I started this article, and don't have much.PLEASE add to it. 75.161.130.204 01:00, 2 November 2008 (UTC)
I always thought of "Pig Pen" as a metaphor representing the one kid in the class that didn't have it together. This was the kid that had the broken crayons, the shirt with the tomato soup stains, the smudged/wrinkled homework, etc. Violet's reaction to the character isn't unlike the reaction of the "cool kids" in the school setting with which I was familiar. That "Pig Pen" never gets assigned a "Real Name" says it all.
I barely paid attention to the plight of "Pig Pen" until I examined my relationships with persons living in chaos at different junctures in their lives; some ambling through a never ending hall of it, while others traversed smaller patches on less chronic journeys.
Even though "Pig Pen" did not believe in the Great Pumpkin, he gave up his opportunity for Trick or Treating to stand watch with Linus. All these years later, I'm saddened to realize we knew more of this character's trademark than we did of him.
Pig Pen clean outside!!!!!
http://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1955/07/23
Pig Pen actually Cleans himself!
http://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1954/09/26
at far left--Front row its PP clean! http://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1958/12/21