Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Pigman, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Death and Grief
Personal Responsibility
Family
Loneliness
Compassion
Summary
Analysis
“The Oath” is dated April 15 and signed by Lorraine Jensen and John Conlan during their sophomore year at Franklin High School. John and Lorraine vow “to record the facts, and only the facts about our experiences with Mr. Angelo Pignati.” They note that the librarian, Miss Reillen (whom they call “the Cricket”), is watching their every move and thinks they’re using the typewriter to type an English paper.
This opening section of the book builds intrigue, raising questions about who Mr. Angelo Pignati is and why John and Lorraine feel it’s so vital to document “the facts, and only the facts about [their] experiences with [him].” It seems that something happened to them that they need to come to terms with, and their acknowledging this suggests a certain self-awareness or growing maturity.
Themes
