Holes Comparative Essay

The novel "Holes" composed by the author Louis Sachar and the movie adaptation directed by Andrew Davis deal with many issues. Throughout the text, Sachar explores both the physical and inner journey of the protagonist, Stanley Yelnats as he grows and develops into a mature person. The texts also convey the idea of fate and destiny and the role that family and tradition play in our understanding of ourselves. Sachar and Davies use various techniques to convey their meaning.

www.bookrags.com"Holes," composed by Louis Sachar deals with many issues and a diversity of techniques are used by the author to convey his ideas. The theme of "filling in the holes," is used throughout the novel. Many unanswered questions and "holes" are used to produce tension, secrecy and deliberate manipulation of the reader's prediction, "He had driven straight into a hole." The different characters dig "holes" to expose their key personalities. To express this theme, Sachar has used the technique of back story to provide answers. The back stories are told in stages which makes it necessary for readers to understand events in the present. When Stanley finds the gold tube with the initials K.B. printed on it, there is straight reference to the back story of Kate Barlow. The extent of the chapters is deliberate as to give concise direct information. Sachar placed the chapters "side by side" so that the reader could establish comparisons and links between past and present thus filling in the "holes.""Holes," the successful movie adaptation directed by Andrew Davis, uses a diversity of techniques to convey the meanings of the key ideas. One of the main themes expressed by the director is the idea of journey. This is not only a physical journey; it is here that Stanley's growth takes place. Stanley is a decent person who values his family but has little understanding of friendships. When Stanley first arrives at Camp Green Lake he is characterised as an outsider, lacking inner strength with no