Summary
Pigs by Johanna Stoberock is a 2019 novel that explores themes of environmental responsibility, community, and innocence. Set on an island that serves as the world's garbage repository, the story follows four children tasked with sorting trash and feeding it to a herd of insatiable pigs. This unique premise sets the stage for a compelling work, challenging readers to consider the consequences of human waste and the nature of humanity itself.
Plot
On an island used as a global garbage dump, four children maintain a delicate ecosystem. They sort through the incoming trash and feed it to a herd of constantly hungry pigs, creating a seemingly perfect system for waste management. This isolated world functions smoothly until an unexpected arrival disrupts their routine—a barrel washes ashore containing a boy. The presence of this stranger throws their established order into question and forces the children to confront a difficult decision. Should they treat this unknown boy as more garbage to be processed and fed to the pigs, or accept him as one of their own?
As the children grapple with this dilemma, they must reevaluate their roles on the island and their relationship to the outside world that continuously sends them its trash. The story unfolds as they navigate this moral quandary and its implications for their small community.
Themes
Environmental responsibility and consequences
Moral dilemmas and ethical decision-making
Isolation and community dynamics
Innocence versus corruption
Survival and resource management
Human value and disposability
Coming of age in extreme circumstances
Setting
Pigs is set on an unnamed island that serves as a global garbage repository. This isolated location acts as a microcosm, reflecting larger societal issues of waste management and environmental responsibility. While the era is not explicitly stated, the premise suggests a dystopian near-future or alternative present where the world's trash problem has reached catastrophic proportions.
The island is described as a place where all the world's garbage accumulates, creating a stark and polluted landscape. The children who inhabit this island live among mountains of refuse, sorting through the endless stream of waste that washes ashore. This setting underscores themes of environmental degradation and the consequences of overconsumption.
