Piggybook Essay

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Piggybook Essay Piggybook is a surprisingly rude but honest book that is aimed at young children, with an easily found message. It is also a picture book composed by Anthony Browne with brilliant illustrations that are basic yet effective. A picture book is a text that conveys meaning and tells a story through a series of pictures or cartoons. It often has (limited) written text to support the pictures. Among the themes explored sexism, working together, don't take people for granted, lack of respect, forgiveness, taking responsibility, learning from your mistakes the hard way, gender roles within families, stereotyping and modelled behaviour, however the main themes are sexism, taking people for granted and modelled behaviour. Anthony Browne uses varied techniques to convey these themes the main ones are the use of imperative command words or the symbolism of pigs throughout the story. Piggybook deals with a family of two young boys (Simon and Patrick) a father (Mr. Piggot) and a mother (Mrs. Piggot), although Mrs. Piggott is considered as more of an afterthought. The males in the story take their lives for granted until there is disruption and the mum has had enough and leaves. The text is set in England in the 1980s. Anthony Browne explores the theme sexism. In Piggybook there are three that just sit around, go to work or school and ask for food. The mum is a slave and is expected to do more work than the males. For example in opening 3 there are four snapshots of the mum doing her morning routine, the mum is shown in drab, monotonous colours. This reflects the monotony of her life and her lack of enjoyment. The framing symbolises the restrictions in her life. In opening 4 and 5 there are two examples of the technique symbolism. The first example is of the boys when they are waiting with their mouths open demonstrating that they are pigs or birds

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