Holes (novel)
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''Holes'' is a 1998
young adult In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...
novel A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...
written by
Louis Sachar Louis Sachar ( ; born March 20, 1954) is an American young-adult mystery-comedy author. He is best known for the ''Wayside School (book series), Wayside School'' series and the novel ''Holes (novel), Holes''. ''Holes'' won the 1998 U.S. Nationa ...
and first published by
Farrar, Straus and Giroux Farrar, Straus and Giroux (FSG) is an American book publishing company, founded in 1946 by Roger Williams Straus Jr. and John C. Farrar. FSG is known for publishing literary books, and its authors have won numerous awards, including Pulitzer P ...
. The book centers on Stanley Yelnats, who is sent to Camp Green Lake, a correctional boot camp in a
desert A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...
in
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, after being falsely accused of theft. The
plot Plot or Plotting may refer to: Art, media and entertainment * Plot (narrative), the connected story elements of a piece of fiction Music * ''The Plot'' (album), a 1976 album by jazz trumpeter Enrico Rava * The Plot (band), a band formed in 2003 ...
explores the history of the area and how the actions of several characters in the past have affected Stanley's life in the present. These interconnecting stories touch on themes such as labor, boyhood and masculinity, friendship, meaning of names,
illiteracy Literacy is the ability to read and write, while illiteracy refers to an inability to read and write. Some researchers suggest that the study of "literacy" as a concept can be divided into two periods: the period before 1950, when literacy was ...
, elements of fairy tales, and
racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one Race (human categorization), race or ethnicity over another. It may also me ...
. The book was both a critical and commercial success. Much of the praise for the book has centered around its complex plot, interesting characters, and representation of people of color and incarcerated youth. It won the 1998 US
National Book Award for Young People's Literature The National Book Award for Young People's Literature is one of five annual National Book Awards, which are given by the National Book Foundation (NBF) to recognize outstanding literary work by US citizens. They are awards "by writers to writer ...
and the 1999
Newbery Medal The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contr ...
for the year's "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children". In 2012 it was ranked number six among all-time children's novels in a survey published by ''
School Library Journal ''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, wi ...
''. ''Holes'' was adapted by
Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Pictures is an American film Film production company, production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios (division), the Walt Disney Studios, a division of Disney Entertainment, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. The st ...
as a feature film of the same name released in 2003. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, was commercially successful, and was released in conjunction with the book companion ''
Stanley Yelnats' Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake ''Stanley Yelnats' Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake'' is a 2003 novel for young adults by Louis Sachar, first published by Yearling Books (an imprint of Random House). It is the second in a series inaugurated in 1998 by the award-winning ''Hole ...
''. A spin-off sequel to ''Holes'' entitled '' Small Steps'' was published in 2006 and centers on one of the secondary characters in the novel, Theodore "Armpit" Johnson. A female-led television adaptation is in development for
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
.


Background

''Holes'' is one of 42 books written by Louis Sachar, most of which are classified as children's literature. The novel is categorized as
young adult literature Young adult literature (YA) is typically written for readers aged 12 to 18 and includes most of the themes found in adult fiction, such as family dysfunction, substance abuse, alcoholism, and sexuality. It is characterized by simpler world build ...
but has also been labeled as realistic
fiction Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying character (arts), individuals, events, or setting (narrative), places that are imagination, imaginary or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent ...
, a
tall tale A tall tale is a story with unbelievable elements, related as if it were true and factual. Some tall tales are exaggerations of actual events, for example fish stories ("the fish that got away") such as, "That fish was so big, why I tell ya', it ...
, a
folk tale Oral literature, orature, or folk literature is a genre of literature that is spoken or sung in contrast to that which is written, though much oral literature has been transcribed. There is no standard definition, as anthropologists have used va ...
, a
fairy tale A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, household tale, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful bei ...
, a
children's story "Children's Story" is a song recorded by British-American hip hop artist Slick Rick. Taken as the second single from his album ''The Great Adventures of Slick Rick'', the song was a Top 5 hit on both the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot R&B Singles a ...
, a
postmodern Postmodernism encompasses a variety of artistic, cultural, and philosophical movements that claim to mark a break from modernism. They have in common the conviction that it is no longer possible to rely upon previous ways of depicting the wo ...
novel,
detective fiction Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an criminal investigation, investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around ...
, and a historical
legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...
. ''Holes'' is considered an outlier of all Sachar's published books, for its complex plot, character development, and elements of teen angst and mystery. Sachar says he "never intended to write a grim story" and instead "wanted it to be fun and adventurous". The narrative of ''Holes'' is generally linear but also resembles multi-spatial and multidirectional narratives, similar to features of postmodernism literature. ''Holes'' was inspired by Sachar's dislike for the heat in Austin, Texas, the home state of his family.


Plot

Stanley Yelnats IV is wrongfully convicted of theft and is consequentially sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile corrections facility. The novel presents Stanley's story together with two other linked stories.


Elya Yelnats

Elya Yelnats is 15 years old and lives in
Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...
. He is in love with Myra Menke, the most beautiful girl in the village. Myra's father has decided she should marry when she turns fifteen in two months. Fifty-seven-year-old Igor Barkov offers his fattest
pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), also called swine (: swine) or hog, is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is named the domestic pig when distinguishing it from other members of the genus '' Sus''. Some authorities cons ...
to Myra's father in exchange for her hand so Elya asks his friend Madame Zeroni, an old
Egyptian ''Egyptian'' describes something of, from, or related to Egypt. Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to: Nations and ethnic groups * Egyptians, a national group in North Africa ** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of year ...
fortune teller Fortune telling is the spiritual practice of predicting information about a person's life. Melton, J. Gordon. (2008). ''The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena''. Visible Ink Press. pp. 115–116. The scope of fortune telling is in principle ...
with a missing foot, for help. She warns him that Myra is an empty-headed girl, but gives him a piglet and tells him to carry it to the top of the mountain every day and sing a special song while it drinks from a stream that runs uphill. If he does this, according to Madame Zeroni, his pig will be fatter than any of Igor's. In return, she requests that Elya carry her up the mountain. She warns him that if he does not, his family will be cursed. Elya follows Madame Zeroni's directions until the last day, when he takes a bath instead of carrying the pig up the hill. His pig and Igor's weigh exactly the same, so Myra's father lets her decide whom to marry. When Myra is unable to choose, Elya realizes Madame Zeroni was right about Myra. He tells her to marry Igor and keep his pig and, forgetting his promise to Madame Zeroni, leaves for America. There, he marries the kind and intelligent Sarah Miller but is continually beset by bad luck. The song that he sang to the pig becomes a lullaby passed down by his family.


Kissin' Kate Barlow

In the year 1888, Green Lake is a flourishing Texas lakeside village. Katherine Barlow, a local schoolteacher famous for her spiced peaches, falls in love with Sam, an African-American
onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classifie ...
farmer. She rejects the advances of Charles Walker, the richest man in town, who is nicknamed "Trout" because his feet smell like dead fish. After Katherine and Sam are seen kissing, Trout raises a mob to burn down the schoolhouse. Katherine goes to the
sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...
for help, but he refuses to help her and instead demands a kiss. Katherine and Sam attempt to escape across the lake in Sam's rowboat, but Trout intercepts them with his motorboat. He shoots Sam dead and wrecks his boat, while Katherine is "rescued" against her wishes. From that day on, no rain falls upon Green Lake. Three days later, Katherine shoots and kills the sheriff. She becomes the outlaw "Kissin' Kate Barlow", so named because she leaves a red lipstick kiss on the cheeks of the men she kills. She robs Stanley Yelnats I, son of Elya Yelnats, and leaves him stranded in the desert. Seventeen days later, he is rescued by hunters, but he is delirious and can only explain his survival by saying he "found refuge on God's thumb". After twenty years, Katherine retires to the ruins of Green Lake, now a dry and lifeless wasteland. She is confronted by Trout and his wife, now destitute, who demand that she reveal the location of her hidden loot. Katherine refuses, telling them that their descendants could dig holes for the next hundred years without finding it. She lets herself be bitten by a highly venomous yellow-spotted lizard, and dies laughing.


Camp Green Lake

Stanley Yelnats IV's family seems to be cursed, jokingly always blaming Stanley's "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather" Elya for their constant misfortunes. Stanley, who is in middle school, is convicted of stealing a pair of athletic shoes that baseball player Clyde "Sweet Feet" Livingston had donated to a charity auction for the homeless; in reality, Stanley had just picked up the shoes when they fell from an overpass. He is sentenced to 18 months at Camp Green Lake, a juvenile corrections facility. Prisoners at Camp Green Lake are required to "build character" by digging one cylindrical hole five feet wide and five feet deep every day. The Warden allows campers a day off if they find anything "interesting". The leader of Stanley's group, a boy nicknamed X-Ray, tells Stanley to give him anything interesting he finds. Late one day, Stanley finds an empty
lipstick Lipstick is a cosmetics, cosmetic product used to apply coloration and texture to lips, often made of wax and oil. Different pigments are used to produce color, and minerals such as silica may be used to provide texture. The use of lipstick ...
tube with "KB" engraved on it. He gives it to X-Ray, who pretends to find it the next morning. For the next week and a half, the Warden has the boys excavate the area of X-Ray's supposed discovery. Stanley concludes that she is searching for something. Stanley learns that another prisoner, Zero, is
illiterate Literacy is the ability to read and write, while illiteracy refers to an inability to read and write. Some researchers suggest that the study of "literacy" as a concept can be divided into two periods: the period before 1950, when literacy was ...
. Zero volunteers to dig part of Stanley's hole each day if Stanley teaches him to read. When one of the counselors, Mr. Pendanski, says that Zero is too stupid to learn to read, Zero smashes Mr. Pendanski's face with his
shovel A shovel is a tool used for digging, lifting, and moving bulk materials, such as soil, coal, gravel, snow, sand, or ore. Most shovels are hand tools consisting of a broad blade fixed to a medium-length handle. Shovel blades are usually made ...
and flees into the desert. When Zero does not return, the Warden assumes he has died. To avoid an investigation, she orders Mr. Pendanski to destroy Zero's records. Stanley goes into the desert to save Zero. He finds Zero hiding under the wreck of a rowboat. Zero has survived on what he calls "sploosh", a peachy nectar stored in old jars he found under the boat. Stanley and Zero drink the last of the sploosh. Zero refuses to return to camp, so they head for a nearby mountain, Big Thumb, that looks like a
thumbs up A thumb signal, usually described as a thumbs-up or thumbs-down, is a common hand gesture achieved by a closed fist held with the thumb extended upward or downward, respectively. The thumbs-up gesture is associated with positivity, approval, ac ...
sign. As they ascend the mountain, Zero collapses due to exhaustion. Stanley carries Zero up the hill. He finds water, gives it to Zero, and sings his family lullaby. Stanley and Zero live on Big Thumb for a week, eating wild onions from Sam's old onion fields. Zero, whose real name is Hector Zeroni, reveals that he stole Clyde Livingston's shoes. He was homeless and needed new shoes. When he realized everyone was making a commotion about the missing shoes, he discarded them by putting them on the roof of a moving car, and they accidentally landed on Stanley. The boys secretly return to Camp Green Lake, and overnight, they dig where Stanley found the lipstick tube. They find a suitcase but are caught by the camp staff. The Warden, Mr. Sir, and the counselors stand watch over the boys all night, but they do not approach because the boys are in a nest of highly venomous yellow-spotted lizards. Stanley and Zero, however, are safe from the lizards because they smell like onions (which the lizards are known to avoid). When the sun rises, Stanley's lawyer Ms. Morengo and the state attorney general arrive; Stanley's conviction has been overturned. The Warden claims that the suitcase was stolen from her, but the suitcase has "Stanley Yelnats" written on it. Stanley refuses to leave without Hector, so Ms. Morengo asks to see Hector's file. When Hector's records are unable to be found, Ms. Morengo demands that he be released too. As they drive away, rain falls on Camp Green Lake for the first time in 110 years. The attorney general closes Camp Green Lake. The Warden, whose real name is Ms. Walker, is forced to sell the land. Hector is revealed to be Madame Zeroni's great-great-great-grandson. The day after Stanley carried Hector up the mountain, Stanley's father invented a peach-scented product that eliminated foot odor; the boys name it "Sploosh". The suitcase, which had belonged to Stanley's great-grandfather, contains financial instruments worth nearly two million dollars. Stanley and Hector split the money, and Hector hires
private investigator A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI; also known as a private detective, an inquiry agent or informally a wikt:private eye, private eye) is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. ...
s to find his mother. A year and a half later, the Yelnats house hosts a
Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...
party celebrating Clyde Livingston's endorsement of Sploosh. Hector's mother softly sings to him a second verse to the Yelnats' family lullaby.


Characters


Camp Green Lake

*Stanley Yelnats IV (also known as "Caveman" by the rest of the campers): Stanley is a 14-year-old boy who did not have any friends at school and was often picked on by his classmates and
bullied Bullying is the use of force, coercion, Suffering, hurtful teasing, comments, or threats, in order to abuse, aggression, aggressively wikt:domination, dominate, or intimidate one or more others. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. On ...
due to being overweight. Stanley's family is cursed with bad luck, and although they do not have much money, they always try to remain hopeful and look on the bright side of things. Stanley shares these traits with his family and, although he does not have a lot of self-confidence, he is not easily depressed, a characteristic that helps him adjust to the horrendous conditions of Camp Green Lake. However, he has a habit of blaming his great-great-grandfather when he gets in trouble. As the book progresses, Stanley slowly gains strength. He identifies the people who threaten him, like the Warden. While he tries not to get in trouble, he also stands up for himself and his friends and family. Stanley rebels for the rights of his friends when he steals Mr. Sir's truck to look for Zero in the dry lake bed. *Zero (Hector Zeroni): Zero is known to be the best digger and is the smallest and youngest inmate at Camp Green Lake. He is considered to be stupid by the other boys and the counselors alike since he doesn't often speak due to the fact that he is wary of those who mock him. He is said to always have a scowl on his face and does not like to answer questions. He lacks an education, meaning he's unable to read or write. Despite this, he is intelligent and manages to stand up for himself in the face of adversity, breaking Mr. Pendanski's nose with a shovel after one too many snide remarks. Zero is shown to be an honest character after becoming close friends with Stanley. Zero is the one who stole the shoes that Stanley was arrested for and accused of stealing. He is the descendant of Madame Zeroni, the woman who put a curse on Stanley's family. He has been homeless for most of his life, as well as getting separated from his mother at a very young age. Although he suffers quite a bit, he always seems to persevere and he has a happy ending. *X-Ray (Rex Washburn): X-Ray is the unofficial head of the boys in Group D, who was sent to Camp Green Lake after he was caught selling dried herbs to people who thought they were buying
marijuana Cannabis (), commonly known as marijuana (), weed, pot, and ganja, List of slang names for cannabis, among other names, is a non-chemically uniform psychoactive drug from the ''Cannabis'' plant. Native to Central or South Asia, cannabis has ...
(as revealed in the spin-off novel '' Small Steps''). His nickname X-ray comes from it being
pig Latin Pig Latin (''Igpay Atinlay'') is a language game, argot, or cant in which words in English are altered, usually by adding a fabricated suffix or by moving the onset or initial consonant or consonant cluster of a word to the end of the word a ...
of his actual name, Rex. X-Ray maintains his position as the leader of the boys even though he is one of the smallest and can barely see without his glasses. X-Ray is able to maintain his position at the head of the group through a system of rewards and allies. Every time Stanley does something nice for X-Ray, X-Ray rewards Stanley. He stands up for Stanley when the other boys pick on him (i.e, X-Ray decides Stanley will be called "Caveman" and moves him up one spot in the line for water). When Stanley becomes friends with Zero, however, X-Ray's hierarchy is threatened and he becomes hostile toward Stanley. *Squid (Alan): Squid is a member of Group D at Camp Green Lake. Often, he taunts Stanley for sending and receiving letters to and from his mother. Squid is very tough but subservient to X-Ray's rules. He is revealed to have a sensitive side to him, however, when Stanley wakes to hear him crying one night. Alan later asks Stanley to write to his (Alan's) mother when Stanley leaves Camp Green Lake. *Armpit (Theodore Thomas Johnson): A member of Group D. Like the other boys, Armpit is rough, shoving Stanley to the ground when he calls him Theodore. However, in the ''Holes'' spin-off novel ''Small Steps'', he is shown to have become hardworking and caring. His nickname Armpit is due to him being stung by a
scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the Order (biology), order Scorpiones. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of Chela (organ), grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward cur ...
at camp and the
venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
traveling up into his armpit, causing him to complain about his armpit hurting. *Magnet (José): Another member of Group D. Magnet earned his nickname because of his ability to steal and refers to his fingers as "little magnets." *ZigZag (Ricky): Described as being the tallest kid of Group D, constantly looking like he has been electrocuted, with frizzy hair. Stanley often thinks he is the strangest camper at Camp Green Lake. Zigzag hits Stanley on the head with a shovel, but later apologizes. Zigzag suffers from
paranoia Paranoia is an instinct or thought process that is believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety, suspicion, or fear, often to the point of delusion and irrationality. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of co ...
, highlighting his displayed "craziness". * Twitch (Brian): A car thief who arrives at camp after Zero runs away. He got his nickname for his constant twitching. *Warden Walker: Running Camp Green Lake, she is soft-spoken but intimidating. Known to be violent and abusive, she uses her power and privilege to get what she wants and make members of the camp do as she pleases. She is often thought to have hidden cameras to spy on the campers, including in the showers, causing Stanley to be paranoid whenever he takes a shower. She wears
nail polish Nail polish (also known as nail varnish in British English or nail enamel) is a lacquer that can be applied to the human Nail (anatomy), fingernails or toenails to decorate and protect the nail plates. The formula has been revised repeatedly t ...
laced with
rattlesnake Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes that form the genus, genera ''Crotalus'' and ''Sistrurus'' of the subfamily Crotalinae (the pit vipers). All rattlesnakes are vipers. Rattlesnakes are predators that live in a wide array of habitats, hunting sm ...
venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
, and scratches Mr. Sir when he displeases her. She has the members of Camp Green Lake digging holes to look for Kate Barlow's hidden treasure. She is the granddaughter of Trout Walker. Her family had been digging the treasure out since her birth, but to no success. She is known for her catchphrase, "excuse me?" *Mr. Sir: The overseer/head counselor at Camp Green Lake, below only the warden. He is constantly eating sunflower seeds after quitting smoking. He is rough, tough, and tyrannical, embracing his meanness and enjoying asserting his power over the boys. However, his cowardly nature is revealed when he encounters his biggest fear, yellow-spotted lizards. He also watches his words around the warden, the only person more powerful than him. While his backstory is never told in the book, his true identity is revealed in the film as a paroled criminal named Marion Seville, who was arrested for an unknown crime in El Paso, and later violated his parole by carrying a gun. *Mr. Pendanski: Mr. Pendanski is the counselor in charge of group D at Camp Green Lake. Mr. Pendanski has a generally friendly demeanor, yet is just as cruel as the Warden and Mr. Sir. His darker side comes out in his frequent mistreatment of Zero, as well as in his callous lack of concern when Stanley and Zero are covered in deadly yellow-spotted lizards. Zero attacks Mr. Pendanski with a shovel. In the film, he is addressed as "Dr. Pendanski," though he is revealed not to be a real doctor.


Town of Green Lake

* Katherine Barlow (Kissin' Kate Barlow): Katherine Barlow is a sweet and intelligent woman who teaches in a one-room school house on Green Lake one hundred and ten years before Stanley arrives at Camp Green Lake. She falls in love with Sam, an
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
man who sells onions in the town. Although the rest of the white people in the town are
racist Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one Race (human categorization), race or ethnicity over another. It may also me ...
and enforce rules that prohibit African American people from going to school, Kate, who is white, does not care about the color of a person's skin and she loves Sam for the person that he is. When Kate and Sam kiss, the angry townsfolk kill Sam and destroy her schoolhouse. Kate is devastated by Sam's death and becomes Kissin' Kate Barlow, one of the most feared
outlaw An outlaw, in its original and legal meaning, is a person declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, all legal protection was withdrawn from the criminal, so anyone was legally empowered to persecute or kill them. ...
s in the West. She leaves her mark by kissing the bodies of the men she killed; if she had only robbed them, she would leave them in the hot desert. She is the outlaw responsible for robbing Stanley Yelnats I (Stanley's ancestor). After she is confronted by Charles "Trout" Walker and his wife Linda, who demand to know the location of her buried loot, Kate is bitten by a yellow-spotted lizard, and dies laughing, knowing the Walkers will never find her treasure. The lipstick tube that Stanley finds during his second week at Camp Green Lake was owned by Kate. *Sam: Sam is an African-American farmer in the town Green Lake, Texas who grows onions. He believes onions are the cure to everything and makes many remedies from onions. He also has an immense love for his
donkey The donkey or ass is a domesticated equine. It derives from the African wild ass, ''Equus africanus'', and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, ''Equus africanus asinus'', or as a separate species, ''Equus asinus''. It was domes ...
, Mary Lou. His relationship with Kate begins when he exchanges his onions for her jars of spiced peaches. He is shot in cold blood by Charles "Trout" Walker when Sam and Kate try to escape. His death is implied to have set a curse upon the lake, causing the rain to stop coming and the lake to dry up. *Charles "Trout" Walker: Charles "Trout" Walker is an extremely spoiled son of the richest family in Green Lake. He gets upset when Kate denies his request to date her. This adds on to the reason of him leading the townspeople to burn down the schoolhouse and kill Sam. His nickname Trout comes from his foot fungus that causes his feet to smell like dead fish. After Kate leaves to become an outlaw, he marries Linda Miller but his family loses everything when the lake dries up. He is the Warden's grandfather, who, upon his death, opens up the juvenile detention camp to increase the efficiency of finding Kate Barlow's hidden treasure. *Stanley Yelnats I: Stanley Yelnats I is the son of Elya Yelnats as well as the great-grandfather of Stanley Yelnats IV. He had his treasure stolen by Kate Barlow while he was moving from
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
to
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. He is known to have survived by climbing to the top of a thumb-shaped mountain (God's Thumb) which happens to be Sam's old onion field.


Mid-1800s Latvia

*Elya Yelnats: Elya is the great-great-grandfather of Stanley. He is often referred to as his "No-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather", constantly being blamed for everything that goes wrong in Stanley's life. He is considered to be the reason why the Yelnats family has such bad luck. As he sets off for America, he forgets to fulfill the promise he made to an old woman named Madame Zeroni. This causes generations of bad luck to trickle down the Yelnats family tree. However, he does pass down an important song that Madame Zeroni taught him in Latvia that breaks the curse. *Madame Zeroni: Madame Zeroni is the great-great-great-grandmother of Hector Zeroni (Zero). She is great friends with Elya Yelnats, and she gives him a pig to help him marry Myra Menke. Because Elya breaks his promise of carrying her to the top of the mountain, she is considered to be the one who put a "curse" on the Yelnats family. *Myra Menke: Myra is the most beautiful girl in the Latvian village Elya lives in. Madame Zeroni considers her inadequate and her head as empty as a flowerpot. Myra's father promises to award her hand in marriage to whichever suitor can raise the fattest pig. When the pigs offered are the same size, Myra asks Elya and Igor Barkov to guess a number between 1 and 10, showing her inability to make her own decisions. Upon realizing this, Elya allows Myra to marry Igor. *Igor Barkov: Igor is Elya's competitor for the hand of Myra Menke. He is an old, fat successful pig farmer.


Minor characters

*Mr. Yelnats (Stanley Yelnats III): Mr. Yelnats is Stanley's father. He is an inventor and quite smart, but extremely unlucky. He attempts to discover a way to recycle old sneakers and because of this, the Yelnats' apartment smells bad. However, he eventually discovers a cure to ridding foot odor and is able to hire a lawyer, Ms. Morengo, to get Stanley out of Camp Green Lake. *Mrs. Yelnats: Mrs. Yelnats is Stanley's mother. She does not believe in curses but always points out the terrible luck that the Yelnats have. *Barf Bag (Lewis): A "camper" who left Camp Green Lake before Stanley arrived. He deliberately got a rattlesnake to bite him in order to be hospitalized. *Clyde "Sweet Feet" Livingston: A famous baseball player whose shoes Stanley is accused of stealing. He has the same foot fungus as Trout Walker, and later endorses Mr. Yelnats' Sploosh foot odor cure.


Setting

The majority of the book takes place in Camp Green Lake, a dried-up lake located in the
US state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
. Camp Green Lake is a correctional boot camp, where "campers" spend most of their time digging holes. The name is a
misnomer A misnomer is a name that is incorrectly or unsuitably applied. Misnomers often arise because something was named long before its correct nature was known, or because an earlier form of something has been replaced by a later form to which the nam ...
, as the area is a parched, barren desert. The only weather is the scorching sun. No rain has fallen since the day Sam was murdered. The only plants mentioned are two oak trees in front of the Warden's cabin; the book notes that "the Warden owns the shade." The abandoned town of Green Lake is located by the side of the lakebed. The majority of the book alternates between the present day story of Stanley Yelnats, the story of Elya Yelnats in Latvia (ca. mid-19th century) and the story of Katherine Barlow in the town of Green Lake in the 1880s. Later chapters focus less on the past stories and more on the present.


Themes


Fairy tales

The themes typical of a folk or
fairy tale A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, household tale, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful bei ...
are present throughout the novel, notable in both Stanley and Elya's narratives. Elya must go on an adventure to win his love's approval and prove his own worth and he is eventually placed under a witch's curse. Stanley's bad luck is blamed on the curse left on his great-great-grandfather and the Yelnats family easily believes in the power of this curse. Both Stanley and Elya are similar to fairy tale characters and are morally good, heroic protagonists who must overcome the challenges predestined for them. Both story lines are accompanied by a magic that is seen in the mountain stream, Madame Zeroni's song, and the healing power of the onions. Each of these elements in ''Holes'' mirror elements frequently found in fairy tales.


Names

Throughout the novel,
name A name is a term used for identification by an external observer. They can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. The entity identified by a name is called its referent. A person ...
s act as a theme that allows the characters to disassociate their lives at Camp Green Lake from their lives back in the real world. Names also demonstrate
irony Irony, in its broadest sense, is the juxtaposition of what, on the surface, appears to be the case with what is actually or expected to be the case. Originally a rhetorical device and literary technique, in modernity, modern times irony has a ...
—Camp Green Lake is not actually a camp, it is located in a desert, and there is no lake. The "campers" all label themselves differently and identify with names such as Armpit and X-Ray and the guards are referred to as counselors. One of the counselors, Mr. Pendanski, is referred to by the boys as "Mom," representing the absent parents at Camp Green Lake. Only the woman in charge is referred to in a prison-like way and is called "Warden". The different names allow the boys to bond and form a team based in their hatred for their work and the counselors. Many of the characters also have names that connect them to their family history, like the passing down of "Stanley Yelnats" and Zero's last name of Zeroni, and remind them how the actions of their ancestors affect their modern-day lives. Stanley is the fourth Stanley Yelnats in his family, a name that is passed down due to its
palindromic A palindrome ( /ˈpæl.ɪn.droʊm/) is a word, number, phrase, or other sequence of symbols that reads the same backwards as forwards, such as ''madam'' or '' racecar'', the date " 02/02/2020" and the sentence: "A man, a plan, a canal – Pana ...
nature and adds to the connection to family history. In an interview, when asked about the significance of specific names in his novels, Louis Sachar says “when I get to naming characters, there's nothing leading up to it...a name is just a name.” He typically writes a name for a character, and moves on, because otherwise it disrupts his flow of writing.


Labor

Labor is seen throughout the novel as the children are forced to dig holes while at Camp Green Lake. This theme is unusual in children's literature as many authors portray children as carefree and without responsibility. If they do engage in work, it is synonymous with play. Critic
Maria Nikolajeva Maria Nikolajeva (born 16 May 1952) is a Swedish literary critic and academic, specialising in children's literature. She was professor of Education at the University of Cambridge and Professorial Fellow of Homerton College, Cambridge from 2008 u ...
contends that ''Holes'' is set apart through the not just manual, but forced labor Stanley and the other campers do daily. This is first referenced at the beginning of the book when the purpose of the camp is stated: "If you take a bad boy and make him dig a hole every day in the hot sun, it will turn him into a good boy."


Masculinity

Masculinity is seen in the novel through the depiction of "boyhood" and coming of age. Boyhood is portrayed as the separation and distancing from all things feminine, specifically a mother figure. Traits, symbols, and characters resembling femininity in ''Holes'' are portrayed as frightening and threatening, particularly represented by the only known female at the camp: the Warden. There are many instances of quotes and comments by characters within the novel labeling women and girls as being either incapable or undesirable, which was viewed as unacceptable. Particularly, Mr. Sir says "You are not in Girl Scouts anymore" implying that girls are unable to do physical labor or build character unlike their counterparts.


Friendship

Friendship is seen throughout the novel through Stanley Yelnats' relationships with the other boys at Camp Green Lake. Particularly Stanley and Zero's friendship roots from an agreement that both boys can benefit from: Stanley teaches Zero to read and write, and Zero digs some of Stanley's holes. Many of the boys at the camp have a strong loyalty to each other and it is indicated that after their departure from the camp, they remained friends.


Racism

''Holes'' portrays various forms of racism and
institutional discrimination Institutional discrimination is discriminatory treatment of an individual or group of individuals by institutions, through unequal consideration of members of subordinate groups. Societal discrimination is discrimination by society. These unfair ...
. The book depicts the
lynching Lynching is an extrajudicial killing by a group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob in order to punish an alleged or convicted transgressor or to intimidate others. It can also be an extreme form of i ...
of a southern black man by a mob of white people, echoing the overt acts of violence committed by white people against communities of color during the 19th century. The curse Green Lake inherits after Sam's death allude to the lasting trauma inflicted by racial violence. At Camp Green Lake the majority of the inmate characters are young men of color. The disproportionate representation of racial minorities in the camp is a product of the racial bias present in the American legal system. Although the camp portrays itself as an ethical alternative to
juvenile detention Juvenile may refer to: In general *Juvenile status, or minor (law), prior to adulthood * Juvenile (organism) Music * Juvenile (rapper) (born 1975), stage name of American rapper Terius Gray *''Juveniles'', a 2020 studio album by the band Kingsw ...
, its "counselors" function as prison guards and the institution is directed by a woman known within the facility as the "Warden." The adults at the camp are regularly physically violent and verbally abusive to the campers. The campers' task to dig holes every day under inhumane working conditions alludes to the continued practice of unpaid
prison labor Penal labour is a term for various kinds of forced labour that prisoners are required to perform, typically manual labour. The work may be light or hard, depending on the context. Forms of sentence involving penal labour have included invo ...
. The campers are made to stay in poor living conditions. They lack indoor plumbing, reasonable medical care, and are given limited ration of drinking water while they work. The adversity and cruelty perpetuated by the camp reflects the institutional discrimination present in the American prison system.


Reception

''Holes'' has received many accolades: * John Newbery Medal * 1998, US
National Book Award for Young People's Literature The National Book Award for Young People's Literature is one of five annual National Book Awards, which are given by the National Book Foundation (NBF) to recognize outstanding literary work by US citizens. They are awards "by writers to writer ...
* 1998,
American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world. History 19th century ...
,
Best Books for Young Adults The American Library Association's (ALA) Best Fiction for Young Adults, previously known as Best Books for Young Adults (1966–2010), is a recommended list of books presented yearly by the Young Adult Library Services Association The Young Ad ...
* 1999
Newbery Medal The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contr ...
for the year's "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children" * 1999,
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and financial center of New England, a region of the Northeastern United States. It has an area of and a ...
for Fiction * 2000, Zilveren Zoen * 2000, Flicker Tale Children's Book Award * 2000, Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award for Grades 6-8 * 2000,
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award The Vermont Golden Dome Book Award (formerly the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award) annually recognizes one new American children's book selected by the vote of Vermont schoolchildren. It was inaugurated in 1957. The award is co-spon ...
* 2000, Premi Protagonista Jove for Categoria 14-15 anys * 2001,
William Allen White Children's Book Award The William Allen White Children's Book Award is a set of two annual awards for books selected by vote of Kansas schoolchildren from lists prepared by committee. As a single award it was established in 1952 by Ruth Garver Gagliardo, a children's ...
* 2001, West Australian Young Readers' Book Award (WAYRBA) for Older Readers * 2001, Grand Canyon Reader Award for Teen Book * 2001, Nene Award * 2001, Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award for Grade 6-9 * 2001,
Massachusetts Children's Book Award The Massachusetts Children's Book Award is an annual literary award recognizing one book selected by vote of Massachusetts schoolchildren from a list prepared by committee. It was established in 1975 by Dr. Helen Constant, associate professor of ed ...
* 2001, Evergreen Teen Book Award * 2001, Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award for Junior * 2001,
Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis The (German Youth Literature Award) is an annual award established in 1956 by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth to recognise outstanding works of children's and young adult literature. It is Germany's only ...
Nominee for Jugendbuch * 2001, New Mexico Land of Enchantment Award for Young Adult * 2001, Oklahoma Sequoyah Award for Children and YA * 2002, Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award * 2002, Sunshine State Young Readers Award for Grades 3-5 and Grades 6-8 * 2003, Soaring Eagle Book Award ''Holes,'' considered the most complex of Louis Sachar's published books, is often praised for its complex plot, character development, and suspense. Over two decades after its original publication, ''Holes'' continues to be well received by critics and was ranked number 6 among all-time children's novels by ''
School Library Journal ''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, wi ...
'' in 2012. The novel spent over 150 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List, reaching #1 for Young Adult fiction. Betsy Hearne of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' applauded the novel's integration of
mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' *Mystery, a seahorse that SpongeBob SquarePants adopts in the episode " My Pre ...
and humor that manages to keep ''Holes'' light and fresh, and she characterizes it as a "family read-aloud." Roger Sutton of ''
The Horn Book Magazine ''The Horn Book Magazine'', founded in Boston in 1924, is the oldest bimonthly magazine dedicated to reviewing children's literature. It began as a "suggestive purchase list" prepared by Bertha Mahony and Elinor Whitney Field, proprietors of t ...
'' called Sachar's declarative style effective, and argues that it helped make the novel more poignant. Sutton appreciated the positive ending and the suspense that leads the reader to it.


Adaptations


Film

In 2003,
Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Pictures is an American film Film production company, production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios (division), the Walt Disney Studios, a division of Disney Entertainment, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. The st ...
released a film version of ''Holes'', which was directed by Andrew Davis and written by
Louis Sachar Louis Sachar ( ; born March 20, 1954) is an American young-adult mystery-comedy author. He is best known for the ''Wayside School (book series), Wayside School'' series and the novel ''Holes (novel), Holes''. ''Holes'' won the 1998 U.S. Nationa ...
; the latter also has a cameo in the film.


Television

In April 2005,
Walden Media Walden Media, LLC is an American independent studio that develops, produces and finances feature films and television series for the U.S. and global markets. Its films focus on stories of courage drawn from biographies, historical events, and li ...
entered into a co-production deal with The Hatchery to produce a television adaption of ''Holes'' that would function as an extension to the 2003 film. The project never materialized. In April 2023, producer
Mike Medavoy Morris Mike Medavoy (born January 21, 1941) is an American film producer and business executive. He co-founded Orion Pictures and currently serves as chairman and CEO of Phoenix Pictures. He previously held leadership roles at TriStar Pictures a ...
told ''Collider'' that Disney might be considering adapting ''Holes'' as a television series, adding, "I think it's a tribute to the material and a tribute to the people who made it." On January 7, 2025, it was announced that
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
had ordered a pilot for a female-lead ''Holes'' television series, with Alina Mankin writing and Liz Pheng serving as showrunner.
Jac Schaeffer Jacqueline Schaeffer (born October 26, 1978) is an American screenwriter and producer best known for her 2009 feature film debut ''TiMER'' and for her work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe creating the Disney+ television miniseries ''WandaVisi ...
will direct the pilot. On April 22, 2025, it was announced
Greg Kinnear Gregory Buck Kinnear (born June 17, 1963) is an American actor and former talk show host. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in '' As Good as It Gets'' (1997). Kinnear has appeared in many popular films, ...
,
Aidy Bryant Aidy Bryant (born May 7, 1987) is an American actress and comedian. Bryant is most notable for being a cast member on the NBC late-night sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' for ten seasons, joining the show for its 38th season in 2012, ...
and Shay Rudolph would star in the series.


Sequels

Two companion novels have followed ''Holes'': ''
Stanley Yelnats' Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake ''Stanley Yelnats' Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake'' is a 2003 novel for young adults by Louis Sachar, first published by Yearling Books (an imprint of Random House). It is the second in a series inaugurated in 1998 by the award-winning ''Hole ...
'' (2003) and '' Small Steps'' (2006).


''Stanley Yelnats's Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake''

As Louis Sachar states: "Should you ever find yourself at Camp Green Lake—or somewhere similar—this is the guide for you." Written from Stanley's point of view, the book offers advice on everything from scorpions, rattlesnakes, yellow-spotted lizards, etc.


''Small Steps''

In this sequel to ''Holes'', former camper Armpit is now 17 and struggling with the challenges facing an African American teenager with a criminal history. A new friendship with Ginny, who has
cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, spasticity, stiff muscles, Paresis, weak muscles, and tremors. There may b ...
, a reunion with former friend X-Ray, a ticket-scalping scheme, a beautiful pop singer, and a frame-up all test Armpit's resolve to "Just take small steps and keep moving forward".


References


External links


Holes
at publisher
Scholastic Corporation Scholastic Corporation is an American multinational publishing, education, and media company that publishes and distributes books, comics, and educational materials for schools, teachers, parents, children, and other educational institutions. P ...
{{Newbery Medal 1998 American novels Novels by Louis Sachar American young adult novels Newbery Medal–winning works Mark Twain Awards National Book Award for Young People's Literature–winning works Family saga novels Novels set in Texas Novels set in Latvia American satirical novels Farrar, Straus and Giroux books American novels adapted into films Works about child labour American magic realism novels Juvenile delinquency in fiction Novels set in deserts Novels about racism Western (genre) novels American bildungsromans Witchcraft in written fiction