The concept of bullying plays a major role in Hiaasen's story. The fact that the opening of the story involves Roy being bullied by Dana and his people helps to establish the opening of the story. Roy is an outsider, someone new and from another part of the country, and these differences are used by Dana to torment Roy. Another initial example of bullying would be Beatrice's warning of physical violence against Roy if he does not cease with his curiosity. The fact that Mullet Finger's relationship with his mother is also predicated with difficulty can be seen as another example of bullying, with this time the intimidation exerted by mother to child. There can also be a theme of human beings bullying nature in that the growth of economic progress often leads to violations of the natural world and the habitats of other animals and organisms that live there. ...
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It is here where a social theme of bullying is evident, in the form of environmental awareness of the students against the restaurant.
Discuss the bullying in Hoot.
Hoot opens with the protagonist, Roy, being bullied by an older boy on the bus. Dana Matherson is supposed to remain in the back of the bus with the older kids, but he has stealthily snuck up behind Roy and "ambushed" him. Dana uses his age and greater physical strength in an attempt to intimidate Roy; this type of behavior is typical for the bully, a "well-known idiot" who often picks on younger and smaller kids.
Dana's ability to use his physical strength to manipulate those who are weaker is important for other themes in the book as well. In a broader sense, this is a novel about the way humans often exploit their own power over the natural environment, "bullying" the small and innocent creatures who depend upon those habitats for their survival. Mullet Fingers realizes the truth about Mother Paula's construction; the human "progress" there threatens the survival of the burrowing owls who live in the area. Eventually, the company is exposed for hiding their realization that their construction might have negative environmental impacts.
By exposing the "bullying" nature of big corporations, Hoot helps readers understand the importance of taking personal responsibility to protect nature's smaller and weaker species. Humans have a great capacity to inflict harm on the environment, even by a passive acceptance of "progress"; it's important that we all stand up to the bullies who create environmental destruction in order to protect innocent wildlife.