Discussion Topic
Character analysis of Dana Matherson in Hoot
Summary:
Dana Matherson in Hoot is a classic bully. He torments weaker students, including the protagonist, Roy. Dana is portrayed as aggressive, mean-spirited, and a troublemaker who lacks empathy. His behavior is driven by his insecurities and desire for control, making him an antagonist in the story.
What descriptions can you give about Dana Matherson in the book Hoot?
In Carl Hiaasen's novel Hoot, Dana is an antagonist. He is a bully, and in the opening scene of the book, he ambushes the main character, Roy Eberhardt. Dana smashes Roy's face against the bus window and digs his fingernails into Roy's scalp. He outweighs Roy by at least fifty pounds, and his breath smells like cigarettes. In addition to the physical bullying, Dana hurls verbal insults, calling Roy "cowgirl." There aren't many physical descriptions of Dana apart from his size. The author leaves it to the reader to make inferences about his appearance. There is much more description given about Dana's personality and temperament.
Dana has 3 older brothers, and they all attended Trace Middle School. Throughout the novel, Dana is described as an unintelligent goon whose main hobby is picking on smaller students.
Dana bullies Roy a second time on the bus, once again ambushing...
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him. This time, he chokes him. Roy is intent on finding out about the running boy and backhands Dana to get away from him. This results in a broken nose for Dana and a bus suspension for Roy. Roy has to write an apology letter to Dana, and quips "Who's going to read it to him?" Roy is sporting finger sized bruises on his neck where Dana choked him, which saves him from a weightier punishment.
Roy and his mother deliver the apology note to Dana's home and discover the apple doesn't fall far from the tree as they watch Dana and his mother fight over the note. Dana's mom is disappointed in her son to learn that such a scrawny boy caused great damage to her son. Dana doesn't accept Roy's apology and vows revenge.
One day when Roy is investigating the construction site, Dana finds him and chases him, but Roy gets away. Dana is caught by the construction foreman and blamed for the vandalism that's been going on. He gives the foreman Roy Eberhardt's name instead of his own, but Officer Delinko knows he's not Roy. Officer Delinko interrogates him and realizes he's not the vandal when he shows him an alligator. Dana, who has been insulting and uncooperative with the officer, is afraid of the alligator. Delinko sees this as proof he couldn't have been the one to place the alligators in the portable toilets. Readers learn that Dana has a rap sheet for juvenile offenses.
Dana's last hurrah happens when he chases Roy after school, causing Roy to hide out in a Janitor's closet. When Beatrice rescues him, He sees she has tied Dana to a tree clad in only his underwear.
What are the character traits of Dana in Hoot?
Dana Matherson is a bully through and through. You could refer to him as such or just call him a jerk— most of the associations that people have with those two terms work quite well for describing Dana. Readers are told in chapter 1 that Dana is not well liked and that he is a "well-known idiot." He acts stupid, but he is also legitimately stupid. He simply can't realize that any time that he messes with Roy, something bad happens to himself. But it is hard to hate Dana through and through, because we get a look into his home life. His mom is every bit the bully that he is. Mrs. Mattherson even laughs at her son because she can't believe somebody as small as Roy punched him.