Nicole+Shields

Question: What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the novel? What do you think he or she is trying to get across to the reader? In the book “Flush”, the author emphasized two main themes throughout the story: protecting the environment and calming down when angry. Both themes are essential and important in the book, as well ad heavily emphasized. The whole plot of the story is about a man polluting the environment with human sewage. And although many could have caught him at certain times, human greed stopped those people. The author tells in detail about the disgusting water and fish dying, and how people ignored the obvious. However, Noah and Abbey try to stop it and are rewarded. I think the author was trying to get across that protecting the environment is extremely important and that if you care, you may be rewarded. Throughout the story, Noah’s father makes many drastic decisions that have harsh effects. He makes these decisions because he doesn’t think about the aftereffects or calming down; in fact, he doesn’t think at all. His anger spurts like a hose- quick, cold, surprising and unnecessary. If he’d just taken some time to think and calm down, he wouldn’t have had to go to jail. Grandpa Bobby says in the story about Noah’s Dad, “his brain takes a nap and lets his heart take the tiller.” This time, the author is trying to get across that when you’re angry, calming down and taking deep breaths is the best answer. Overall, the book “Flush” had two main themes emphasized throughout the story, protecting the environment and anger control. One got across the importance of protecting the environment and the good that can result. The other got across the message of anger control and its own importance, and how calming down and thinking while angry are the best answer. The author mainly emphasized those two themes. Both made a huge point and influenced the story in a good way.

