Holes – Louis Sachar

Holes – Book Review

Holes is a book written by Louis Sachar. It is about a boy named Stanley Yelnats. Wherever Stanley goes, bad luck seems to follow him. The bad luck is not really his fault. It starts with his dirty, no-good, great-great-great-great-grandfather, who is said to have stolen a pig. Because of this, Stanley’s family believes they are cursed. However, every curse can be broken, and Stanley is trying to break his.

Short Recap

Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake for “stealing” a pair of shoes. The truth is that the shoes fall from the sky, and Stanley just picks them up. Even though he is innocent, no one believes him.

At Camp Green Lake, the boys are forced to dig holes every day. Each hole must be five feet wide and five feet deep. The adults say this is to build character. After a while, Stanley realizes that digging is not really about character. The Warden is using the boys to look for treasure.

Later in the story, things become very dangerous, and Stanley runs away from the camp. What happens next is exciting, but you will have to read the book to find out.

Favorite Chapters

One of my favorite chapters is Chapter 9. This is when Stanley gets the nickname “Caveman.” This chapter is important because it shows that Stanley is finally accepted and starts making friends at Camp Green Lake.

Short Recap of the Chapter 9

After a long day of digging, all the boys are tired, especially Stanley. He is completely worn out. Soon, he finds the other boys from Group D sitting on the couch watching TV. On the way there, Stanley trips over a big guy. The big guy is annoyed and tries to beat up Stanley, mainly because Stanley says “watch it!” after tripping on his leg. Luckily, the boys from Tent D stop him and say, “Caveman is cool.” At first, Stanley thinks they are calling the big guy “Caveman,” but after a while, he finally understands. The big guy is not Caveman – he is. Stanley is proud of himself because, for once, he is welcomed in his group.

This chapter is wholesome as it shows how Stanley finally gets accepted into a group. Before this, Stanley was bullied at school for being overweight. The chapter is enjoyable because we can see how Stanley finally belongs somewhere.

Last chapter

Another chapter I really like is the last chapter of the book, where Stanley’s lawyer proves that Stanley is innocent. Because of this, he will be released from Camp Green Lake. Another great thing is that the Warden does not have the correct file about Zero, which helps Zero get released as well. Due to this, the Warden is punished, and the camp is shut down. This chapter feels satisfying because it shows how the bad character of the story finally faces consequences.

Lesson learned

Even though this book is not real and aims to entertain readers, we can still learn many meaningful lessons from it.

Don’t judge a book by its cover

We are introduced to Mr Pendanski, who is in charge of Group D’s tent. On the outside, he seems like a nice guy who actually cares about the boys. On the inside, however, he is cruel, mean, and racist. He treats Zero badly because Zero lacks knowledge. Instead of helping him, Mr Pendanski mocks Zero and compares him to inhuman objects like a shovel. This shows that not every person is as nice as they seem.

Say no to racism

Many characters, such as Mr Sir, Mr Pendanski, and the Warden, treat Zero badly simply because of his skin color. Treating someone like an object because of their race is truly unacceptable. Racism is not only morally wrong but also against the law. I personally find it disturbing that racism exists in a detention camp, a place where boys are supposed to be taught to become better people. The staff should be setting a good example, not abusing their power.

Friendship and loyalty

Zero almost dies from exhaustion, but instead of leaving him, Stanley carries him up the mountain so he can drink water. This also breaks the curse that Stanley’s great-great-great-grandfather placed on his family. This moment shows that Stanley is loyal to his friend and is willing to finish what he and Zero started together.

Personal thoughts

I didn’t hope for much when it came to English class. I thought we would just learn some English and that was it. But then one day my teacher introduced the class to Holes, a beautiful novel written by Louis Sachar. I wasn’t expecting much, but when I read it, I couldn’t stop. The teacher planned to read every chapter at the same pace as the class. Meanwhile the class was on chapter 10, I was already on chapter 30. The book was very exciting. Even after we were done studying Holes, I still asked my parents if I could buy a copy so I could read it at home. I had to read it everywhere. The plot, characters, and language of Holes were very enjoyable. Overall, I gave this book five stars, and I believe readers would enjoy it as much as I did.