Flush

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. The contrast between Paine’s and Donna’s behavior suggests a message about adult responsibility and family life.

• In what important ways do Paine and Donna approach family life differently? (topic sentence)
• Give at least two details that demonstrate Paine’s approach and two details that demonstrate Donna’s approach to family life. Explain how each character’s approach impacts the family.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain what message about adult responsibilities and family life are conveyed by the contrast between the behavior of these two characters.

2. The author uses the setting and plot of Flush to convey a message about the Fragile Environment.

• What point about the fragility of the natural environment does Hiaasen make in Flush? (topic sentence)
• Give at least two details of the setting and two details of the plot that support your interpretation of this theme.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, suggest how Hiaasen’s message about the fragility of the environment is meant to prompt changes in the way the reader thinks or behaves.

3. Plot details and characterization in Flush convey a message about Fighting the Good Fight.

• What point does Flush make about the importance of standing up for one’s beliefs? (topic sentence)
• Give examples of two characters who are willing to take a risk or make sacrifices to stand up for what they think is right. Explain how characterization and plot details are used to show that this is the right thing to do.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain how Hiaasen’s message about Fighting the Good Fight relates to the book’s other themes of the Fragile Environment and Bigshots and Bullies.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. What does Flush suggest about the role that parents play in shaping their children’s character? How does the novel characterize Bobby, Paine, and Noah? How does it characterize Dusty and Jasper? What similarities seem to be passed from father to son? What is the meaning of the differences between the fathers and their sons? Write an essay that analyzes the characterization of fathers and sons in this novel and that states a clear position about what message this characterization conveys. Support your position with evidence from throughout the text.

2. Who are the bullies in this story? How is their behavior related to their desire to impress others and have power over them? What kinds of bullying do they engage in? How does their behavior impact others? Do these bullies face any consequences for their behavior? Write an essay that analyzes the message about Bigshots and Bullies conveyed by characterization and plot details in Flush. Support your ideas with evidence from throughout the text.

3. After many failed attempts to see the green light, the family finally sees it: “When the flash of green came, it lasted for only a magical flick of time—so brief and brilliant and beautiful, I was afraid I’d imagined it. But then I heard my father say, ‘How amazing was that?’ So excited, he sounded just like a kid” (Chapter 21). Why is the light important to them? Why does it matter that it is so elusive, and why does the family finally see it when they do? Write an essay in which you explore what is happening at this moment in the text and what it means to the characters. Connect your ideas to one or more of the book’s themes. Support your assertions with evidence from throughout the text.