Bizarre situations in Carl Hiaasen’s Native Tongue and how they represent the character’s attitude towards nature Carl Hiaasen was born and raised in South Florida where he still lives with his family. He joined the Miami Herald in 1976 and worked as a general assignment reporter, magazine writer and award-winning investigative reporter before starting his own column in 1985. In his columns he is especially interested in exposing schemes to destroy Florida’s ecosystem and natural beauty in order to build holiday resorts or entertainment parks. He eloquently fights the exploitation of South Florida not only by his weekly newspaper columns but also in his many novels. Like all of them his work Native Tongue, which was published in 1991, has been commonly classified as "environmental thriller” and so is to be found on the crime shelves of many book shops. It is also an extremely funny novel that won the Crime Writers´ Association ´Last Laugh´ Award in 1992.
For Native Tongue Carl Hiaasen worked out a group of flat but extremely delightful characters and created many obscure appearing situations. However, many of these delighting elements are not as incidental as they seem to be. This essay will argue the serious and symbolic character of two of the books most grotesque situations. On first glance they just seem to amuse the reader, but having a closer look they define exactly the characters’ environmental consciousness.
A hilarious character is Molly McNamara, the chairwoman of the radical group of ecofighters “Mothers of Wilderness”. Her passionate love of her state has over the years turned into a cold fury at what is being done to it. So she decided to put things in her hand and tries to fight for Florida as well as for established virtues with sometimes terrorist like commitment. Throughout the novel she seems to walk the thin line between reason and fanaticism. It’s a remarkable scene when Molly McNamara shoots Bud Schwarz in his hand in chapter 5 on page 62:
“Did you take some of your friend’s pill?” “Aw, come on,” said Bud, “[...] there’s nothing else to do here. I was bored stiff.” “That was prescription medicine,” Molly said sternly. She went to her kitchen and got her handbag. It was the largest handbag that Bud Schwartz or Danny Pogue had ever seen. Molly took out another plastic botle of codeine pills and handed them to Danny Pogue. Then she took out her gun and shot Bud Schwartz one in the left hand (chapter 5, page 62).
Molly McNamara’s strong reaction to Bud Schwartz’ misbehaviour nobody would have expected from an old lady. Even if the usually terrible act of shooting somebody becomes rather unoffending and funny because it is the old lady and not the burglar who is in control, Molly McNamara seems to literally shoot the mark. Is it really right to make use of actions as drastic as this in order to defend your views and what you think is right? After reading the novel, most readers would probably agree that it is right, especially since Molly McNamara’s actions are not as dramatic as they seem to be. Taking a closer look, it can be seen that Molly McNamara never in the novel acts irresponsible. After shooting Bud Schwartz and Danny Pogue, she makes sure that both of them are taken care of. Her actions are always very well directed. She embodies perfectly the weak and not-influential underdog that has to fight with what is left in order to stand its ground. Her approach to save Florida is clever, straight and uncompromising and totally avouches for environment protection. The incidents when she shoots Danny and Bud are no exceptions but contribute to her firm conviction.
A very different character is Pedro Luz. Throughout Native Tongue the chief security of the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills and former cop is eager to take in steroids in order to improve his already muscular body. Having spent a short abidance in a hospital, he had the strange idea to constantly abuse a clinical hanger in order to infuse the drugs intravenously through a rig. This habit of course contributes to a very bizarre appearance. So for example Mrs. Kingsbury is bewildered when she sees Pedro Luz and his hanger:
Mrs. Kingsbury’s eyes had shifted to Pedro Luz, and the bottle of fluid on the hanger.
“What’s the matter with him?” she asked. “One of them crash diets,” said her husband.
Churrito said, “Yeah, make your muscles get big and your dick shrivel up like a noodle.”
Pedro Luz reddened. “It’s vitamins, that’s all.” (Chapter 22, page 279)
Besides amusing the reader, this scene defines exactly Pedro’s environmental consciousness and points out that he belongs to the “bad guys” in the story. By taking in steroids and so blowing up his body to unnatural dimensions, he intensively violates the body of his nature. This again underlines his altogether ignorant behaviour towards nature in general. He indeed is portrayed as the dumb helper of Francis X. Kingsbury who does not care about the environmental disaster his boss is about to cause. So the character’s habits and actions are by no means insignificant, even if they may seem unimportant to the plot.
So even if Carl Hiaasen’s Native Tongue has a lot of satirical and bizarre situations in it, these situations are not there for pure amusement. They indeed serve a deeper purpose that is to point out exactly the character’s attitude towards environmental issues. Whereas one passing scene justifies Molly McNamara’s extreme devotion and approach for maintaining Florida’s ecosystem, another seemingly unimportant aspect very much underlines Pedro Luz’ not caring attitude to ecological subjects.
Throughout the novel, every character is involved in at least one very strange scene which reads like an indirect but absolutely complete and exact composition of the character’s attitude towards nature. Even minor characters like Joe Winder’s
Frequently asked questions about Carl Hiaasen’s Native Tongue
What is Native Tongue about?
Native Tongue, written by Carl Hiaasen, is classified as an "environmental thriller" that explores themes of environmental destruction and exploitation in South Florida through a satirical and humorous lens. The novel features a diverse cast of characters and bizarre situations that highlight their attitudes toward nature.
What are some of the key themes in Native Tongue?
The key themes include environmentalism, the exploitation of natural resources, and the conflict between development and preservation. The novel also explores themes of morality, extremism, and the consequences of human actions on the environment.
Who is Molly McNamara in Native Tongue and what does she represent?
Molly McNamara is the chairwoman of the radical ecofighter group "Mothers of Wilderness." She represents passionate environmentalism and a willingness to take extreme measures to protect Florida's ecosystem. Her actions, though sometimes seemingly outrageous, are ultimately portrayed as being motivated by a deep concern for the environment.
What is the significance of Molly McNamara shooting Bud Schwarz in the hand?
The act of Molly shooting Bud in the hand, while humorous and unexpected, symbolizes her uncompromising dedication to environmental protection. It highlights her willingness to use drastic measures to defend her values and protect the environment from those who exploit it.
Who is Pedro Luz and how does his character relate to the environmental themes in the novel?
Pedro Luz is the chief security guard at the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills. His steroid use and disregard for his own body's natural state reflect his overall indifference to environmental issues. He is portrayed as a "bad guy" who contributes to the environmental destruction caused by his boss, Francis X. Kingsbury.
What does Pedro Luz's steroid use symbolize?
Pedro Luz's steroid use symbolizes a violation of nature and a disregard for the natural order. His obsession with artificially enhancing his body reflects a similar disregard for the environment and a willingness to exploit it for personal gain.
How do the bizarre situations in Native Tongue contribute to the novel's themes?
The bizarre situations in Native Tongue are not merely for amusement. They serve a deeper purpose by revealing the characters' attitudes towards environmental issues. Each strange scene provides insight into a character's environmental consciousness and their role in the conflict between development and preservation.
Is Native Tongue a serious novel despite its humor?
Yes, despite its satirical and humorous elements, Native Tongue addresses serious issues related to environmentalism and the exploitation of natural resources. The novel uses humor to engage readers and raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment.
- Quote paper
- Christoph Haeberlein (Author), 2006, Bizarre situations in Carl Hiaasen’s "Native Tongue" and how they represent the character’s attitude towards nature , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/113257
