Pignati

Pignati is a fictional character appearing in Paul Zindel’s 1968 young adult novel The Pigman. The character’s full name is Angelo Pignati, and he is commonly called “the Pigman” in the story because of his extensive collection of ceramic pig figurines. He is a widowed, middle-aged man described as friendly, generous, and lonely, who forms an unlikely friendship with two teenage protagonists, Lorraine Jensen and John.

The novel follows Pignati as he opens his home and life to the two youths, sharing stories, humor, and his pig collection with them. The relationship with Lorraine and John serves as the engine of the narrative, exploring issues of trust, responsibility, and the consequences of deception. Pignati is portrayed as empathetic and well-meaning, often going out of his way to help others and to see the good in people. His generosity contrasts with the reckless moral choices made by the teenagers, whose actions eventually lead to his death—a pivotal event that frames the novel’s meditation on guilt, accountability, and the fragility of human bonds.

In literary terms, Pignati has become one of Zindel’s best-known characters and is studied in discussions of coming-of-age literature and 20th-century American YA novels. The Pigman remains notable for its exploration of adolescence, loneliness, and ethical complexities within a seemingly ordinary friendship.