This document analyzes Tim Dorsey's novel "Florida Roadkill" from an ecocritical perspective. It discusses how the novel portrays the interactions between humans and the natural environment in Florida. Some key points made are: - The novel follows the character Serge as he goes on a road trip across Florida hunting for money - Ecocriticism analyzes how humans relate to nature in literature and how modernization has transformed this relationship - The novel shows examples of both environmentally harmful and protective interactions between humans and the Florida landscape through incidents described - It examines different perspectives characters have towards nature and how greed and uncontrolled development have damaged Florida's environment.

1. Native Tourist in
Florida Roadkill:
An Ecocritical Approach
By Megan Getter

2.  First in Serge series
 Road trip across Florida
 Serge and others hunting
down money

3. Ecocriticism
 Analyzes the implications of the interactions between
human and nature
 Uses Interdisciplinary study of ecology and literature

4. The Big Questions
 “In what ways do highly evolved and self-aware beings
relate to nature?”
 “What roles do language, literature, and art play in this
relation?”
 “How have modernization and globalization processes
transformed it?”
 “Is it possible to return to more ecologically attuned
ways of inhabiting nature, and what would be the
cultural prerequisites for such a change?”
(Heise 504)

5. Serge Storms
 “curiously likable” because “Serge, after all, only kills
those who deserve it” 1
 “an avenging angel of sorts, out to rid the state of
corruption even if he has to kill three-fourths of the
population in the process” 2
1 Contemporary Authors Online n.p. 2 Hooper 1603

6. Native Tourist
• Florida landscape - natural
and man-made
• Examples
• Coral incident
• Key Deer
• Selfish reasons for
protecting

7. Environmental
Orientations
• Nature as “a dominating
force, one that cannot be
harnessed”
• Nature as “a balancing act
between the environment
and their needs”
• Nature as “a slave and try
to control and
rule it”
http://thehappypill.files.wordpress.com/
(Neuliep 145)

8. Development
• Florida overrun by tourists
• Vista Isles
• Creates false environment
• Hoodwinks old people
• Greed major problem in Florida
Image Credit: bentsengroveresort.com

9. Pollution
• Malathion pesticide
• Used on citrus
• Promoted as safe
• Kills people
• Pollution – major issue
for Dorsey

10. Dorsey as an Ecocritic
 Shows readers potential and existing problems
 Examples of how not to interact with the environment
 Offers unrealistic solution to problems
 Compels readers to act more responsibly

11. Works Cited
 Bracke, Astrid, and Marguerite  Harmon, William. ”Ecocriticism” A
Corporaal. "Ecocriticism And Handbook to Literature. 12th ed.
English Studies: An Introduction." Boston: Pearson, 2012. Print.
English Studies 91.7 (2010): 709-
712. Academic Search Complete.  Hooper, Brad, and Bill Ott. "Florida
Web. 31 Oct. 2011. Roadkill." Booklist 1 May 2001:
1603. Literature Resource Center.
 Dorsey, Tim. Florida Roadkill. New Web. 31 Oct. 2011.
York: Harper, 1999. Print.
 McKee, Richard. “Tim Dorsey,
 "Florida Roadkill." Publishers Satirical Crime Writer
Weekly 5 July 1999: 58. Literature Extraordinaire.” Florida Crime
Resource Center. Web. 31 Oct. Writers: 24 Interviews. Ed. Steve
2011 Glassman. Jefferson:
McFarland, 2008. 40-49. Print.
 Garrard, Greg. "Beginnings:
Pollution." Introduction.  "Tim Dorsey." Contemporary
Ecocriticism. 2nd ed. New York: Authors Online. Detroit: Gale,
Routledge, 2012. 1-17. Print. 2010. Literature Resource
 Gifford, Terry. "Recent Critiques in  Center. Web. 31 Oct. 2011.
Ecocriticism." New Formations 64
(2008): 15-24. Academic Search
Complete. EBSCO. Web. 31 Oct.
2011.