Holes Assessment by Aaron Sandhu

Introduction
Throughout the novel holes by Louis Sachar, the main character Stanley
Yelnats develops in many ways. Stanley builds a strong friendship with
Zero and through this friendship we see Stanley grow in character
achieving a sense of belonging, a sense of self and courage. In this essay I
will be looking at Sachars use of language including grammatical and
literary features that convey Stanleys development.
In the opening chapters of the story, Stanley lacks confidence and is
unsociable. He doesnt seem to enjoy life. We know this because in
chapter six we are told Stanley is bullied by Derrick Dunne a boy in his
class who was half his size. We are told Derrick used to torment Stanley.
By using the verb torment the author makes emphasises that life was
difficult and upsetting for Stanley.
On the other hand, Stanleys family life was loving, the author
demonstrates the close relationship Stanley had with farther by telling us
that his father used to sing a melody to him every night. The significance
of this relationship is highlighted by the author in chapter three where we
are introduced to the melody he could hear his fathers gruff voice softly
singing to him, as Stanley travelled on the bus to Camp Green Lake.
Introducing the melody in this way makes us realise that Stanley found
this comforting.
Stanley and his family tried to be optimistic about the Camp Green Lake
and in chapter three the author writes, Stanley and his parents had tried
to pretend he was going away to camp for a while, just like rich kids do.
However, when Stanley arrived at the Camp this was far from the reality.
Stanley is introduced to the other boys and attempts to make friends, he
askes Theodore where he can find water and Theodore reacts with
violence. He grabs Stanley and throws him to the floor, saying that his
name is Armpit. This insistence on nicknames is a revealing trait of the
boys at the camp, it is a sense of acceptance and belonging. To fit in, in
chapter six Stanley tells the other boys that reason for him being sent to
the camp is because he stole a pair of sneakers from the famous baseball
player Clyde "Sweet Feet" Livingston, even though he is innocent of the
crime. However it is not until chapter nine when Stanley is given the
nickname caveman, that he feels part of the group. The name Caveman
brings to mind someone who is strong and powerful. Stanley, on the other
hand, thinks of himself as a weak person who is often picked on and who
has very bad luck. While he was trying to avoid a fight with the other boy,
X-Ray and Armpit believe that he was being brave and perhaps instigating
a fight. The irony of Stanley, who only wants to avoid fights, being named

Caveman is similar to the irony of Rex, who is practically blind, being

named X-Ray. While X-Ray could easily be bullied because of his glasses
and lack of sight, he is in fact, the leader of the group. To embrace his
new-found belonging in chapter12, Stanley mocks Mr Pendnaski in front of
the rest of the boys. Later Stanley finds a gold lipstick tube which, instead
of giving it to the warden and getting a day off from digging, he gives to Xray. By doing this he gains further respect from the boys, X-ray being the
most respected of the group.
However it is when Stanley begins teaching Zero the quietest of the group
how the read that Stanley character begins to gain his independence and
place. Zero is initially mysterious. Mr Pendanski is very negative about
him and treats him as if he is worthless. Theres nothing inside his head.
He is therefore appropriately named.
In return for teaching him how to read, Zero digs some of Stanleys holes
the other boys are annoyed with this set-up. The other boys mock Stanley
for having a slave. X-Ray says, " Same old storythe white boy sits while
the black boy does all the work.". While Zero and Stanley are becoming
friends and helping each other out, they are also threatening X-Ray's
system of control. The boys are jealous that Zero digs part of Stanley's
hole each day but the issue that really upsets them, especially X- Ray, is
that Zero and Stanley no longer care what the other boys think of them.
In chapter thirty, this jealously spills over into a fight. When Mr.
Pendanski delivers their bag lunches the other boys taunt Stanley about
having Zero dig Stanley's hole for him. Zigzag pushes Stanley, who
doesn't want to fight. Mr. Pendanski comes over and tells Stanley to fight
back. Stanley softly hits Zigzag who in return pummels Stanley and jumps
on top of him. Zero attacks Zigzag and almost kills him until Armpit breaks
them up.
The boys tell the Warden that Zero has been digging some of Stanley's
hole. Stanley explains that he's teaching Zero to read and Mr. Pendanski
says, " You might as well try to teach this shovel to read! It's got more
brains than Zero. Mr. Pendanski taunts Zero about how stupid he is. Zero
annoyed says that he will not dig any more holes and when Mr. Pendanski
tells him that digging holes is all he'll ever be good for. Zero smashes his
shovel across Mr. Pendanski's face and runs away. The Warden expects
him to die, or come back for water. When he doesnt return, the Warden
orders the destruction of his records. He was never here,No one cares
about Hector Zeroni. Stanley, however does care.
In chapter thirty-two the author describes the guild felt by Stanley,
Stanley is angry with everyone, including himself. He regrets having Zero

dig his hole for him. He considers ways to help Zero but cant think of any
that, do not involve retribution from the Warden. Stanley is loyal, He says:
I cant leave Hector. No one else has called Zero by his name. His guild
drives him to steal the water truck in-order to go and find Zero but drives
the truck into a hole. He gets out and runs away. Stanley demonstrates his
changed character when he steals Mr. Sir's truck. Although he knows that
the Warden will surely punish him if and when she finds him, Stanley is
brave enough to leave camp in order to try and help his friend. This
willingness to suffer in order to help Zero shows that Stanley is not only
brave, but also a good friend.
In chapter thirty-four we discover that Zero has survived in the desert by
sheltering under Sams boat, where it had sunk a hundred years
previously and by drinking what he calls Sploosh which would have been
the jars of spiced peaches that Katherine Barlow made. Zero looks sick but
refuses to go back to camp. In chapter twenty-nine whist watching a
storm over the mountains the author introducing us to the idea that this is
the same place where Stanleys great- grandfather said he had found
refuge on God's thumb. Zero and Stanley in their struggle to escape the
persecution and cruelty of Camp Green Lake decided to head towards
God's thumb.
In chapter thirty-six the author demonstrates their commitment Stanley
and Zero show to each other and their true friendship. As they climb up
towards the thumb, at one point Zero uses the shovel to help Stanley up
part of a cliff. This causes Zero, who is already weak and sick, to get big
cuts in his hands. Then we see how the most dramatic changes in
Stanleys character is physical strength is put to use as Stanley carries
Zero who is too weak up to God thumb, saving Zeros life.
They each make sacrifices for the other which show that they honestly
want to help each other and are not just helping each other in order to
attain some benefit for themselves.
The turning point of the novel occurs in chapter thirty-nine. In chapter
thirty-eight Stanley had given Zero some water on Gods thumb. In
chapter thirty-nine Stanley is afraid Zero will die there. Zero is desperate
to tell Stanley something. He confesses to stealing Clyde Livingstons
shoes from the homeless shelter. Then as Zero slept Stanley softly sang
the song that had been in his family for generations. Sacher uses
flashbacks to past events, in Stanleys life, in Green Lakes history and in
Latvia. His purpose is always to increase the readers understanding of the
events, ideas and themes of the story.
From then on, Stanley seems to have a change in luck. Everything goes
well for him.

The end of the novel is called Filling in the Holes which is metaphorical.
It fills in gaps in our knowledge.