Chomp

How does the narrative highlight the gulf between reality and reality TV?

What is the purpose of Carl Hiaasen’s expositional diversions, those moments when he chooses to give his readers a brief biology or environmental lesson?

How does Hiaasen use the character of Derek Badger to satirize Hollywood?

Contrast Gerry Germaine with Raven Stark. How does each character either conform to or break away from the expectations of the cutthroat world of reality television?

Identify the primary components of Mickey’s code of ethics and analyze how this code both drives and complicates the plot.

Hiaasen’s characters tend to live on the socioeconomic fringes. How do these conditions affect them for better and for worse? Discuss at least three specific characters.

Analyze at least three examples of Badger’s disconnect with reality. How does his celebrity status feed his problematic mindset, and how does Hiaasen employ deliberate exaggeration to deliver a broader condemnation of the reality TV industry?

What stereotypes about nature and wild animals does Chomp correct, and which ones does it perpetuate?