High on the Hog

Big week for holidays, huh?

As I imagine you are all already aware, today is the 40th annual National Pig Day.

There are a number of different suggestions on the internet for how to celebrate this epic holiday (is it just me or does it seem like suggestions two and four here were penned by different writers?). Also, check out this post for a run down of pigs in literature.

I have to admit, though, when I hear National Pig Day, I don’t think first of actual pigs, but rather of more humanoid characters who have gone by pig related monikers.

First up is Piggy from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. This bullied kid was the intellectual of that supremely scary tribe and one of the biggest proponents of their continued striving towards democratic civilization. Unfortunately, these values were not enough to save him from a tragic end. I read this book for the first time in eighth grade and remember that my stomach hurt when I was done. I can't even look at conch shells without being a little wigged out.

Apparently living in a galaxy far, far away did not preclude the use of this nickname. There were two “Piggy”s in Star Wars: the first a human, named Jek Tono Porkins who met his tragic end going up against the first Death Star, the second a biogenetically altered Gamorrean, Voort saBinring, who flew under Wedge Antilles in the Wraith Squadron. Strangely, despite pigs apparently being wide-spread enough that every species understood why these men were referred to in such a way, I can’t remember anyone ever ordering any pork products for consumption. Apparently, there, every day is Galactic Pig Day.

And who could forget Pig-Pen, our favorite unwashed boy? That poor kid just could not stay clean. On the plus side, I always knew that no matter how disheveled I got during a day of playing Robbers & Robbers (we were a fairly sophisticated crime syndicate. I often manned the getaway monkey bars) there was no way I was going to be in worst shape than him.

So, in honor of all these individuals, and the animals they were named for, I wish each and every one of you the happiest National Pig Day of your lives. And because I can’t say it any better….Porky Pig, ladies and gentlemen!