Don’t let a boy get you in his car or you’ll end up pregnant. Don’t kiss boys; you never know what germs they have on their lips. Sit with your knees together and ankles crossed or boys will think you’re a slut.” One thing I can tell you is if you go through your life hearing stuff like that, it can make you afraid of any man from Santa Claus to a priest. But if knowing our Pigman did anything for me, it at least taught me that kids are responsible for their own lives at a certain age. And that’s exactly why I’m now able to admit to myself that I love John Conlan very, very much, and even though he doesn’t know it, I’m going to do everything in my power to make him my own. I want to love him like I’ve always dreamed of loving a boy. I’m going to make John Conlan love me, even if it kills me. That’s why I was particularly thrilled when the old man said there was still a flicker of hope for John when he didn’t throw his Styrofoam Cup of Love away. (The end of my secret paragraph.)

This entry was posted in Books and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

9 Responses to The Books: “The Pigman’s Legacy” (Paul Zindel)

  1. miker says:

    Good stuff, red. It’s looking like you’re going to leave me no choice but to check out this Pigman thing…

    It’s funny – I never would have touched a “young adult” book back when I was a kid. The very idea would have made me gag. There was nothing in the genre – nothing I was aware of, anyway – that interested me in the least. My perception of the stuff that was marketed to kids in my youth (not a large quantity, by today’s standards) was one of neutered, homogenous mush. It was all Lawrence and Nabokov and Durrell for me back then. Now that I’m approaching relic status, I’m reading young adult fiction.

    Life is strange. :-)

  2. red says:

    Mike – Well, in my school – we were forced to read The Pigman in 8th grade – and I was hooked on Zindel from then on.

    He has written many many books – he’s kind of like a Ken Kesey for the pubescent set. My favorite of his (which I will be excerpting next) is a marvelous MESS of a book called Pardon Me, You’re Stepping On My Eyeball. A truly nutty and frightening book about two misfits to end all misfits – of course, high school students. FABULOUS book. That’s the Kesey-ist of them all.

  3. miker says:

    Just looked it up – The Pigman was originally published in 1968! And there seems to be a small industry built around teaching it as part of a school curriculum. Once again, the scope of my knowledge has proven woefully inadequate…

  4. red says:

    Yeah – my sister teaches in middle school and she always teaches The Pigman.

    It’s weird – because there’s underage drinking in the book, and these kids SO are not “good kids” – but man. How you love them.

    They’re as good as adult books. Definitely.

    • Bella says:

      Exactly! i’m in middle school and just got done with both books.

      I almost cried at the ending…

      But overall, they were amazing! Would totally read again!

  5. S.R.S says:

    Well I really want to read this book I read the first one In class and I loved it Now im on the hunt everywhere I go, Because I wanna know If lorraine and john even make it up to mr. Angelo pignati or so…… I still wonder Is john and lorriane going to have a A romantic relationship ? So many Questions…. very little answers… But More questions now to come, also Is the new guy in Pigman’s apartment Another pigman???
    Are they Gonna Witness this guys death too? I hope not Because I hope they dont blame themselves about his death too In the last book Quite frankly I blame norton He was my least favorite Character He’s emotional traits disgust me ever so much and they way lorraine describe’s Makes him ugly (the way I picture him in my mind) He broke pignati’s pig collection looking for money and took something (well he tried to but him and john fought over it and It broke)Lorraine put on the white ruffled dress that nearly made john’s eye’s fall out of his head the other night when they kissed and he fat freind tried on the yellow dress and ripped it ;( John passed out after the fight with Marshmellow kid XD and lorraine and jon got in trouble by the cops wen the pigman got in the house

    • sheila says:

      S.R.S. – Hello, 8th grader! I am so excited that you have discovered these books and are loving them too. They’re so great. I loved The Pigman’s Legacy so much. I always hoped that John and Lorraine would fall in love – they were two misfits who really understood each other.

      Your comments make me want to read the book again.

      Thanks for commenting!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.