In any social setting, the family is of ultimate importance. It is the most basic structural and functional social unit. It is responsible for molding one into the person they are. Family members are the first friends we know as kids growing up and most times offer moral support, company, advice and even emotional availability for you when you need them. It is in a family that we get the feeling of belonging and acceptance and this plays a crucial role in the way we view ourselves and boosts our self-confidence. In the plays that Colleen Murphy writes, she brings out the aspect of family and the roles that the respective families play.

The play “Pig Girl” is a story of a sister who was fighting for her life through thick and thin.  Besides her, is her sister who reaches across time and distance just so she can rescue her by throwing her a lifeline. This act shows the first role of a family which is looking out for each other. When Kirsten Foster is tortured and raped by Damien who was the serial killer, her sister feels her pain even if she is dead and her soul does not rest in peace until her sister is free. We see her trying to convince the police officer not to give up on her sister but instead keep on looking for her.

In this play, Colleen Murphy illustrates the saying that blood is thicker than water in that although the authority and other responsible parties were reluctant to investigate the case of the missing lady, the sister took it upon herself to see to it that she was rescued. The role of family comes in where Colleen Murphy gives a voice to Olivia Darnley as the sister who was so determined and concerned about the welfare of her sister. The dead Olivia Darnley is a representative of family of the missing ladies. She could be someone’s sister, mother or even daughter.