Holes Discussion Questions
Chapters 1-3
- What is interesting about the name “Camp Green Lake?”
- Who owns the shade at Camp Green Lake?
- What options does the judge give Stanley?
- Why do boys go to Camp Green Lake?
- Explain the curse from the one-legged gypsy.
- Why is Stanley Yelnats name so interesting?
- Why did the Yelnats’ apartment smell of food odor and burning rubber?
Your Thoughts……..
- Do you think it’s true that digging holes can turn a bad person into a good one?
- Stanley’s father, an inventor, says, “I learn from failure.” What do you think this means?
Chapters 4-7
- Explain the daily process of digging.
- Who is Mr. Pendanski?
- Why doesn’t Mr. Pendanski like to use nicknames?
- Why doesn’t Camp Green Lake have fences or guards?
- Explain what happened that got Stanley sent to Camp Green Lake.
- What do the boys have to do to get time off from digging holes?
- Explain the story of Madame Zeroni and ElyaYelnats.
Your Thoughts……..
- Why do the boys call Mr. Pendanski “Mom”? Does this nickname suit him?
- What does Stanley learn from digging his first hole? Why do you think he feels proud when his hole is finished?
Chapters 8-10
- How does Stanley almost get in a fight?
- What does Stanley write to his mother about?
- Who is Caveman?
- What does Stanley find after digging his first hole?
- Explain the yellow-spotted lizards.
Your Thoughts……..
- Why do the boys always line up for water in the same order? What’s the significance to this order?
Chapters 11-14
- Where did X-Ray’s nickname come from?
- How do the boys at camp feel about Zero?
- Explain what Stanley finds in his hole.
- How does X-Ray mistreat Stanley?
- Describe the Warden.
- Why did X-Ray wait to show the tube to the Warden?
Your Thoughts……..
- Mr. Pendanski tells Stanley: “You messed up your life, and it’s up to you to fix it.” Do you agree with this?
Chapters 15-17
- According to Zigzag, how does the Warden know the boys’ names?
- Why did Zero not understand the joke in Stanley’s letter?
- Explain the change in digging.
- What does Stanley know that the Warden doesn’t?
- Explain the situation in which Stanley gets hurt.
- What indications are there that the Warden is getting impatient?
Your Thoughts……..
- Can you think of some reasons why Zero might not be familiar with any nursery rhymes or the show Sesame Street?
Chapters 18-21
- Why doesn’t Stanley worry that Zero is looking over his shoulder?
- How did Magnet get his nickname?
- Explain what happens with the sunflower seeds.
- Explain what happens when Mr. Sir takes Stanley to the Warden.
- What surprised Stanley when he returned to his hole?
- How was Stanley able to tell that Zero had dug his hole?
- How did Stanley’s great-grandfather claim to have survived in the desert?
Your Thoughts……..
- Why do you think Stanley continues lying to his mom and dad in his letters?
- Why do you think Zero finishes Stanley’s hole for him?
Chapters 22-24
- What deal do Stanley and Zero work out?
- What insight did Stanley have about the tube he found in his hole?
- Describe Green Lake 110 years ago.
- How did Mr. Sir respond when asked about his face?
- Who is Katherine Barlow?
- Describe Trout Walker.
Your Thoughts……..
- Does the portrait the author paints of Green Lake seem realistic? Can you point to any details that strike you as too good to be true?
Chapters 25-28
- Describe Sam and Katherine.
- According to Sam, what could onions cure?
- Explain how Katherine became Kissin’ Kate Barlow.
- What is Zero’s real name and why is it significant?
- Who returned to Green Lake after twenty years? What had happened?
- When was the last time rain fell on Green Lake?
Your Thoughts……..
- Why don’t the other boys approve of Stanley and Zero’s arrangement? Do you think it is fair to both boys?
- Who else has turquoise-studded boots like Kate Barlow’s?
Chapters 29-31
- What does the lightening reveal to Stanley?
- Explain how Zero reacted to Mr. Pendanski telling him he was only good for digging holes.
- Where does Stanley hope Zero would take refuge?
- Why does the Warden repeatedly ask Mr. Pendanski if Zero had any family or social worker who might have taken an interest in him?
Your Thoughts……..
- Why doesn’t Stanley fight back when Zigzag taunts him?
Chapters 32-35
- Why was new boy (Brian) given the nickname, Twitch?
- Explain what happens to allow Stanley to escape.
- Why did Stanley think he might have to return to camp?
- Describe what Stanley found while walking across the wasteland.
- What is different about the most distant holes?
- Explain Sploosh.
Your Thoughts……..
- When Stanley sees Big Thumb, “[H]e kept walking toward it, although he didn’t know why.” Why do you think Stanley keeps going?
- Thinking about Zero, “what worried [Stanley] the most . . . was the fear that it wasn’t too late.” What does this mean?
Chapters 36-38
- What evidence is there that Barfbag may have purposely stepped on a rattlesnake?
- According to Zero, how did the boat probably get its name?
- What scares Stanley most about dying?
- Explain the gully at the top of the mountain.
Your Thoughts……..
- Why do you think Stanley suddenly calls Zero Hector?
- What does Stanley learn about himself as they climb the mountain? What does he learn about Zero?
Chapters 39-42
- Explain what Zero confesses to Stanley.
- Why did Hattie Parker blush when Mrs. Tennyson mentioned that her daughter had almost died from eating some bad meat?
- Why does Stanley want to dig one more hole?
- Why did Zero fill the bottom of their hole with rocks?
- Explain how the shoes had managed to fall on Stanley’s head at the beginning of the story.
Your Thoughts……..
- Why do you think Zero chooses this moment to confess about the stolen shoes?
- Zero says, “If I had just kept those old smelly sneakers, then neither of us would be here right now.” Do you think he’s right? Is there anything positive about their situation?
Chapters 43-45
- Explain Stanley and Zero’s plan.
- Why do the boys hide in the holes?
- Why is Zero the one to sneak into camp for food and water?
- What did Stanley find in his old hole?
- Who finds Stanley and Zero?
- Explain what terrifying event happens when the Warden shines the light on Stanley.
Your Thoughts……..
- Why do you think the families lullabies are similar?
- What do you learn about the Warden in this chapter? How does it influence your feelings about her?
Chapters 46-48
- Why did the Warden ask the counselors to tell the campers they would not be digging anymore holes ?
- What does the Warden plan on telling Stanley’s family?
- What request does Stanley make of Ms. Morengo?
- Why did Mr. Pendanski hesitate when the Warden ordered him to get Hector Zeroni’s file?
- Explain why the suitcase belongs to Stanley.
- Why don’t the lizards bit Stanley or Zero?
Your Thoughts……..
- Why do you think Zero gives Stanley the thumbs-up sign?
- The Warden’s name is Walker; who else in the story has the same last name? Why might this be important?
Chapters 49-50
- Describe the new product that Stanley’s father invented.
- What happens at Camp Green Lake for the first time in over 100 years?
- How does Ms. Morengo prove Stanley’s innocence?
- What was in the suitcase?
Your Thoughts……..
- The chapter ends with these words: “. . . and for the first time in over a hundred years, a drop of rain fell into the empty lake.” Does this seem important to you? Why do you suppose the author chose to end Part II here?