CUSS.

REPE
D. DIS AT
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PAU L Z I N D E L

ABOUT THE BOOK

When sophomores John and Lorraine made a prank phone call to a stranger
named Angelo Pignati, they had no idea what they were getting themselves
into. Virtually overnight, almost against their will, the two befriended the
lonely old man whose voice reached out to them over the phone line—and Book
it wasn’t long before they were more comfortable in his house than in their Club
own homes. Pick!

Mr. Pignati showered them with the affection they never got from their
own parents, and gave them a place where they felt safe and loved. But
then something terrible happened to Mr. Pignati—something that John and
Lorraine are still struggling to understand and accept.

Months after the tragedy, as they try to find a way to move past their grief
over what happened to their friend, John and Lorraine realize that the only
way to find peace is to write down their friend’s story—the true story of the
Pigman.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. W
 hy do you think John and Lorraine decide to write about their
experiences with Mr. Pignati? How does the constant switch
in narration impact the way we read the novel?
2. L
 orraine’s mother tells her, “You’re not a pretty girl” (p. 11). How
is Lorraine’s perception of herself impacted by her mother’s
comments? Do other characters see Lorraine differently than
her mom does?
3. T
 he narrators’ relationship with Mr. Pignati starts as a prank
and ends as an unusual friendship. Who do you think needed
the friendship more—Mr. Pignati or Lorraine and John? Does
this change as the book progresses?
4. W
 hat role do animals play in the novel? How do certain animals
take on more meaning?
5. A
 fter spending some time with Mr. Pignati, John and Lorraine
come clean about their identities. In turn, Mr. Pignati tells them
about his wife’s death. Do you think Mr. Pignati already knew
that John and Lorraine were lying about the charity, just as
they knew Conchetta was not in California? Why do they all
decide to finally tell the truth?
6. E
arly in the book, Lorraine reveals her and John “both
have families you wouldn’t believe” (p. 9). Do you think the
characters’ family lives explain their behavior’s and attitude’s
on life? What impact does family have on the person we
become?
7. W
 hat is the significance of the jokes and puzzles Mr. Pignati
shares? Do they teach us more about Mr. Pignati’s character?
What other ways do we learn more about him?
8. W
 hy does John’s behavior change so drastically after he
kisses Lorraine? What makes him choose to throw the party?
What is he trying to accomplish by betraying Mr. Pignati’s
trust?
9. J ohn and Lorraine explain that they did not murder Mr. Pignati.
Do they still feel responsible for his death even if they don’t
consider it murder? How responsible, if at all, do you think
they are for his death?
10. R
 eread the last pages of the book. What does John mean
when he claims that when Mr. Pignati died “something in us
had died as well” (p. 192). Does the ending explain what has
died within John and Lorraine? How is mortality discussed in
this passage and throughout the book?

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