In Hoot, what were Roy's feelings towards Mullet Fingers?
Being a newcomer in the town of Coconut Cove, Roy does not have many friends. Upon his first encounter with mullet fingers, he simply refers to him as "the running boy," as he spots him running barefoot while riding the bus. Roy's initial feelings toward Mullet Fingers is one of curiosity. As the boy seems to be the same age as Roy and likely should be in middle school with him, Roy becomes very preoccupied with discovering his identity.
After meeting Mullet Fingers on the golf course and learning that he is Beatrice's stepbrother, Roy and Mullet Fingers become fast friends. The initial curiosity is replaced with a warm brotherhood. While not as radical as Mullet Fingers, Roy is sympathetic to his plight and does everything he can to help him save the owls.
Roy's feelings about Mullet Fingers change as the book progresses, so I can't state a single...
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feeling. I can do it in two general feelings though.
The first feeling that Roy has about Mullet Fingers is curiosity. The first time that Roy sees Mullet Fingers is from the bus. Roy is being bullied by Dana Matherson, and Roy sees Mullet Fingers running shoeless next to the bus. Roy's head is immediately filled with a bunch of questions. Who is that kid? Why no shoes? Roy vows to find answers to his questions. His curiosity only grows when he sees Mullet Fingers again and is told by Beatrice Leep to leave the kid alone.
Roy eventually learns who Mullet Fingers is and why he is living in the woods. Roy also learns that it is Mullet Fingers who is causing all of the construction problems in order to protect the owls. With all of his questions answered, Roy's feelings toward Mullet Fingers change from curiosity to friendship and respect. Roy even joins Mullet Fingers's crusade to save the owls.
How does Roy meet Mullet Fingers in Hoot?
In the book Hootby Carl Hiaasen, Roy Eberhardt has just moved to Coconut Cove, Florida. He first notices the running boy, who turns out to be Napoleon Leep, better known as Mullet Fingers, while he is on the bus. It is in the opening paragraph of the novel:
Roy would not have noticed the strange boy if it weren't for Dana Matherson, because Roy ordinarily didn't look out the window of the school bus. He preferred to read comics and mystery books on the morning ride to Trace Middle.
Dana Matherson is a bully who torments Roy throughout the novel. Roy becomes obsessed with finding out who the boy is, running with no shoes when he looks like he should be in middle school as well. He tries to find out who the running boy is by asking Garrett, his new found friend.
In chapter 2, Roy is once again being tormented by Dana and sees the running boy once again. He gets off the bus to chase him into the woods near a golf course. In doing so, he attracts the attention of Beatrice "The Bear" Leep. She warns him not to try to find the boy again.
Roy meets the running boy in chapter 5 when he returns to the outskirts of the golf course in search of him. Roy introduces himself, and the running boy releases poisonous snakes and tells him to leave him alone. When Roy asks what the boy's name is, he replies, "I've been called Mullet Fingers, and I've been called worse." That is their initial contact, even though Roy doesn't see him in this encounter. Later, Beatrice takes him to Mullet Fingers, and Roy learns that Mullet Fingers is her stepbrother.