Pig Sticker

This study guide will help you analyze the short story “Pig Sticker” (2013) by Ann French. You can also find a summary of the text, as well as inspiration for interpreting it and putting it into perspective.

Ann French is a Maori writer from New Zealand. The short story “Pig Sticker” was published in 2013 in the collection Huia Short Stories 10: Contemporary Maori Fiction.

Extract

Here, you can read an extract from our study guide:

Symbols

The Pig Sticker is the knife that Mati’s father owns. Because Mati admits that the knife “sort of scares (him)” (l. 31) it could be a symbol of his father’s aggressive masculinity. Before Mati sees him threatening Uncle George, he perceives his father’s behavior as acceptable for a man. However, he sees the image of his father’s hateful expression reflected in the Pig Sticker, which changes his perception: “Pig Sticker flashes in the light, and for a second I see a face mirrored in it: my father’s face. So twisted and full of hate, I don’t recognize it.” (l.179-180). This could be interpreted as Mati’s realization that his father is not perfect and that his behavior is not always right.

Dogs are an important symbol throughout the story. First, there are the puppies that Mati is fascinated by: “I pick up the smallest one. He’s soft like a pillow and snuggles under my armpit and whimpers” (ll. 56-58). The puppies are a symbol of ...