Holes Book Review: Themes Within the Novel
Holes by Louis Sachar
Twist of fate play major roles in the lives of the main characters in Holes.
In “Holes”, the whole story is based around Stanley’s situation in the present and it’s connection to the past. Stanley’s bad luck is the result of his “ No good rotten-pig- stealing-great-great-grandfather,” who failed to fulfill his promise of carrying Madame Zeroni up the mountain where the stream runs uphill. His situation at Camp Green Lake was connected to the history of ‘Kissin’ Kate Barlow, a schoolteacher turned bandit who robbed his great-grandfather and buried her treasure somewhere on the lake. The boys are forced to dig holes because of this and the person overseeing them is the Warden, who is the granddaughter of Mr. Charles Walker who was, in a way, responsible for Kate Barlow’s death. Stanley meeting Zero, Zero turning out to be Madame Zeroni’s great-great-great-grandson and Stanley helping to carry him up God’s thumb was not a coincidence, but it was fate that brought them together so they could complete the cycle and end Stanley’s curse. Fate has the power to alter lives and change them into a game of chance. The actions of one’s past may affect the situation of one’s future and therefore I agree that fate had played a major role in the novel.
In the story, one of the themes are to always respect ones promises and to fulfill them or you had to face the consequences. This is shown when Elya Yelnats does not fulfill his promise to Madame Zeroni and soon after, pays the price. In the novel, Madame Zeroni warns Elya “ That if he failed to do so, he would be cursed for eternity.” And at the time “…he thought nothing of the curse and as a boy he was carefree.” This shows that all people should fulfill their promises so we do not suffer the consequences. This positions the readers to feel sorry for Stanley because the actions of his great-great-grandfather has affected Stanley’s life even if he has done nothing.
Twist of fate play major roles in the lives of the main characters in Holes.
In “Holes”, the whole story is based around Stanley’s situation in the present and it’s connection to the past. Stanley’s bad luck is the result of his “ No good rotten-pig- stealing-great-great-grandfather,” who failed to fulfill his promise of carrying Madame Zeroni up the mountain where the stream runs uphill. His situation at Camp Green Lake was connected to the history of ‘Kissin’ Kate Barlow, a schoolteacher turned bandit who robbed his great-grandfather and buried her treasure somewhere on the lake. The boys are forced to dig holes because of this and the person overseeing them is the Warden, who is the granddaughter of Mr. Charles Walker who was, in a way, responsible for Kate Barlow’s death. Stanley meeting Zero, Zero turning out to be Madame Zeroni’s great-great-great-grandson and Stanley helping to carry him up God’s thumb was not a coincidence, but it was fate that brought them together so they could complete the cycle and end Stanley’s curse. Fate has the power to alter lives and change them into a game of chance. The actions of one’s past may affect the situation of one’s future and therefore I agree that fate had played a major role in the novel.
In the story, one of the themes are to always respect ones promises and to fulfill them or you had to face the consequences. This is shown when Elya Yelnats does not fulfill his promise to Madame Zeroni and soon after, pays the price. In the novel, Madame Zeroni warns Elya “ That if he failed to do so, he would be cursed for eternity.” And at the time “…he thought nothing of the curse and as a boy he was carefree.” This shows that all people should fulfill their promises so we do not suffer the consequences. This positions the readers to feel sorry for Stanley because the actions of his great-great-grandfather has affected Stanley’s life even if he has done nothing.