* Melinda's feeling of being dehumanized and objectified: After her rape, Melinda feels reduced to a silent, animalistic state. The pig represents this loss of self, her feeling of being violated and treated as something less than human. The pig's helpless and vulnerable nature reflects her own powerlessness in the face of her trauma.
* The silencing of trauma: The pig is a visual representation of the silence she's imposed on herself. She feels unable to speak about what happened, and the pig embodies that voicelessness, trapped within the confines of her own mind and experience.
* Shame and disgust: Melinda associates the pig with feelings of disgust and shame, mirroring the self-loathing she experiences after the assault. The pig is dirty, unpleasant, and easily dismissed—feelings she projects onto herself.
* A form of self-expression: Paradoxically, the pig also allows Melinda a distorted way to express herself. She draws it, incorporates it into her art, and uses it to convey emotions she cannot articulate verbally. It becomes a nonverbal outlet for her trauma.
* Her struggle for identity: The pig represents Melinda's fractured sense of self. As the novel progresses and she begins to heal, her artistic expression of the pig evolves, suggesting a gradual reclaiming of her identity and voice.
Therefore, the pig isn't a static symbol with one fixed meaning. It's a powerful and evolving representation of Melinda's trauma, her silence, her self-perception, and her journey towards healing and self-discovery. Its significance shifts and grows alongside Melinda's own emotional and psychological progress.