The Writing Styles of Carl Hiaasen

1. The Writing Styles of Carl Hiaasen Report By Kelsey Stephenson

2. Background Info… • Born and raised in Plantation, Florida • He has one son from his first marriage and another from his second • He married Connie Lyford just after high-school graduation • He entered Emory University in 1970 • In 1972 he transferred to the University of Florida, graduating in 1974 with a degree in journalism • He joined the Miami Herald where he continues to work • At the newspaper he wrote investigative stories about people who were plotting to destroy Florida’s natural beauty for profit • In the 1980’s he began to write novels • Hiaasen divorced Connie in 1996 and remarried in 1999 to FeniaClizer, a restaurant manager • Carl Hiaasen currently lives in the Florida Keyes

3. Setting Carl Hiaasen constantly uses the familiar setting of a small town in Florida in his books. He was born and raised in Florida, making the a connection to the setting of his books and the struggles the characters face. Using the adventurous location of the swampy, unpopulated land sets an audacious and daring tone to his stories.

4. Theme Carl Hiaasen often uses a common theme to portray the importance of preserving wildlife and the environment. His characters work to protect the natural beauty of their home from people who plan industrialize their pleasant cities. In Hoot, the main characters try to stop the building of a pancake house on owl infested land in pursuit of rescuing these endangered species. In his other book Flush, a man was dumping illegal sewage off of his casino boat and into the marina, killing thousands of fish. The main characters had to form a plan to expose him before it was to late. Wildlife preservation is important to this author because he grew up in Florida and worked writing investigational articles about people who were trying to destroy Florida’s natural beauty for a profit. Carl Hiaasen is trying to send a message to people that it is important to consider the consequences of their actions. This theme creates a didactic mood to his readers.

5. CONFLICT Carl Hiaasen uses a distinctive story line in most of his books. Similar to his other books, the main characters in Hoot fight to stop the building of a pancake house on owl infested property. The builders were aware of the inhabitants but chose to continue construction anyway. Roy and Beatrice were trying to find non-violent ways to prevent this, while Mullet Fingers decided to use vandalism to prove his point. In another one of his works, Flush, Noah’s father was jailed for sinking a Casino Boat that he thought was dumping illegal sewage into their peaceful marina. Noah also tried to find a perfectly legal was to expose the owner of the boat’s plot. This creates a candid mood as the main characters face rejection from their peers while going against everyone to stand up for what they believe in.

6. Characters CARL HIAASEN CONTINUALLY USES TEENAGE CHARACTERS TO APPEAL TO A MORE YOUTHFUL AUDIENCE. HIS CHARACTERS USUALLY ARE TEENAGE BOYS WHO ARE CONSIDERED OUTSIDERS AND ARE TRYING TO FIT IN. IN HOOT, THE MAIN CHARACTER IS A TEENAGE BOY NAMED ROY WHO HAD JUST MOVED TO A NEW TOWN AND WAS TRYING TO MAKE FRIENDS. HE MEETS A HEADSTRONG BUT CARING GIRL NAMED BEATRICE AND HER BROTHER, MULLET FINGERS, A RAGED AND WILD KID ON THE RUN. IN FLUSH, NOAH STRUGGLES TO FIND ACCEPTANCE AMONG THE PEOPLE IN HIS TOWN. HE HAS A YOUNGER SISTER WHO IS VERY MOTHERLY, YET AT THE SAME TIME SARCASTIC. NOAH’S FATHER IS VERY SIMILAR TO MULLET FINGERS, HE WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO STAND UP FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES IN, EVEN IF THE IDEA COULD GET HIM INTO TROUBLE. “HIAASEN'S FLORIDA IS THAT OF GREEDY BUSINESSMEN, CORRUPT POLITICIANS, DUMB BLONDES, APATHETIC RETIREES, INTELLECTUALLY CHALLENGED TOURISTS, AND MILITANT ECOTEURS.” THESE CHARACTERS BRING A HUMOROUS TONE WITH THEIR WITTY REMARKS AND COMMENTS, HELPING KIDS TO CONNECT AND RELATE TO THEM.

7. Imagery Carl Hiaasen often uses the device of imagery to help the audience connect and imagine his stories better. This helps create the author’s distinctive style and create a melancholic mood as he recalls the beauty of his childhood home. “ The boy was straw-blond and wiry, and his skin was nutbrown from the sun. The expression on his face was intent and serious. He wore a faded Miami Heat basketball jersey and dirty khaki shorts, and here was the odd part: no shoes. The soles of his bare feet looked as black as barbecue coals.”-Hoot

8. Thank you for watching Kelsey Stephenson ELA H October 12, 2008