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Holes
by Louis Sachar
Literary Discussion Guide

1. Characters

Camp Green Lake, Texas

Stanley "Caveman" Yelnats
Hector "Zero" Zeroni
Squid (Alan)
X-Ray (Rex)
Magnet (Jose)
Armpit (Theodore)
ZigZag (Ricky)
Twitch (Brian)
Warden (Ms. Walker)
Mr. Sir
Mr. Pendanski (Mom)
Ms. Morengo
Texas Attorney General
Town of Green Lake (110 Years Ago)

Katherine "Kissin' Kate" Barlow
Sam the Onion Man
Charles "Trout" Walker
Doc Hawthorn
The Sheriff
Mrs. Gladys Tennyson
Rebecca Tennyson
Hattie Parker
Linda Miller
Mary Lou the Donkey
Yelnats Clan & Misc.

Elya Yelnat
Madame Zeroni
Myra Menke
Myra's Father
Igor Barkov
Sarah Miller
Stanley's Father
Stanley's Mother
Stanley's Great Grandfather
Clyde Livingston
Zero's Mother




2. Conflict

  • Person vs. Self (inner conflicts of feelings & thoughts)
  • Person vs. Person (protagonist vs. antagonist)
  • Person vs. Society (larger organizations/belief systems of society)
  • Person vs. Nature (battling the elements of nature)

3. Themes/Symbols/Literary Strategies

  • Flashbacks & Foreshadowing - Chronological Plot Order, Past & Present Links and Relationships, Cause & Effect of Actions (including stealing, broken promises)

  • Coming of Age, Hero's Journey, Courage, Standing up to Bullies, Loyalty, Friendship, Perseverance,Survival Skills

  • Redemption & Hope, Luck vs. Hard-Luck, The Family Curse

  • Religious Aspects: Fate & Destiny, God's Thumb (Big Thumb), Justice

  • Poverty & Homelessness

  • Absent Authority Figures (and loving parents)

  • Illiteracy, Importance of Learning

  • Racism & Prejudice

4. Pre-Reading/Post-Reading Activities

  • Social Science: Jim Crow Laws & The American South, Post Civil War Rights & Attitudes

  • Geography: Rural Texas, The Desert & Desertification

  • Science: Weather, Topography & Rock Formations, Desert Wildlife (Reptiles & Amphibians: Yellow-spotted Lizards, rattlesnakes, tarantulas)

  • Classroom Projects: Art, Letter Writing, Geography, Post Civil War History, Civil Rights Movement, Compare & Contrast the Novel & Film, etc.

  • Visit the Holes official website for lesson plan ideas:

    http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/holes/index.html