A Few Questions About the Manpigs

[Alardem]

It's implied that most of the Pigs are mental patients, homeless people, and "recrafted" house-servants. There is a sign inside the Nest of Wretches which tells them not to "fraternize" (rut), which indicates that they're intelligent enough to read. Hell, one of the Pigs is even seen writing inside his cell. It's possible that the driving Pig also left the 'driver's note' on his truck, although the grammar is much better than that of the man who writes a note describing his transformation inside the laboratory.

I'm curious as to how much free will they have, and what motivates their aggression. They were clearly obeying the Machine when arising to kill, rape and capture the citizens of London, but did they also attack Mandus out of recognition? I'm also wondering if there's a reason for the 'hierarchy' between the Engineers and Wretches. For example, you see a larger Engineer push aside a cowering Wretch in the Nest - proof that Mandus' plan to change human nature (or the ridiculously strict class system) is a failure. It also appears that the Tesla is just indiscriminately hostile to other beings, resulting in it killing an unfortunate Wretch.

If I recall correctly, Mandus never says that he transformed his orphan children - only used them to clean the Machine's insides, and then fed them to the Pigs. I also believe that he didn't transform his rich guests, but instead turned them into meat to fatten the Pigs and future victims.