Book Review (Classics)

Bibliography

Peck, Robert Newton. A Day No Pigs Would Die. New York: Knopf, 1972. 150p. Print.

Summary

A Day No Pigs Would Die is a coming of age story of a 12-year old boy named Robert who lives on a farm in Vermont. Since his family is Shaker, Robert is expected to focus on the necessities of life and what the earth has to offer. One afternoon, Robert rescues the cow that belongs to a neighboring farm. His neighbor, Mr. Tanner, gives Robert a young pig in exchange for saving his prized cow. The pig, Pinky, quickly becomes a beloved pet to Robert. Mr. Tanner also exposes young Robert to the world outside of the Shaker living by taking him to a fair in a nearby town, where Pinky earns a blue ribbon for “Best Behaved Pig.” As Robert nears his 13^th birthday, his father, who slaughters pigs for a living, reveals something to him that forces Robert to become a man far sooner than he anticipates.   

Critical Analysis

In A Day No Pigs Would Die, Robert Newton Peck delivers a heartfelt story that can appeal to young adult readers that are trying to find their way into adulthood and meeting expectations set forth by their families and their cultures. Robert, the main character, struggles between what has been taught to him and what he has learned from the world outside of his Shaker traditions. The plot of the story moves at a fairly quick-pace and gives the reader a good picture of what the Shaker life was like in Vermont in the early 1900’s, as they struggle to continue their simple ways in a society that is becoming more complicated. Peck adds realism to the story by incorporating the Vermont vernacular into the story. The theme of the novel is how a young boy moves into adulthood and the struggles that go along with this.

Strengths and Weaknesses

A Day No Pigs Would Die is known as a classic in Young Adult Literature for many reasons. The strength of the story is the universal struggle of all young adults as they try to find their way into adulthood, while still trying to respect what they have been taught in the past. Young Robert is not perfect, but his struggles are compelling and mostly relatable. One of the weaknesses of the novel is that even though the theme of the story is relatable, Robert’s circumstances are not. Many young readers may have trouble identifying with a Shaker farm boy that has a pet pig and has to rely on the simplicities of earth to provide the necessities of life. Also, the language that is used in the story can be difficult to understand, especially for younger readers.