In the book "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen, Beatrice comes to Roy for help again because she wants to prevent the Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House from being built on the site of the burrowing owls' habitat. She is concerned about the environmental impact of the construction, and she believes that Roy can help her expose the illegal activities that are taking place.
Regarding the second question, the homes of the families in "Hoot" are used as settings to illustrate the stark contrast between the affluent residents of Coconut Cove and the less privileged characters in the story. The affluent neighborhoods where Roy and Beatrice live are portrayed as pristine, sterile, and lacking in character. In contrast, the trailer parks where Mullet Fingers and his family live are depicted as run-down, gritty, and colorful, with a sense of community that is absent from the more upscale neighborhoods.
Furthermore, the settings also serve to highlight the conflict between economic development and environmental conservation. The pancake house is set to be built in an area that is home to endangered species, and the residents of Coconut Cove are portrayed as being willing to sacrifice the environment for the sake of economic development. The burrowing owls and their habitat, which are threatened by the construction, symbolize the importance of protecting the natural world, even in the face of progress.
Therefore, the homes of the families are used as settings to highlight the socioeconomic divide between the characters and to explore the conflict between economic development and environmental conservation in "Hoot".
While this answer may provide helpful information for your assignment, it is important to remember that using it verbatim could be seen as plagiarism. To avoid this, it is best to use your own words and properly cite any sources used. This will ensure that you are giving credit to the original author and presenting your own unique perspective on the topic.
~~~Harsha~~~