After reading book
October 10, 2009
Conflict
after reading book
Conflict is an important part of a novel. There are generally three types of conflict: a.
b.
c.
person against person
person against self
Person against nature
For each of these types, find an example in the novel Holes and write about it. AutoSave
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
Essay Topics
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Select one of the essay topics below.
Write about the topic in your own words using the text to support your response.
• Holes covers three distinct periods of time. How do times change, what things stay the same throughout different decades? • How are Stanley and Zero influenced by fate? In what ways do Stanley and Zero act that shapes their own destiny? • In what ways is Holes like a folk­tale? How do these similarities affect the way a reader interprets the events in the novel?
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
Pull out the keywords.
Louis Sachar
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
Louis Sachar
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
Sachar's acceptance speech for winning the Horn Book Award.
Beginning in 1967, the Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards are among the most treasured honors in the field of children’s and young adult literature. Picture Book, Fiction and Poetry, and Nonfiction are the three categories. The winning titles must be published in the United States but they may be written or illustrated by citizens of any country. The awards are chosen by an independent panel of three judges who are annually appointed by the Editor of the Horn Book.
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
Post Reading
Discussion
1. How might Stanley’s life have been different if he had not chosen to look for Zero?
2. How would the story be different if Stanley hadn’t given the lipstick tube to X­Ray?
3. Why does the author make Zero homeless and without a mother?
4. How does Stanley learn to accept responsibility with Zero have on him?
5. What effect does Stanley’s relationship with Zero have on him?
6. Why does Stanley finally like himself? What causes this to happen?
7. How did Stanley change while he was at Camp Green Lake?
8. If you had the opportunity to change the story in any way, what would you change and why?
9. Do you think this story is relevant to you and your life? In what ways?
10. Foreshadowing is the literary technique of giving clues about future events in a story. How does the author use foreshadowing in Holes? What clues are given? What future events are suggested?
11. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
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After reading book
1
October 10, 2009
Would you recommend this book Yes to a friend? Why or why not? No Yes
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No
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
Letters written in the book
page 46
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 water­ski. I­­­
page 75
Dear Stanley,
It was wonderful to hear from you. Your letter made me feel like one of the other moms who can afford to send their kids to summer camp. I know it's not the same, but I am very proud of you for trying to make the best of a bad situation. Who knows! Maybe something good will come of this.
Your father thinks he is real close to a breakthrough on his sneaker project. I hope so. The landlord is threatening to evict us because of the odor. I feel sorry for the little old lady who lived in a shoe. It must have smelled awful!
Love from both of us,
Dear Mom and Dad,
Camp is hard, but 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. The other boys­­­
Stanley teaches Hector to write his alphabet letters and how to read.
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
SONGS
page 8 Stanley thinks about his father singing this song
If only, if only, the wood pecker sighs,
The bark on the tree was just a little bit softer.
While the wolf waits below, hungry and lonely,
He cries to the moo­oo­oon,
If only, if only.
page 39
Sarah sings this pig lullaby to little Stanley
If only, if only, the wood pecker sighs,
The bark on the tree was as soft as the skies.
While the wolf waits below, hungry and lonely,
He cries to the moo­oo­oon,
If only, if only.
page 176
Stanley sings softly to Zero
If only, if only, the wood pecker sighs,
The bark on the tree was just a little bit softer.
While the wolf waits below, hungry and lonely,
He cries to the moo­oo­oon,
If only, if only.
page 233
Woman sings to Hector
If only, if only, the moon speaks no reply,
Reflecting the sun and all that's gone by.
Be strong my weary wolf, turn around boldly,
Fly high, my baby bird,
My angel, my only.
Although slightly changed by each person, these are the basic lyrics to the song that Madame Zeroni taught Elya Yelnats and that was subsequently passed down through generations until it reached Stanley and Zero. The lyrics of the song show that even wolves and birds wish that life was easier. It is a fitting song to be sung by the Yelnats and Zeroni families, two families that have had bad luck and hard lives.
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
PIG LATIN
IGPAY ATINLAY
X­Ray's name is Pig Latin for his real name, Rex.
Rules and variations
The usual rules for changing standard English into Pig Latin are as follows:
In words that begin with consonant sounds, the initial consonant or consonant cluster is moved to the end of the word, and "ay" is added, as in the following examples: •
•
•
•
•
•
beast → east­bay dough → ough­day happy → appy­hay question → estion­quay star → ar­stay three → ee­thray In words that begin with vowel sounds or silent consonants, the syllable "ay" is added to the end of the word. In some dialects, to aid in pronunciation, an extra consonant is added to the beginning of the suffix; for instance, eagle could yield eagle'way.
Gently click on this little piggy to go to the Pig Latin Translator.
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
THEMES
It's not my fault, I just was in the wrong place at the wrong time:
Pg. 14, 85, 180
Family heritage, customs, story of the family curse
Pg. 14, 44, 77, Ch. 23, Ch. 25, Ch. 26, Ch. 28, 161,175*
Luck, destiny and fate determine what happens
Pg. 34­35, p. 53, 232
Remain hopeful even though things are bad
Pg. 14, 16, 39, 66­67, 75, 79, 202, 230, 259
Do a job well, get things done well
Pg. 56,148,206, 225
Help others or just look out for yourself
Pg. 81­82, 102­105, 225
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
Spark Notes Facts
about Holes
Holes
title ∙ author ∙ Louis Sachar
type of work ∙ novel genre ∙ fiction, mystery; folk tale; adventure novel point of view ∙ The omniscient narrator moves constantly through three different time periods in third person. The narrator intertwines scenes from 1800s Latvia, from late 1800s Texas, and from current day Texas to create a larger story of fate and legacy. While writing about the current day, however, the narrator primarily describes the thoughts, actions and activities of Stanley, the protagonist. tone ∙ The narrator of Holes seems reliable but often interjects dark humor or irony into the narration. Many statements are made which require the reader to make his or her own inferences about the subject matter. At times the narrator breaks with the omniscient narration to address the reader directly and pose questions about the events in the book. tense ∙ The tense often shifts from the present to flashbacks in Stanley's own life, in the life of Kate Barlow, or to the life of Stanley's great­great­
grandfather. setting (time) ∙ Most of the story takes place at the end of the 20th century but there are flashbacks to the late 19th century and to the mid 19th century. setting (place) ∙ Most of the story takes place on Green Lake, in Texas. This place is described as it was in the late 19th and late 20th centuries. There are also brief flashbacks to scenes in Latvia in the mid to late 19th century. protagonist ∙ Stanley Yelnats major conflict ∙ Stanley must struggle against the harsh conditions and people at Camp Green Lake in order to assert his independence and eventually free himself and his family from the curse that has been placed upon them. rising action ∙ Stanley's friendship with Zero alienates the other boys at the camp and the fact that Zero digs part of Stanley's hole makes the other boys jealous. This leads to mounting tension between the boys, which eventually erupts in a fight. The results of the fight lead Zero to run away from camp, eventually causing Stanley to follow him. Once the two have run away there is no going back and they must make concrete decisions about their future plans. climax ∙ When Stanley steals Mr. Sir's truck and runs away he has reached the point of no return. He has run away and now his lot is with Zero, wherever that may take him.
falling action ∙ Stanley and Zero's escape from camp radically alters their plans. They plot to uncover Kate Barlow's treasure and escape with it, a plan that they never would have attempted if they were not convinced they could not return to camp. themes ∙ The power of fate to determine events; the benefits of friendship; the destructive nature of cruelty; the importance of history in everyday life motifs ∙ Names; physical environment symbols ∙ Onions; lizards foreshadowing ∙ Every time that a piece of history is revealed, it foreshadows what will happen in the present day Camp Green Lake. For instance, the revelation that the murder of Sam leads to Kate Barlow killing the sheriff because she must react to her personal loss is followed by Zero striking Mr. Pendanski because he cannot handle further taunting and cruelty from Mr. Pendanski.
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
Connections and Irony
Overweight : great­great­grandfather & great­great­grandson
Both became stronger after hard work
Foot Odor: Clyde Livingston, Trout Walker, father's invention
Uneducated but not stupid: Zero (Hector Zeroni), Madame Zeroni, and Sam the onion man
Red hair, freckles, mean: Warden (Ms. Walker), and Linda Miller Walker, wife of Trout Walker (Mother and daughter)
Won't fight: great­great­grandfather & great­great­grandson
Water runs uphill: Latvia and Texas, secret places only Zeroni family and Yelnats family members find.
Rattlesnake hunters: rescue great­grandfather, ask for lizard potion from Sam the onion man
Food for angels: spiced peaches made by Kate Barlow, what great ­
grandfather said kept him alive, Sploosh
Mary Lou: donkey owned by Sam the onion man, boat name owned by Sam the onion man, boat which sheltered Zero and Stanley
Turquoise studded black boots: owned by Kissing Kate Barlow, worn by Warden Walker (Warden's mother probably stole them)
Red Eyes: lizards, "Monster"
Two oak trees by cabin: Cabin lived in by Kissing Kate Barlow when she returned to town, and cabin lived in by Warden
Secret onion field: Owned by Sam the onion man, discovered by Stanley and Zero, probably also discovered by Stanley's great­great­grandfather
Lizard juice: (Onion juice), made a fortune in the stock market, robbed by the Kissing Bandit, left stranded in the dessert, he found "the thumb of God" and survived, married his nurse, was delirious, kept "red­eyed monsters" away from rattlesnake hunters, kept Zero and Stanley safe from red­eyed lizard bites.
Miller: last name of Elya Yelnats' wife and Trout Walker's wife.? AutoSave
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
AWARDS
1999 Newbery Medal Winner
Winner of the National Book Award
The Boston Globe ­ Horn Book Award
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Notable Children's Book ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults NCTE Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts The New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
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After reading book
October 10, 2009
Never judge a book by its movie.
~ J. W. Eagan ~
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