Zero
What is Zero's real name?
Hector Zeroni
Why was Stanley sent to Camp Green Lake?
He was falsely accused of stealing a pair of famous sneakers belonging to Clyde Livingston.
What does Sam sell in the town of Green Lake, and what is his famous catchphrase when offering to help Katherine Barlow?
Sam sells vegetables. His famous catchphrase is "I can fix that".
Name 3 Nick names
Armpit, X-ray, Caveman, Zero, Zigzag, Squid, etc
Before she became an outlaw, what was Katherine Barlow’s profession in the town of Green Lake?
She was a schoolteacher.
Why does Zero dig holes for Stanley?
Zero digs part of Stanley’s hole in exchange for Stanley teaching him how to read and write.
What is unusual about Stanley’s name?
It is the same forward and backwards, which is called a palindrome.
What is the name of Sam’s donkey?
Mary Lou
What are the boys at Camp Green Lake required to do every day to "build character"?
They are required to dig one hole, which must be five feet deep and five feet wide.
What specific food item was Miss Katherine famous for making, which she traded with Sam?
Spiced Peaches
What does Zero call the 100-year-old spiced peaches he finds, and who originally owned them?
He calls them Sploosh
How did Stanley's physical appearance and character change throughout his time at camp?
He became stronger, lost weight, and his skin became tougher from constant digging
Why did the townspeople of Green Lake turn against Sam and chase him?
Because he was a Black man who kissed Katherine Barlow, a white woman, which was illegal and forbidden in that time period.
Why are there no fences or guards surrounding the camp?
Because the camp is located in the middle of a desert with the only water for 100 miles, so it is believed that inmates would die of thirst before they could escape.
Why did the townspeople turn against Katherine, leading her to become an outlaw?
She fell in love with and kissed Sam, an African-American onion picker, which was illegal and taboo at the time, leading to a racist mob murdering Sam.
What action does Zero take that makes him run away from Camp Green Lake?
He hits Mr. Pendanski with his shovel after being mocked, and then refuses to dig anymore, walking off into the desert.
Why did Stanley feel responsible for the "curse" on his family?
He believed his family was cursed because of his "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather" who failed to fulfill a promise to Madame Zeroni.
What is the significance of Sam's death to the landscape of Green Lake?
Shortly after Sam was shot and killed by Trout Walker, the town’s water source dried up, and it did not rain again for nearly 100 years, effectively destroying the town.
How does the curse on the Yelnats family finally get broken at Camp Green Lake?
Stanley carries Hector "Zero" Zeroni (a descendant of Madame Zeroni) up Big Thumb mountain, gives him water, and sings the family lullaby to him, fulfilling the promise his ancestor made.
How did Katherine Barlow get the nickname "Kissin' Kate"?
After Sam was killed, she shot the town sheriff and kissed him, leaving a lipstick mark, and continued to kiss the men she killed.
How does Zero’s family history connect to the curse on the Yelnats family?
Zero is the great-great-great-grandson of Madame Zeroni, the one-legged gypsy who cursed Stanley’s ancestor (Elya Yelnats) for failing to carry her up a mountain, which is broken when Stanley carries Zero up Big Thumb.
What does Stanley’s decision to help Zero with reading and later stealing the truck signify about his character development?
It shows he has moved from a passive person who accepts bad luck to a leader who takes charge of his own fate, prioritizing loyalty and friendship over personal safety.
While Sam is primarily known for his onions, what special, unconventional remedy did he make for Doc Hawthorn?
He made an onion-based cream or potion meant to cure baldness.
What is the real reason the Warden makes the boys dig holes?
She is using them to search for the hidden treasure of the outlaw Kissin' Kate Barlow.
In her final confrontation with Trout Walker and his wife, what curse did Kate place upon them before she died?
She told them that they, their children, and their children's children would dig for a hundred years, but would never find her treasure.