Book Synopsis: Big Trouble

Title: Big Trouble

Author: Dave Barry

Publication Date: 1999

Page Count: 317

Type: Fiction

Started On: 10/8

Finished On: 11/21

My Grade: B

1. Why did I decide to read this book?

Every time it comes time to start a new book I ask Clark which book he would recommend. This time around he suggested a book different from the past ones. This one was a comedy type book. Even though I haven't seen the movie it is also very popular.

2. Plot summary:

Puggy a hitch hiker from Cleveland comes to Miami. Here he almost gets into a fight at a Jolly Jackal but after helping fight away two nuisance at the bar he is then offered a job there what ends up to be doing no work and drinking a lot of beer. Puggy begins living in a tree where he experiences someone trying to Arthur Herk, a father, and a being tackled by two women. The two guys trying to shot the father are hit men hired by the company that Mr. Herk works for. At the same time Matt and Andrew are entering the house to shoot Monica with a water gun. A lot of events happen rapidly to result in a hole in the wall, a broken television, and one boy being beat up by two women. After Arthur realizes that he has been shot at he asks the men at Jolly Jackal for their help. When he requests help he is told that they could give a bomb to him. Before Mr. Herk could get the bomb it is stolen; but the men who have stolen it think it has something to do with drugs. The stolen bomb is taking to Mr. Herk's own house by two men. The men capture Puggy and Jenny as hostages. They then go to an airport where they flip a switch on the bomb which sets the bomb for detonation.

3. What is the setting and why is it important to the novel?

The setting of the novel is in Coconut Grove in Miami. There is always something happening in Miami. This is where the Herk's home, the Jolly Jackal Bar and Eliot Arnold Advertising and Public Relations are all located. These are all important to the novel in different ways. As far as the time goes it doesn't specify.

4. Who are the main characters and what roles do they play in the novel?

The main characters is this novel include Matt Arnold, Eliot Arnold, Arthur Herk, Anna Herk, Jenny Herk, Puggy and Nina. There are other characters that you may consider a main character put these are the people I feel make up the most of the novel. Matt Arnold is son of Eliot Arnold. Matt is a high school student who is given an assignment as part of a game in his school. He also has a crush on Jenny Herk who is the one he is assigned to "kill". Eliot is a fairly rich man who owns his own business. He is attracted to Anna Herk and goes out to eat with her on many occasions. Anna Herk is also attracted to Eliot but Anna is currently married to Arthur Herk. She explains that the only reason that she married Arthur is because she needed help taking care of Jenny. Jenny Herk goes to the school with Matt Eliot. She lives with her mother and father and has her home invaded by Matt. After that she begins to like Matt. Puggy is the first character mentioned. He hitch hiked from Cleveland. He then has a job at Jolly Jackal and lives in the Herk's backyard. While he is staying there he begins to like Nina who is a foreign woman that is a maid in the Herk's home. Nina also likes Puggy and makes him food and delivers it to his tree.

5. What is/are the main conflict(s) in the novel?

The main conflict begins by Arthur Herk being in big trouble. He is shot at in his home and has to find a way to get back at the people who shot at him. He then goes to the Jolly Jackal bar to get something to defend himself. He gets a bomb but when leaving has it stolen by two men. The men don't know that this is a bomb they have stolen but they immediately capture Jenny and Puggy as hostages and go to the airport. While in the airport the men set the bomb.

6. Describe the climax of the novel?

The climax is when the men have detonated the bomb. The bomb they have stole from Arthur Herk begins to increase the intensity. Authur had bought the bomb and just as he was leaving it was stolen while he was at gun point. The two men that stole the bomb have Jenny and Puggy hostage and the bomb has been set.

7. What is the significance of the books title? Is the title appropriate, or would I change it to something else?

I love this title because when you think about trouble you think of the many things that occur in this book that get the characters in trouble. This title is appropriate because it is Mr. Herk who is in "big trouble". His trouble begins at work and this leads to two hit men trying to kill him. After this he purchases a bomb to protect himself but it is stolen so this puts him in even more trouble. Finally his daughter is held hostage and she is at an airport sitting with a bomb that has been set. Eliot is in trouble because he likes Anna even though she is married to a total jerk.

8. What is my opinion about this book? Why (give specifics)?

The book is one that I enjoyed very much. It was the funniest book I have read. I enjoyed the jokes and some of the situations characters faced. I thought everything was very creative and in most books with this many characters one may not be able to remember them well but because the details Dave Barry adds it makes it very easy to remember every character.