As a teen, I read a novel entitled "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel. Although it’s not a book I'd enjoy reading now, I would say it made a good "teen novel." Anyhow, in the middle of the narrative, the characters played this "game" that I liked and have re-told to others since then. I do not possess the actual text, so I only draw upon it from memory. Hopefully, I've not changed the meaning of the story to the extent that I've affected the results, but I'll re-tell it here as best I can remember it. Feel free to post your "results" and say whether or not you agree with them.
Note: This is a tale that involves five characters. Keep each of them in mind as you read the story. I'll use ALL CAPS on their names to further emphasize them in the main text.
The Story
This is a story of adultery and ******…
It's about a WIFE who has been cheating on her HUSBAND. She feels guilty about this, but hasn't the will power to stop. Her HUSBAND often leaves her alone for long stretches going on business trips. The WIFE tried to resist temptation, but eventually gave into her feelings of solitude by taking a LOVER.
One day the HUSBAND told his WIFE that he was going to go on yet another one of his business trips. The WIFE pleaded with him to stay, asking her HUSBAND to spend some time with her. He refused however, and left. The WIFE tried to remain constant, but once again gave in to her weakness. She left home and went to see her LOVER.
To get to the LOVER's house, the WIFE first needed to cross a river. There were only two ways to do this: one was to cross a bridge that traversed the river, and the other was to hire the BOATMAN. The BOATMAN always remained at the river's edge, providing passage across it for a fee. The WIFE crossed the bridge by foot and went to her LOVER's house, spending the night with him.
The next morning the WIFE left for home. Her HUSBAND was to return shortly, and she had to get back before him. When she reached the bridge, she saw with horror that an ASSASIN was standing at the other side. She ran down to the BOATMAN, asking him save her by taking her across the river. The BOATMAN said he'd be happy to ferry her to the other side, but only if the WIFE paid him his usual fee. The WIFE had no money with her, so she ran back to her LOVER's house. The WIFE asked the LOVER to give her the money she needed to pay the BOATMAN, but he refused to help her.
The WIFE became terrified at this point; she had to get home before her HUSBAND. She ran back to the bridge, but the ASSASIN was still standing at the other side. Summoning her courage the WIFE ran the bridge in an attempt to elude the ASSASIN's blade. She failed, however, and the ASSASIN ****** her.
Now here is the question: who is most responsible for this death taking place? You are to arrange the five characters in the story (ASSASIN, BOATMAN, HUSBAND, LOVER, and WIFE) in the order you feel best answers this question, from person most responsible to person least responsible. As you may well suspect, this is one of those questions that has no "right" or 'wrong" answer, so answer it as honestly as you can. I'll post an explanation of the "results" further down this page.
Supposedly, the order in which you list the characters' names reflects the order in which you value or believe in the following traits:
ASSASIN = money
BOATMAN = "magic," although I prefer to interpret it as "luck" or "fate"
HUSBAND = marriage
LOVER = sex
WIFE = love
I remember my results when I first read the story, and I believe I can more or less objectively answer the question today. In my case I can say that my current results DO in fact reflect my current beliefs and, from what I remember of my teen years, my original results very closely reflect my values back then (my priorities have changed, so I don't think it's odd that my answers have as well). Therefore, in my case the test results were accurate. See if you agree or disagree with your own results.
My answer: WIFE, HUSBAND, LOVER, ASSASIN, BOATMAN
My original answer: ASSASIN, WIFE, LOVER, HUSBAND, BOATMAN
P.S. This story reminds me a bit of that movie, "The Cook, the Thief, the Wife, and her Lover." Anyone see that film? Brilliant movie IMO, and it had hidden meanings as well, if I'm not mistaken.
Note: This is a tale that involves five characters. Keep each of them in mind as you read the story. I'll use ALL CAPS on their names to further emphasize them in the main text.
The Story
This is a story of adultery and ******…
It's about a WIFE who has been cheating on her HUSBAND. She feels guilty about this, but hasn't the will power to stop. Her HUSBAND often leaves her alone for long stretches going on business trips. The WIFE tried to resist temptation, but eventually gave into her feelings of solitude by taking a LOVER.
One day the HUSBAND told his WIFE that he was going to go on yet another one of his business trips. The WIFE pleaded with him to stay, asking her HUSBAND to spend some time with her. He refused however, and left. The WIFE tried to remain constant, but once again gave in to her weakness. She left home and went to see her LOVER.
To get to the LOVER's house, the WIFE first needed to cross a river. There were only two ways to do this: one was to cross a bridge that traversed the river, and the other was to hire the BOATMAN. The BOATMAN always remained at the river's edge, providing passage across it for a fee. The WIFE crossed the bridge by foot and went to her LOVER's house, spending the night with him.
The next morning the WIFE left for home. Her HUSBAND was to return shortly, and she had to get back before him. When she reached the bridge, she saw with horror that an ASSASIN was standing at the other side. She ran down to the BOATMAN, asking him save her by taking her across the river. The BOATMAN said he'd be happy to ferry her to the other side, but only if the WIFE paid him his usual fee. The WIFE had no money with her, so she ran back to her LOVER's house. The WIFE asked the LOVER to give her the money she needed to pay the BOATMAN, but he refused to help her.
The WIFE became terrified at this point; she had to get home before her HUSBAND. She ran back to the bridge, but the ASSASIN was still standing at the other side. Summoning her courage the WIFE ran the bridge in an attempt to elude the ASSASIN's blade. She failed, however, and the ASSASIN ****** her.
Now here is the question: who is most responsible for this death taking place? You are to arrange the five characters in the story (ASSASIN, BOATMAN, HUSBAND, LOVER, and WIFE) in the order you feel best answers this question, from person most responsible to person least responsible. As you may well suspect, this is one of those questions that has no "right" or 'wrong" answer, so answer it as honestly as you can. I'll post an explanation of the "results" further down this page.
Supposedly, the order in which you list the characters' names reflects the order in which you value or believe in the following traits:
ASSASIN = money
BOATMAN = "magic," although I prefer to interpret it as "luck" or "fate"
HUSBAND = marriage
LOVER = sex
WIFE = love
I remember my results when I first read the story, and I believe I can more or less objectively answer the question today. In my case I can say that my current results DO in fact reflect my current beliefs and, from what I remember of my teen years, my original results very closely reflect my values back then (my priorities have changed, so I don't think it's odd that my answers have as well). Therefore, in my case the test results were accurate. See if you agree or disagree with your own results.
My answer: WIFE, HUSBAND, LOVER, ASSASIN, BOATMAN
My original answer: ASSASIN, WIFE, LOVER, HUSBAND, BOATMAN
P.S. This story reminds me a bit of that movie, "The Cook, the Thief, the Wife, and her Lover." Anyone see that film? Brilliant movie IMO, and it had hidden meanings as well, if I'm not mistaken.
