COMPREHENSION
What does Zero confess to Stanley?
He stole Clyde Livingston's shoes.
What is the problem in the story?
The Warden wants something but the boys don't know that.
Out on the lake, the other boys asked Stanley what he knew about Mr. Sir's face, but he just shrugged and dug his hole. If he didn't talk about it, maybe it would go away.
What does this say about Stanley?
Stanley reacts to conflict by avoiding it as best he can – often with a shrug.
Which character asked to be carried up the mountain to drink in a stream before their death?
Madame Zeroni
What was Zero's life like before he came to Camp Green Lake?
Sad and lonely because he and his mom were homeless.
Who arrives at Camp while Stanley and Zero are in the hole, and what do they want?
Stanley's lawyer and the attorney general. They want Stanley released.
Whose name was on the suitcase?
Stanley Yelnats
He wondered if the Warden would send out a search party to look for him. It didn't seem likely. She didn't send anyone to look for Zero. But no one cared about Zero. They simply destroyed his files.
Explain this.
Stanley is thinking about his family. He has a family, and the Warden couldn't pretend he was never there.
Which character does Stanley identify with the most?
Zero
What happens to Zero when the lawyer looks for his records?
They can't find them, so he gets to leave with Stanley.
How was the curse broken?
Stanley carried Zero up the mountain.
What does the Big Thumb symbolize for the boys?
Hope
He knew he never should have let Zero dig part of his hole for him. He still could have taught him to read. If Zero could dig all day and still have the strength to learn, then he should have been able to dig all day and still have the strength to teach.
How is Stanley feeling?
Angry
How did Stanley change during Holes?
He became stronger, made a real friend, and became more confident.
Which of the following is a descendant of Trout Walker?
The Warden
Why is Stanley motivated to get to Big Thumb?
He’s hoping to find water.
Why are the stories of Kate Barlow, Sam, and Stanely so important to the plot?
Without Sam's onions, the boys wouldn't have survived.
It occurred to him that he couldn't remember the last time he felt happiness. It wasn't just being sent to Camp Green Lake that had made his life miserable. Before that he'd been unhappy at school, where he had no friends, and bullies like Derrick Dunne picked on him. No one liked him, and the truth was, he didn't especially like himself. He liked himself now.
What does this mean?
Stanley has changed for the better. He is more confident, and has a better sense of himself.
Why is Sam important to the plot of the novel?
His onion farm existed at Big Thumb.
Why didn't the lizards bite Stanley and Zero?
Because they had eaten so many onions the day before.
What does Stanley's father invent and what is it for?
Sploosh--a cure for foot odor.
What was the name of Zero's childhood toy?
Jaffy
In the last image of the book, we see Zero sitting with a woman who we assume is his mother and this is how she is described:
She wasn't very old, but her skin had a weathered look to it, almost like leather. Her eyes seemed weary, as if she'd seen too many things in her life that she didn't want to see.
What does this mean?
She must have suffered a great dal in her life. Behind every decision, there is a complicated reason.
Why did the author include a minor character like Derrick Dunne?
To show that bullies come in all shapes and sizes. Stanley wasn't the type of person to stand up for himself.
What happened to Camp Green Lake after the Attorney General closed it?
It became a Girl Scout camp.