投稿類別：英文寫作
Louis Sachar’s Characterization of Stanley in Holes
Monica Wu (吳怡萱)
National Hsinchu Girls’ High School
Class 214
指導老師:
陳佑伊老師
Louis Sachar’s Characterization of Stanley in Holes
I.
Introduction
The novel Holes written by Louis Sachar, is both adventurous and intriguing.
It perfectly shows how life is made up of coincidences one following another as well
as exemplifies how character is the most dominant factor that determines a person’s
destiny.
In the story, Stanley is the protagonist whose family has been cursed for
generations. The curse has been put on his great-great-grandfather who forgets to
carry a Gypsy woman, Madame Zeroni, up the mountain to drink from the stream.
Like his forefathers who always have awful luck, Stanley is being accused of stealing
a famous athlete’s sneakers, though he is actually innocent. As a result, he is sent to
Camp Green Lake where people believe that bad kids will turn into good ones through
digging holes. Camp Green Lake is not really a place where people have fun and
games; instead, the deserted place is harsh and rough. However, Stanley survives in
the camp owing to his persistent and optimistic attitude. Also, since he is kind-hearted
and sociable, he is accepted by group members and makes lots of friends in the camp
in the end. Particularly, he has bonded the closest friendship with Zero whose ancestor
is surprisingly the one who puts curse on Stanley’s forefather. Together, both of them
try to discover something special through digging holes and along the way, they
support each other and break the curse eventually by climbing high up to the
Thumb-Up mountain.
Stanley, like his forefathers, has been doomed to have bad luck at all times, but
how can he successfully break the curse in the end of the story? In the following
analysis, I’m going to analyze Stanley’s personality which makes him get rid of the
doom.
Ⅱ Thesis
1. Being optimistic
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Louis Sachar’s Characterization of Stanley in Holes
In the story, Stanley is an optimist who always remains hopeful and looks on
the bright side of things no matter how difficult the situation is. Besides, his positive
thinking often affects others around and makes them feel better.
1.1 Camp Fun and games
When Stanley chooses to go to Camp Green Lake for punishment, his mother is
worried sick. However, he doesn’t show any dreadful feeling, and instead, tries to
pretend that he is going to “Camp Fun and Games” where he plays with his stuffed
animals. He thinks of making some friends at camp because he has none at home due
to his overweight size. At least, he thinks of finally getting the chance to swim in the
lake
1.2 Family joke
Moreover, whenever he is stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time, he
always blames his no-good-dirty-rotten-stealing-great-great-grandfather and then he
feels better at this family joke. He also feels better at his awful luck. As Stanley’s
father likes to say in the story, “I learn from failure.”(9)
The optimistic personality helps Stanley survive at the brutal condition of Camp
Green Lake. The suffering of hardships he has been through in his life never beats
him down into desperation or hopelessness but rather cultivates him into a person of
great confidence and determination.
2. Being Endurable
Besides of being an optimistic person, Stanley shows great endurance at the
same time.
2.1
Hardship that Stanley has overcome
When he first enters the camp, he has no choice but to sleep at an incredibly
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Louis Sachar’s Characterization of Stanley in Holes
smelly and dirty cot. Due to the shortage of water, he is only allowed to take a fourminute shower with cold water which makes him shiver and chill to the bone. Also,
blisters from endless hours of digging holes make him uncomfortable and painful, yet
he is never knocked down by the suffering.
2.2 The journey of finding Zero
Similarly, the journey of finding his best friend Zero is crucial and unbearable
since the whole Camp Green Lake compound is arid. There are times when he loses
hope and wants to give up, but the thought that maybe Zero is alive and needing badly
for water galvanizes him to never give up. The sun shines directly at him, and the
intolerable heat makes him even more tired, thirsty, dizzy and hungry. He has no food
and not even a drop of water, but those aren’t what he fears the most. What he scares
the most is losing Zero and therefore he keeps walking and searching for Zero till his
strong determination leads him to Zero.
2.3 Harsh conditions that help cultivate Stanley’s mind
Because of the determination and endurance, he is a lot stronger than when he
first arrived. “His body has adjusted somewhat to the heat and harsh conditions.”
(131) Through terrible ordeals, Stanley becomes braver and more strong-will in
contrast with the previous himself who is coward and a bit timid.
3. Being Considerate
3.1 The bus ride to Camp Green Lake
There is no denying that Stanley is a considerate, caring and sympathetic person.
In the beginning of the story, when he is on the way to the shriveled Camp Green
Lake via bus, Stanley thinks “about the long, miserable bus ride and felt a little sorry
for the guard and the bus ride”(31) Nine hours of driving is no doubt tiring and
boring for the humdrum scenery of desert, and Stanley feels apologetic for the
inconvenience made by his arrival.
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Louis Sachar’s Characterization of Stanley in Holes
3.2 The letter to his parents
When he first arrives at the camp and begins digging hard under the burning
sun, he writes a letter for his mom to tell her everything of his life at camp, everything
but opposite of what the reality and truth really are. The first letter shows his
thoughtfulness.
He writes, “Dear Mom today was my first day at camp, and I’ve
already made some friends. We’ve been out on the lake all day, so I’m pretty tired
Once I pass the swimming test, I’ll get to learn how to water-ski.”(46)
He conceals the agony and torture from long hours of working under the sun,
making his mom feel relieved and less worried. Through his second letter,
consideration fully shows between the lines again.
“Dear Mom and Dad, Camp is hard and challenging. We’ve been running
obstacle courses, and have to swim long distances on the lake. Tomorrow we learn to
rock climb. I know that sounds scary, but don’t worry I’ll be careful. It’s not all fun
and games here, but I think I’m getting a lot out of it. It builds character.”(81)
3.3 Zero runs away
He blames himself after Zero leaves. Were it not for him, Zero wouldn’t help
him dig holes. Then, the counselor wouldn’t be furious at Zero, and he wouldn’t leave
after all. His sense of loss is seen in his frustration. He says to himself, “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.”(141)
It’s actually none of Stanley’s business when Zero suddenly left, yet he takes
the blame and begins to consider any way to rescue Zero. What Stanley worries Zero
the most is the fear that it isn’t too late. He thinks to himself, “What if Zero was still
alive, desperately crawling across the dirt searching for water?”(146)
3.4 Care for his family
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Louis Sachar’s Characterization of Stanley in Holes
Finally, when he finds the weak Zero, carrying him to the top of Thumb-Up
Mountain, he is scared of death. Not death itself frets and bothers him; it’s the thought
of his parents not knowing what happened to him, and not knowing whether he is
dead or alive that worries him.
His kind heart can be seen on the letters to his parents, the pity for the bus
driver, and the finding for Zero as well.
4. Being honest
Above all, Stanley shows great honesty and integrity in the story.
4.1 Telling the truth
In the beginning of the story, he tells the judges about the incident of Clyde
Livington’s shoes. He tells them honestly about how the sneakers fell unexpectedly
from the sky. However, the judges don’t believe in the truth as they think that it is
nonsense and that Stanley is afraid of committing the crime.
4.2 Standing up for his friends
Stanley can tell what are the right things to do and avoid getting into troubles
when at the same time standing up for his friends. For instance, in the end, judges
figure out that they have mistaken Stanley and set him free eventually from Camp
Green Lake, but Stanley won’t leave without the company of Zero. Therefore, the
insistence from Stanley urges his lawyer to do something for his friend. Much to their
surprise, owing to the lack of Zero’s file, Zero is free to go, too!
5. Being sociable
Since Stanley is easy-going, amiable and obliging, he is sociable and gradually
being accepted by other kids in the camp. Following others’ words, he wins respect
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Louis Sachar’s Characterization of Stanley in Holes
from his group members and builds his high-esteem.
5.1 Follow X-Ray’s words
There is a rule in Camp Green Lake that whoever finds something valuable
when digging can take hot bath twice and a delicious meal, but most importantly, the
rest of the day off.
Stanley has made a promise with X-Ray, the group leader that
whatever things he has discovered he would give it to him directly. Therefore, when
Stanley digs out a golden tube, he obeys what X-Ray has said although he wants a day
off, too.
He knows that if he wants to survive at Camp Green Lake, he’d better
follow X-Ray’s words.
5.2 Get a nickname
He is given the nickname “Caveman”.
It doesn’t have any specific meaning
but symbolizes that Stanley is a member of the group because every kid here, is being
called by their nicknames such as Armpit or ZigZag instead of their real names.
In the end of the story, he has bonded a close friendship with all the kids in his
group due to his personality of being sociable.
6. Being perceptive
Stanley is no doubt a perceptive and logical kid in the story found in several
plots.
6.1 His first discovery
During his first discovery, he finds out a fish fossil and thinks it’s interesting
enough to maybe get him a chance to have a day off. However, the counselor has no
interest in fish fossil, refusing to give him what he anticipates. Stanley is disappointed
but at the same time, he is curious about how such dry land has fish fossil! He
concludes that centuries ago Camp Green Lake might be a watery place with lake.
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Louis Sachar’s Characterization of Stanley in Holes
6.2
The second discovery
Also, when he digs out the golden tube with the letters K＆B etched inside, he
feels familiar about the stuff. He is possibly sure that he has seen something like it,
somewhere before, but can’t quite place it. He has a thirst to know what K＆B stand
for and where he has seen it before. Therefore, when someday, he glances at a
mountain with Thumb-Up figure, he realizes that maybe he is somewhere near where
Kate-Barlow has robbed his great-grandfather. If so, the golden tube he has found
may possibly belong to Kate-Barlow centuries ago. More than that, he learns that kids
here aren’t digging to build character; they are digging for something that belongs to
Kate Barlow, something precious.
6.3 Being perceptive to the environment
Moreover, when he carries Zero to the Thumb-Up Mountain where he believes
there is water, he nearly wants to give up as there isn’t any sign of water. However, as
they climb higher, the weeds grow thicker, and suddenly he realizes something. He
says, “There hadn’t been any weeds on the lake. Weeds and bugs,” he said, “There’s
got to be water around somewhere. We must be getting close”(169)
He is also careful and meticulous with the changes and the environments
around him. However, when he and Zero go all the way up to the Zenith of
Thumb-Up Mountain, he at first can’t discover any drops of water. Feeling hopeless
as his only hope of searching for water fails, he has no idea if he still has the strength
to get up and try again. Suddenly, the muddy ditch around him sparkles in his brain
since mud can’t be made without water!
The news gives him courage and he uses
both of his hands to dig a deep hole. “He thinks that he can feel a tiny pool of
water at the bottom of his hole.”(172) Eventually, he finds the vital water and at
the same time, breaks the curse his ancestors have been put on.
III.
Conclusion
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Louis Sachar’s Characterization of Stanley in Holes
In short, many things determine a person’s fate. It’s not wealth and prestige, but
a person’s character that matters and influences the most. Just like Stanley in the
novel Holes, without optimistic attitude, he might not survive in the vicious condition
of Camp Green Lake. Also, unswerving determination and endurance make his mind
and will grow stronger. Besides, being a considerate person makes him easily be
accepted in the group and develop a close friendship with all the kids. Lastly, his
perception and curiosity with the changes around him lead him to be free from the
shadow of the curse.
In my perspective, “holes” have the meaning of building up or even cultivating
a person’s character. Like Stanley in the story, he has become a more persevering and
endurable person during the hardships in digging, and according to the number of
holes he has dug, we see the changes and growing on Stanley.
All in all, by reading
Holes, we learn that personality is the key point of determining a person’s fate.
IV.
Reference
(1) Louis Sachar. 1998. Holes. Yearling
(2) BookRags. March.12, http://www.bookrags.com/notes/cru/
(3)Sparknotes. March.15, http://www.sparknotes.com/
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