Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Hiaasen Post 2: The Setting and the Problem...

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Many of you did not completely follow the directions on the last post, so please read carefully...

Last night your job was to read chapters three and four. Today, your job is to write a comment on this post in which you answer the following questions. (ALL of the following questions!)
  • What is the setting of the book? Remember that the setting includes both the location as well as the time - when AND where.
  • What do you think is the main character's problem so far? Do you think that this is a minor problem,  and that we will find out about a larger problem as we read more? Or - do you think that you know the real main problem this early in the book? Either way, please explain your thinking. 
  • Read and comment on at least three other student's work. Find someone you disagree with and comment respectfully on their comment. Use evidence from the text (actual quotes from the text with page numbers) in each comment that you make.
Push Your Thinking, Dragons!

~ Mr. Moore and Ms. Vander Velde


41 comments:

  1. The setting of this book so far is the school, and the Black Vine Swamp. Both of these places are the settings are in the afternoons. So far, I think that the main character's problem is that Mrs. Stark has gone missing. I think that this is a major problem. Also, I think that this will later evolve into a larger problem. For one, on the back of the book, the entire mystery isn't all about the missing teacher.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Izzy I disagree with you because a lot people hate Mrs. Starch so many of them are happy right. Why do you think that Mrs. Starch being missing is a major problem?

      Delete
    2. I liked your post especially when you used the time. I also liked that you how you explained the setting. Like the Black Vine Swamp. But I disagree that the settings are only in the afternoons because ant time before twelve o'clock is morning. " The students, groggy and rumbled, gathered shortly after in the school parking lot . . ." page 24 which means they probably early because "the bus made a slow turn onto rutted dirt track that was very narrow . . . " page 28. and people take lunch around twelve eleven or something near that time.

      Delete
    3. I did not get the main problem! Are you sure that Noah's parents getting divorced is the main problem because that sounds like a minor problem. I'll make sure I read the book and respond. I liked how you quoted and included the page number in your comment. And if you would like to read the book online go to this link:
      books.google.com then search the book Flush in the search bar.

      Delete
    4. Izzy you have good things in here and I like how you use to say were the place is. I think that some people would just put swamp. I like how you are using quotation marks and how you are putting in the character's. I think that you just need to put in what is the book. I think that it is "Flush" though.

      Delete
    5. @ Stella, I think that you have a point that when the children in the book "Scat" are going to leave for the field trip it will be pretty early. Also, the book does say ''...groggy and rumpled.'' Which means that it is probably early in the morning. Who is groggy in the morning? I can see Nick beng groggy, because he was checking his e-mail for news from his dad all night, but no one else.

      Delete
    6. I think that Mrs. Starch missing is a problem, but I think that Nick's dad being hurt is the biggest problem because it is more important to Nick. His dad lost his arm. It said on page 83 "... Captain Waters lost his right arm and most of the shoulder when something called a rocket-propelled grenade, or RPG, had struck the Humvee in which he was riding." I just think that it is a bigger problem to Nick than Mrs. Starch disappearing.

      Delete
  2. The setting of the book Flush is in Noah's house because every day that is in the book he is home. Also Noah was there for the interview for the newspaper it was in page 41 and a quote from the book is here "the reporter's name was miles Umlatt" and they were in Noah's house. This is also were Abbey was crying (Noah's sister) but it was in her room in the house still and it is on page 48 and quote here is "the d-word my sister whispered "divorce?" The problem for Noah is big and small and I mean that the small one is that his mom want to divorce his dad and it said on page 48 here "the d-word my sister whispered "divorce?" That is because Their mom is done with their dad doing those crazy stuff even though their dad is stopping people doing illegal things. For example "one morning my dad was heading out on a tarpon-fishing charter when he spotted Mr. Carmichael whipping dogs with a bungee cord." The big problem for Noah is that Mr. Muleman's boat is dumping sewage into the ocean and that is bad. That is because it pollutes the water and it closes Thunder Beach and the page is 10. A quote here is this that Mr. Muleman is dumping sewage water "When the wind and the current are right the poop from the gambling boat floats out of the basin and down the shoreline straight to Thunder Beach."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Jayce I think that you have a lot of thinking and I think that you have a lot of text from the book. I also like how you use characters from the book to use your thinking. I also like how you use the quotation to say what the character is saying. I think that the book "Flush" is good for you cause you have great and a lot of thinking in this.

      Delete
    2. Hey Jayce! I think you did an amazing job with your post! I liked how you had a big juicy chunk of writing and that you stated your opinions very nicely. I disagree with you when you said that the sewage being dumped into the ocean was the biggest problem. I think that the biggest problem was the fact that the Noah's mom is thinking about divorce. To a kid, divorce is the biggest problem in the world. Thanks for letting me reply on your comment and that you did a good job.

      Delete
  3. In the story "Hoot" the main setting is outside or at school or home. When they talk about these settings it really depends what settings your at and at what time that they are there because they keep visiting the different areas a different time of day. So far the main problem in the book is Roy getting beat up by a kid named Dana who almost choked him. In this part his parents are getting involved and his life is starting to fall apart around him.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I disagree because in "Hoot" I think that the main setting is in the bus with Dana Matherson and looking at the running boy. Also Roy is trying to get to the running boy because he is interested in the running boy but, there is trouble in his way.

      Delete
    2. Dear Blaise,
      Good job you did great explaining this I like the cliffhanger at the end of like a movie summary. This book sounds really good I am going to get this book next. I have already seen "Hoot" the movie and now I will understand the book better because I will pick it next.
      -Jaylon

      Delete
    3. Dear Blaise,
      I think you did a great job and I had also had chose the setting were there outside or at school. I like how you explain how you said it really depends were the setting is. I also disagree with you how you said the problem is the Dana is choking Roy and his parents are starting to get involve and everything is falling apart. I think it has something to do with the running boy. But anyways great job!
      ~Dalahi

      Delete
  4. I've been reading the book "Scat". There are a lot of settings in this book. At school, at Nick's home, and in the Black Vine Swamp is the main setting in the story. At school where the describe the teacher and the first setting in the story is the school. I realized that Nick is the main character after all. Nick is having a minor problem, his problem is with his family. And the Black Vine Swamp is the setting where the class had a field trip. This is an important place because that is where the main problem starts. The main problem is there teacher getting lost in the field trip to get a girls inhaler. Some characters have minor problems like Nick. Nick's father was sent to Iraq and Nick mess him so much. Marta's problem is that she does not like the teacher Mrs. Scratch she is mean. Also Marta puked in the class. " She'd been having nightmares about Mrs. Scratch . . . "

    ReplyDelete
  5. When reading my book "Hoot" I found out the setting on every page. In on page 3 the main setting is the bus because that is where Roy saw that a weird boy running with no shoes on and black heels. I think that the main characters problem is that he wants to find out the boy that was running because Roy thinks that he looks interesting. I think that Roy's problem is minor but it will become bigger as we get into the book more. Because they told us that he punched Dana and that he big but I know it will become bigger.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The setting in the my book is mostly at the bus. The setting is in the mornings and is also in the afternoon. The characters problem, so far is that he is getting bullied in the bus and that he can't slip out. I think that the problem is going to get bigger though and that he is going to get in to bigger problems.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like that you are telling us someone is being bullied. Who is it that is being bullied? Is it the main character being bullied? Who is the bully? Why is the setting a bus, mornings, and the afternoons? Why do you think the problem for the character is getting bigger and bigger? Why do you think that the main character will get into bigger problems then he has right now?

      Delete
  7. In the book "Flush", the setting is Florida. There are multiple places in Florida where the siblings Noah and Abbey go. It also doesn't tell you the time or date. The main character has two main problems. There's the problem with the Coral Queen and how it's dumping sewage into the ocean. Then there is the problem with his mom talking about divorcing his dad. I think that the divorce problem is a little more important because to a kid, their parents splitting up is way more important than sewage being dumped into the ocean.

    ReplyDelete
  8. @ Jayce, I know that many people hate Mrs. Starch, but in the book her car was gone in the morning, but she still didn't show up for school, and her car wasn't parked at her house. I think that she was kidnapped. Also, if Nick, the main character, goes looking for her, he will probably get into trouble, and uncover some secret crime that is about to happen, and, just like most other books, he will solve the mystery. After he solves the mystery and describes it to the cops, the criminal will make a full confession.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The the setting in the book "Hoot" is the bus because in the book it talks a lot about that there in the bus and the other setting is in the bus, "Roy ordinarily didn't look out the window of school bus." This was on chapter one paragraph 1. Roy is a charactor in the book and he is telling the book. Also, "It was the same answer he gave on the school bus when Dana Matherson accosted him on the first day. chapter two page 18 first paragraph. Dana Matherson is a bully to Roy. Roy's problem is the running boy because he wants to know what the running boy does and Roy wants to know why he runs. Also why he is not in school. I don't think it is a minor problem because if it was Roy would not go to school and go ask them questions. I think that the problem or the huge problem is going to come as I read on in "Hoot". I think that the real problem is in the middle of the book because its just about a running boy. I think if it was just a running boy the book will be boring.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dear Mr. Moore and Ms. Vander Velde,
    I'm reading the book " Scat".Based on what I read through chapters 1,2,3,and 4 I think that the most important setting in the story are the school and the Black Vine Swamp. The Black Vine Swamp is the most important setting the book because it is where the main problem starts. The main problem is when Mrs. Starch disappeared after the field trip to the Black Vine Swamp." At the time, nobody questioned Mrs. Starch's decision to go back. Libby Marshal had frequent asthma attacks, and she always carried an inhaler . . . " page 35 Libby lost her inhaler so her teacher went back. There are also minor problems with other characters. Nick's problem is that his dad was sent to Iraq and he misses him so bad. " He kicked them off at the front door and ran to the den to check his email. Nothing . . ." page 37his dad had not emailed him from a long time. Marta's problem is that she hates her teacher Mrs. Starch. " She'd been having nightmares about Mrs. Starch . . ." page 2.

    ReplyDelete
  11. There are lots of settings in Flush chapters 3 and 4 but the main setting would have to be in Noah's house when the reporter comes to talk to him about his dad. The reporter asked about his dads situation and asked if he was proud of his dad in page 46 paragraph 10 it says
    "Are you proud of him Noah?"
    That was a tricky one. I wasn't proud that my dad was sitting in jail, but I knew he was a good person. Even when he flies off the handle, at least he's fighting for something close to his heart. Too many people these days, they just turn their backs or close their eyes, pretending everything so wonderful in the world. Well it's not.
    "I am proud of my father," I said to Miles Umlatt "for standing up for what he believes. But, like I said, once in a while he goes too far."
    I think that the Noah's problem is helping his father catch Dusty Muleman doing illegal things that he is not suppose to be doing so his father doesn't have to look like he sunk Dustys ship for nothing. I do think this major problem because if Noah has to drag Abbey his sister, Lice Peeking, and Shelly into the problem must be very important. Usually the main problem is in the middle of the book but I think that in the book Flush that the main problem is the one I just talked about but it is weird that it is in the beginning of the book.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The setting in "Hoot" is mostly inside the school bus everyday in the mornings and in afternoon. Every time Roy tries sneaking away to get to the running boy, Dana Matherson gets in his way. Even though Dana is suppose to sit in the back with the older kids, he still goes to the front. So far in the book Dana Matherson is Roy's problem because Roy gets bullied every time he tries to do something. But, I think that later the problem in this book is going to get bigger than just Dana Matherson getting in his way.

    ReplyDelete

  13. The setting in "Flush" is in Miami, Florida. In the end of chapter 4 Abbey overheard Mom talking to the lawyer this is what Abbey heard and told to Noah: " The D word Abbey whispered divorce". This may change the whole story it will probably turn out with Noah's Dad probably getting really mad and do something bad to get in jail, Again.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wahoo and Mickey’s Animal Wrangler Ranch is the name of the setting or where they are.The main character's problem is getting money for the family and getting his father well. Another problem was Wahoo was trying to get the Expedition Survival T.V show signed. I do think this a major problem because they have no money and they need the job to keep the animals fed and pay the bills. They need the contract for the Expedition Survival. I do believe that we will run into a much much bigger problem though.

    ReplyDelete
  15. In the book "Flush" the setting for this book is Florida. I doesn't show time or date though. I think that there are two problems which are that Dusty Muleman is dumping sewage in the ocean and Noah's mom is thinking about having a divorce. I think that Noah and Abbey's parents having a divorce is a bigger problem because it is more important to them than dumping sewage into the ocean. In the book on page 48 it said "Divorce?" Abbey nodded."

    ReplyDelete
  16. The setting of the book is at their house and the time I can’t get quit yet I think it might be the afternoon.Nick is having Marta put on white glue on his face they are taking turns then Nick does it to Marta and she says “Careful that stuff burn if it drips into your eyeball”.Marta has to put it on every where because of Bassal cells now that is a problem.I think we will find out a larger problem as we read because in most books the start escalating with problems and then they start getting solved.Do you think Marta’s problem will get better?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Everybody who reads this comment,
    I'm still reading the book "Scat". This book really takes place in a swamp called Black Vine Swamp. In this forest Nick's class were taking and field trip, but then left due to a wildfire. I think that the main problem in this part of the story is that one person that I know of had gone missing there, Mrs. Starch. Mrs. Starch was a teacher none of the students really like all that much. Mrs. S gone missing during the wildfire and the firefighters hadn't seen her yet. The book had said "Maybe she drove staight home instead of coming here. Or maybe she stopped at the grocery. Did you try her cell phone" the second part to it was "About ten times." The text had also said "She said to move the kids out of there as fast as we could and she'd meet us back at school. She had her own car." but then the the text had said to us "The firefighters didn't find Mrs. Starch" but then "but they did find her car still parked on the dirt road near the boardwalk." Thanks for reading this post.

    ReplyDelete
  18. ”Scat” a mysterious book with lots of action by Carl Hiaasen. This book has a lot of action and problems I recommend you to read this book because it will get you to predict. In,”Scat” the main problem is trying to figure out who set the arson fire. So far I predict that the person who set the arson fire is a gasoline company. I think that because one of the gasoline guys name is Jimmy Lee Bayliss on page 182 Jimmy Lee Bayliss is pretending to be a tax collector and gets his lips pinched with pliers.”That’s right”, Jimmy Lee Bayliss said to Duane Scrod Sr. “I’m from the tax collector office” “ Well I been ecpectin’ you,” said Duane Scrod Sr. who whipped out a pair of rust needle-nose pliers and, as quick as a viper, clamped the lips of his startled visitor.” The setting is basically moving from place to place. The setting is moving from the school, camp grounds, and Nick’s house( a kid that goes to Truman School).

    ReplyDelete
  19. I am reading “Scat” which takes place in Florida, and I think that there are multiple main problems. Carl Hiaasen seems to switch the main point of view. First, it was on Nick's point of view, but then it switched to Dr. Dressler's point of view. For example, on page 7 paragraph 11, it says, “The class cracked up again - Nick and Marta too, in spite of themselves”. I think that the more that we get to now different characters in the book, it starts going to different points of view though they are all connected to the same story. After a while, the story starts to pull together and you are close to solving the problem. I think that I will run across more major problems as I get more into the book. I think that the book will sort of be like a mystery because you are trying to figure out who's done what and what that other person is doing too.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I am reading "Chomp" and the setting is in Florida City. They live there. I feel like the Wahoo's problem right now is that his dad got injured. On page 1 it said "That's because the injury left him with double vision and terrible headaches." Yeah I feel like it is a minor problem not the real problem. I feel like as I read on I will find the huge problem. In every book there is a problem but the first problem that you come upon is probably not gonna be the huge problem.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @ Saul What do you mean with They? I'm not going to tell you what is the problem but I will tell you that Derek was bitten by a bat in his tongue but he "wasn't in a good place, either physically or emotionally. Although the bat that had chomped him wan't carrying rabies . . ."

      Delete
    2. I'm reading the book "Chomp" I think it is a great book. I liked this piece of dialogue because it is kind of funny and because It made me want to read on, it is “No way.We’re not gonna spy.”
      “It’s not spying, Lance, it’s observing.”On page 111 This dialogue made me anxious what is about to happen. “Tuna said, “That was seriously rude. He almost peed on our heads!” One page 113. The author also used onomatopoeia like chop. “ Tell them to move me with a room with a Jacuzzi. Chop- chop!” One page 108. The author also uses great words choices like doubtful and harmed. Mrs. Hiaasen did not use any metaphor or simile in the book so far.

      Delete
  21. I think that Florida is the setting. It doesn't say the time but I think that the Black Vine Swamp is were the setting is because Mrs. Starch disappeared there. I think that Nick's problem is that Mrs. Starch is missing. Another problem that Nick has is that his dad got hurt when he was in the army and it said on page 75 "He's not dead honey. But he's hurt." That is what Nick's mom told Nick when he came home from school. I think that Nick's dad is going to be hurt badly because Nick's mom will not tell him how bad he is hurt. I think that Nick will learn more about his problem with his dad because he will know how bad he is hurt.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. 4. @ Peyton I was reading the book " Scat" before I started reading the book "Chomp". In the book “Chomp” there are two main characters and they are both boys One of thme is called Wahoo. Wahoo was named by his dad "Micky named him after Wahoo McDaniel, a professional wrestler who'd once linebacker for the Dolphins. Micky's son often wished he'd been called Micky Jr.or Joe or even Rupert _ anything but Wahoo, which was a species of saltwater fish." On page 1. Micky is Wahoo’s dad ."After school, Wahoo would feed the animals and clean out pens and cages. The backyard was literally a zoo _ gators, snakes, parrots, mynah birds, rats, mice, monkeys, raccoons, tortoises, and even a bald eagle, which Mickey had raised from fledgling after its mother was killed." On page 2. Micky and his son are helping a TV show that is called the Expedition Survival because Micky had experience with a lot of reptiles and animals.

      Delete
  22. Dear readers, I think that the setting is in Florida city and they live there. I feel like Wahoo’s problem is that his mom isn’t there at the house or anywhere Mickey and Wahoo goes. Also Wahoo maybe had fun with there parents and maybe Wahoo will just get a little bit bored playing with his dad only. In page five and page 6 it says when she goes so here it is “Wahoo lugged mother’s suitcases to the waiting taxi... Watching the cab speed off, Wahoo’s father looked forlorn.” Well that what I think the problem is and I think thats not a minor problem, maybe I will find the problem further throughout this story or maybe this actually is the problem of the story and I think that this is the problem of this story.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Dear friends,
    I'm reading Chomp. What I read in chapter three to four I think that main setting in the is Florida City. The problem in the book is Wahoo's dad because in the book on one it said" The Mickey Cray had been out of work ever since a dead iguana fell from a palm tree and hit him on the head."

    ReplyDelete
  24. I'm reading the book "Chomp" the main character is Wahoo. Wahoo's dad "Micky named him after Wahoo McDaniel, a professional wrestler who'd once linebacker for the Dolphins. Micky's son often wished he'd been called Micky Jr.or Joe or even Rupert _ anything but Wahoo, which was a species of saltwater fish." On page 1.The setting in the book is mostly in the wilderness next to a lake in Florida. The problem is the the TV star Derek Badger got lost or ran away, no body knows and the TV crew and Wahoo's dad Micky are looking all over him. They are very worried because a bat bet Derek in the tongue. But Micky has a minor problem that a dead iguana fell on his head which gave him headaches also Tuna Wahoo's friend has a minor problem with her family. Her dad keeps on hitting her that ones she got a black from him and now he wants to go back home and her mother went to Chicago to help her grandmother. Her grandmother is very sick.

    ReplyDelete
  25. The setting in the book would be around outside with the running boy and somewhat at school. I had choose this because around page 14 and 15 it talks about how Roy is trying to get out the bus so he could chase the strange boy he has been seeing and Roy wants to know who he is. On page 15 and 16 it has like the action were he is chasing the Running boy through private yards, and other things. Roy goes there more and more but he never got a chance to see who he was. The main character is Roy and sort of the Running boy Roy is trying to to find out who is this boy? Why is he at the bus stop often? What is he up to? Roy needs to know who this kid is. The Running boy is trying to keep his disguise from people knowing him and trying not to give away who he is to Roy an others around. This can be a major problem because what if Roy does end up knowing who he is and he gets killed or something. Also, if they find out who is the running boy is does he wound up in jail for doing a crime is that why he is hiding?

    ReplyDelete
  26. I'm reading the book "Chomp" I think it is a great book. I liked this piece of dialogue because it is kind of funny and because It made me want to read on, it is “No way.We’re not gonna spy.”
    “It’s not spying, Lance, it’s observing.”On page 111 This dialogue made me anxious what is about to happen. “Tuna said, “That was seriously rude. He almost peed on our heads!” One page 113. The author also used onomatopoeia like chop. “ Tell them to move me with a room with a Jacuzzi. Chop- chop!” One page 108. The author also uses great words choices like doubtful and harmed. Mrs. Hiaasen did not use any metaphor or simile in the book so far.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will not appear until it has been moderated. Students, please remember to include your first name only.