Holes by Louis Sachar - Study Questions

Questions and Answers

What's Mr. Pendanski's nickname?

Mom

What's Stanley's last name?

Yelnats

What's the camp called?

Camp Green Lake

What's the color of the Warden's hair and nails?

red Signup and view all the answers

Lullaby: 'If ; if .''

If only, if only. Signup and view all the answers

What's Katherine Barlow's original profession?

teaching Signup and view all the answers

What's the ingredient in the Warden's nail polish?

venom Signup and view all the answers

Who's the madame that was a one-legged gypsy?

Madame Zeroni Signup and view all the answers

What did each boy do when he finished digging his hole?

spat Signup and view all the answers

What did Clyde Livingston play?

baseball Signup and view all the answers

What did Zero drink?

sploosh Signup and view all the answers

What did Stanley find in a hole he dug?

lipstick Signup and view all the answers

Who's the author of Holes?

Louis Sachar Signup and view all the answers

What signal did Stanley and Zero give up - '______ up.'

thumbs up Signup and view all the answers

What's a digging utensil?

shovel Signup and view all the answers

A one-legged _____ put a curse on the family.

gypsy Signup and view all the answers

Who's Stanley's great-great-grandfather?

Elya Signup and view all the answers

Who's the woman that ran the camp?

Warden Signup and view all the answers

What's the name of Sam's boat?

Mary Lou Signup and view all the answers

What's Clyde Livingston's nickname?

Sweet-Feet Signup and view all the answers

Who referred to a girl scout camp?

Mr. Sir Signup and view all the answers

What did the sign on the rec room say?

Wreck Room Signup and view all the answers

What was Sam's original Mary Lou?

donkey Signup and view all the answers

What's the name of the counselor?

Pendanski Signup and view all the answers

What were in the suitcase Stanley and Zero found?

jewels Signup and view all the answers

Who did Zero attack when 'he' started to beat Stanley?

Zigzag Signup and view all the answers

What did Sam offer as a remedy?

onions Signup and view all the answers

What's Katherine's last name?

Barlow Signup and view all the answers

Who escaped from camp before Stanley?

Zero Signup and view all the answers

What did Zero can't do?

read Signup and view all the answers

What's the title of the book?

Holes Signup and view all the answers

What did Katherine make?

peaches Signup and view all the answers

What's Zero's real name?

Hector Signup and view all the answers

What are dangerous yellow-spotted ones that inhabited the area?

lizards Signup and view all the answers

What was Miss Barlow doing when she died?

laughing Signup and view all the answers

Mr. Sir ate sunflower _____?

seeds Signup and view all the answers

What's Stanley's nickname?

Caveman Signup and view all the answers

What was Zero hiding under?

boat Signup and view all the answers

What's the first revelation of the book?

There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. Signup and view all the answers

What is the worst thing that can happen to a person at Camp Green Lake?

Get bit by a yellow spotted lizard. Signup and view all the answers

Who gets sent to Camp Green Lake?

Stanley Yelnats Signup and view all the answers

Who puts a curse on the Yelnats family?

the one-legged gypsy; Madame Zeroni Signup and view all the answers

What is especially unusual about Stanley Yelnats' name?

It's spelled the same forwards and backwards. Signup and view all the answers

Who supposedly robbed the stagecoach of the first Stanley Yelnats?

Kissin' Kate Barlow Signup and view all the answers

Who at the camp has a tattoo of a rattlesnake on his arm?

Mr. Sir Signup and view all the answers

How is Stanley told to remember the name of his counselor?

Pen-dance-key. Signup and view all the answers

Why does the counselor say Zero is called 'Zero'?

The counselor thinks that Zero has nothing in his head and is dumb. Signup and view all the answers

What color are the eyes of a yellow spotted lizard?

red Signup and view all the answers

What did Stanley say to his mother in his first letter?

He just finished swimming, etc. Signup and view all the answers

Why was Stanley glad that the other boys called him 'Caveman'?

It meant that he was a part of their group. Signup and view all the answers

What's the second thing that Stanley found in a hole?

gold tube Signup and view all the answers

Who did Stanley bring the gold tube to?

X-Ray Signup and view all the answers

How did the Warden know all of the boys' nicknames?

The Warden listened to them with hidden microphones. Signup and view all the answers

What was Stanley's big revelation about the purpose of digging?

To find interesting items or 'treasure'. Signup and view all the answers

What was Stanley's father trying to invent?

a way to renovate or recycle old sneakers Signup and view all the answers

What was Stanley's big revelation about Zero?

Zero isn't stupid and is good at math. Signup and view all the answers

What did Zero ask Stanley to do for him?

teach him how to read and write Signup and view all the answers

What was Mr. Sir's favorite expression?(What does he keep saying?)

This isn't a girl scout camp. Signup and view all the answers

Who stole Mr. Sir's sunflower seeds? Who took the blame?

Magnet stole the seeds and Stanley took the blame. Signup and view all the answers

What did the Warden do to Mr. Sir in Stanley's presence?

The Warden struck Mr. Sir across the face with wet venom nail polish. Signup and view all the answers

Who dug Stanley's hole for him after the sunflower seed incident?

Zero Signup and view all the answers

What did Stanley suddenly realize about the gold tube he found?

The initials 'K.B' on it was for 'Kate Barlow'. Signup and view all the answers

What special prize did Miss Katherine Barlow win every Fourth of July?

Katherine won the prize for the best spiced peaches. Signup and view all the answers

What did Miss Barlow say when 'Trout' Walker invited her to go out on his boat?

Miss Barlow said 'No, thank you.' Signup and view all the answers

What did Mr. Sir do to 'get back' at Stanley?

When they went to refill their canteens, when Stanley was up, Mr. Sir would pour it on the ground instead. Signup and view all the answers

Why did the townspeople get so upset when Miss Barlow and Sam kissed?

The townspeople got upset when Miss Barlow and Sam kissed because racism was still active in that time period. Signup and view all the answers

What ultimately happened to Sam?

Sam got shot and killed. Signup and view all the answers

What did Stanley think he saw in the rock formation on the mountain peak?

God's thumb Signup and view all the answers

What did Stanley's great-grandfather say after Kate Barlow robbed him and left him stranded in the desert?

He said that he found refuge on God's thumb. Signup and view all the answers

What did Zero do in exchange for Stanley's teaching?

Zero dug Stanley's hole. Signup and view all the answers

Why did Stanley hit Zigzag?

Zigzag kept on pushing him and Mr. Pendanski told him to hit Zigzag. Signup and view all the answers

What did Zero do when Mr. Pendanski handed him the shovel?

hit him with it Signup and view all the answers

After Zero stole sneakers and wore them for a while, what did he do with them?

put them on top of a parked car Signup and view all the answers

How did Zero finally get arrested?

by robbing a pair of sneakers. Signup and view all the answers

What made Stanley feel happiness?

Stanley began to accept and like himself. Signup and view all the answers

After the feeling of happiness passed, what did Stanley feel?

dread Signup and view all the answers

What did Zero reminisce about on the climb down the mountain?

his childhood and his mother Signup and view all the answers

How did Zero and Stanley get food and fresh water from the camp?

by sneaking in Signup and view all the answers

What happened to spoil Zero and Stanley's enjoyment?

they got caught Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Main Characters and Their Traits

Stanley Yelnats: Central character, faces bullying, has a nickname "Caveman," from a family cursed by a gypsy.
Zero (Hector): Stanley’s friend, struggles with reading and writing but is good at math; eventually becomes a key ally.
Mr. Pendanski: Counselor at Camp Green Lake, has the nickname "Mom," often uses demeaning language.
Warden (Ms. Walker): Authority figure at camp, has red hair and nails, uses venom in nail polish.
Katherine Barlow: Former teacher who becomes an outlaw, famous for her spiced peaches, and represents themes of love and loss.
Madame Zeroni: One-legged gypsy who curses the Yelnats family, connects past and present narratives.

Setting and Plot Elements

Camp Green Lake: A juvenile detention center disguised as a camp with no actual lake, where boys dig holes for punishment.
Digging Holes: Boys at camp dig holes to "build character" but actually search for treasures; Stanley first finds lipstick, then a gold tube with the initials "K.B."
Conflicts: Relations between boys are tense, especially between Stanley and Zigzag, which leads to physical confrontations.
Themes of Friendship and Support: Stanley and Zero develop a strong friendship; zero helps Stanley by digging his hole.

Important Events and Symbols

"Thumbs Up" Signal: Communication between Stanley and Zero showcases their bond.
Sunflower Seeds Incident: Highlight of Mr. Sir's hostility; Stanley takes the blame for Magnet.
God’s Thumb: A significant rock formation symbolizing hope and refuge in Stanley’s journey.
Onions as a Remedy: Sam, a character who offers a natural remedy, represents knowledge and survival skills.

Key Plot Twists and Revelations

The Curse: The backstory of the Yelnats family's curse creates a connection between past and present events.
Kissing Incident Reaction: Reflects the racism of the time which leads to tragic outcomes for characters.
Final Revelations: Stanley's understanding of Zero’s intelligence and their mutual benefit of teaching one another.

Miscellaneous Facts

Clyde Livingston (Sweet Feet): A famous baseball player whom Stanley admires.
Dangerous Lizards: Yellow-spotted lizards pose a significant threat to the boys at Camp Green Lake.
Treasure Discovery: The discovery of jewels in a suitcase emphasizes the theme of searching for more than just physical treasure.

Emotional Developments

Stanley's Journey: Personal growth leads to self-acceptance and eventually, conflict and happiness are intertwined.
Zero's Reminiscence: Reflects on his childhood, adding depth to his character and showcasing the impact of neglect and poverty.

Final Thoughts and Conclusions

Story Resolution: Themes of friendship, survival, and the quest for identity culminate in Stanley and Zero's eventual triumph over adversity.
Impact of Actions: Characters' actions stemming from their pasts lead to a broader commentary on fate and personal responsibility.

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Test your knowledge of 'Holes' by Louis Sachar with these flashcards. This quiz covers key characters, settings, and quotes from the book, enhancing your understanding of its themes and plot. Ideal for students preparing for exams or book discussions.