Holes has been out now for seven years, and i still cant come up with a good answer when asked what that book is about. What happen in the book holes by louis sachar answers. Pendinski across the face with the shovel and said, i hate digging holes. Stanley, the protagonist of holes, is a dynamic character. In reality, zero is extremely smart, but uneducated. His family is cursed because of his nogooddirtyrottenpigstealinggreatgreatgrandfather. In reality, zero is smart and very quick with numbers, but he is uneducated due to homelessness. Stanley yelnats is the main character in the book holes by louis sachar. Speaking of book club, this was a great selection for the intergenerational book club igbc at my church. However when the parts come together, holes turns into a puzzle, or mystery book. He is overweight and is accustomed to having bad luck.
Okay, maybe thats obvious, but its also a key part of the story, so well take a look. Just click on the image below to download the free. This worksheet is adaptable to suit your specific needs in the classroom. Pendanski handed zero the shovel and told him it was all he would ever be good for. As zero describes the hard life he has had to his new friend, his amazing willpower and strength of character are revealed. He can be a genuinely concerned advisor, yet he shows total disrespect and insensitivity to zero. The character of zeros mother in holes from litcharts.
As the story evolves, more of zero is discovered, and he is not who he once appeared to be. Holes is about a kid named stanley yelnats, who has been mistaken for a crime that he did not commit. Free holes character map worksheet by storyboard that tpt. Zero hector zeroni character timeline in holes the timeline below shows where the character zero hector zeroni appears in holes. Free summary of chapter 15 and chapter 16 with detailed analysis. Being bitten by a scorpion or even a rattlesnake is not the worst thing that can happen to you. Zero has a share in the novels happy ending, as he receives half the treasure and is able to find and reunite with his mother. Holes is a unique book with a really intriguing storyline which is told by filling in holes and giving small clues about the main character,stanley and his ancestors. Zero also is called names, which doesnt really seem nice and zero doesnt seem to care at all. Despite all the adversity that he has faced, zero knows that he is smart and he has a sense of standing up for himself. Pendanski tim blake nelson to dig holes in order to build character. There were kids from first through fifth grade mostly boys and all of them enjoyed this book. Holes questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on holes.
He also realizes they are not digging to build character but to find something specific. Zeros had a difficult life, and he stays under the radar until he can figure out a way to escape from this hell. He was sent to this camp after he was wrongly accused of stealing a pair of shoes. The book holes talks about in adventure for stanley as he meets a boy named zero who he helps throughout the book. The author jumps through time and tells stories about the predecessors while not disturbing the ongoing storyline. Zero is the best digger and generally thought to be stupid by the counselors and the other boys. This excites readers and gives them a sense of accomplishment as they realize how each plot is intertwined. The counselors and other inmates there feel that zero is stupid and worthless and treat him cruelly. I want to tell you about the most interesting characterwell, i think so in holes.
Sacrificial friendship in the book holes, written by louis sachar, stanley yelnats the main character is a poor, friendless, over weighted boy who is constantly bullied at school. Zero is shown to be an honest character after becoming close friends with stanley. Ask them to compare and contrast a musical ballad and a tall tale. Read about how this protagonist overcomes his familys curse and learns more about himself at the same time. Use this great character map worksheet to engage your students in the classroom. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance. Out on the lake, rattlesnakes and scorpions find shade under rocks and in the holes dug by the campers. Kate barlow is bitten by a yellowspotted lizard at the end of part one of holes, and we have the death that we were warned about in the first chapter.
At first he is presented as a strange character because he rarely speaks and. He and stanley become friends when stanley agrees to teach zero how to read. Zerohector zeroni character timeline in holes the timeline below shows where the character zerohector zeroni appears in holes. Well zero, had a mom that ditched him, but actually loves him, his traits would be described as kleptomaniac, shy, he cant read, and likes to dig. Create each minibook from a single piece of paper, folded to form a book. Zero tuesday july 8th 1973 the hot blazing sun was hitting me on the neck, i could feel its rays burning my skin all i could think of was water but i didnt want to drink out of my canteen just yet. At first he is presented as a strange character because he rarely speaks and always walks around with a scowl on his face. The other campers and the counselors think he is too stupid to do anything else. The character of zerohector zeroni in holes from litcharts. Everyone in holes seems to be convinced that zero is a real nothing of a kid. Sir and stanley took the rap, so he has been taken to the wardens cabin to be punished. The book holes talks about in adventure for stanley as he meets a boy named zero who he. Zero has suffered many hardships in his life, even more.
As the story evolves, more of zero is discovered, and he is not who he once. There are no rat pack movies here, nor the early croonings of the bobbysoxers dreamboat, rather a look at how sinatra chose to spend his most powerful years as a boxoffice draw. He changes during the course of the novel due to the influence and effect of his experiences and actions. Zero physically attacks zigzag to get him to stop beating up stanley. Zero the hero, trout the lout character study lesson 2. The book holes by louis sachar is a well written book. Stanley and zero were not the only characters to develop throughout the story. Camp green lake characters caveman stanley yelnats iv a teenage white overweight average weight in the movie boy who was falsely accused of stealing clyde livingstons shoes which got him sent to camp green lake. Zeros real name is hector zeroni, but he has been called zero for most of his life. How would you like to be sent to a camp in the middle of the desert.
Quiz maker create quiz online quizzes book novel holes. The timeline below shows where the character zeros mother appears in holes. When stanley asked the reason why zero took stanleys hole over, zero said that stanley wasnt guilty and so he dug up his hole. Zero is the one who stole the shoes that stanley was arrested for and accused. I think it was luck that stanley found in the wasteland to zero. What are the traits of the character in the book holes. The main conflict in the book holes was that stanley was sent to prison for something he did not do, and it was resolved when he helped shut down camp green lake and found out zero took the shoes. His real name is hector zeroni and his nickname is zero. Have each pick one character from the book and write the lyrics for a ballad about that character. Although this new book is about a character from holes, the two books are very different.
Have students track various character traits, important quotes, and more while reading. Once again, zero is looking over stanleys shoulder. The one thing i have learned out here at camp green lake was that i need to ration out my water so i dont past out from dehydration. Squid, armpit, zigzag, magnet, xray, and zero are forced by the menacing warden sigourney weaver and her righthand men mr.
Besides the boys, who else dug holes at green lake. I like the character of zero and i understand that he only talks to someone who is very. Hes black and is often scowling and angry looking, though stanley notices that when zero smiles, his. Zero has not had much of an education so he does not know how to read or write. Zero says that he has no idea why zeros mother left him. Hectors greatgreatgreat grandmother, madame zeroni was an egyptian. She is a mysterious and shady character during the first half of the book.
Teaching ideas for holes by louis sachar book units teacher. Stanley is therefore condemned to jail or to be sent to a place. How would you explain to a fan of holes what to expect from small steps. What is the main conflict in the book holes and how. There he got the nickname zero due to the fact that he was assumed unintelligent, and may have been related to his last name. He attributes this bad luck to his nogooddirtyrottenpigstealinggreat. Pendanski, in particular, mocks and belittles zero at every turn. Stanley tries to explain his mothers joke but zero appears to have no knowledge of nursery.
The character of zerohector zeroni in holes from litcharts the. For a main character in holes, there is little known about zero. Oct 27, 2014 create each mini book from a single piece of paper, folded to form a book. The finished books contain 6 pages where students can list character traits for the main characters. The book centers on an unlucky teenage boy named stanley yelnats, who is sent to camp green lake, a juvenile corrections facility in a desert in texas, after being falsely accused of theft. Zero comes to stanleys aid with an intense display of street fighting. Zero is the novels deuteragonist, the character second in importance. She placed a curse on stanley yelnats family, because his socalled nogooddirtyrottenpigstealinggreatgreat.
I absolutely love novels that come full circle, and holes by louis sachar is one of those novels. Zero is a quiet, darkskinned boy with a widemouthed smile. Pendanski encourages a fist fight between stanley and zigzag that gets out of hand. Heres a good rule to remember about rattlesnakes and scorpions. He had never spoken to the others, until stanley came to the camp, thats reason why he is called zero by the others. Five sinatra movies are boxed in this set, culled from his biggest era as movie star.
Shmoop guide to holes protagonist, antagonist, foil, guide, mentor, and character roles. Stanley is on his way to a boys juvenile detention centre which is called camp green lake. For snacks we had worms and dirt made by the kids, doughnut holes, and pumpkin onion cookies. Zeros greatgreatgrandmother was madame zeroni, who put a curse on generations of the yelnats family. Zero keeps his cards close to his chest, and doesnt trust easily. How does the author establish each character s personality through dialogue. May 09, 2000 the book holes by louis sachar is a well written book. What are the traits of the character in the book holes answers. He is arrest one day for a crime that did not commit. Holes is a 1998 young adult novel written by louis sachar and first published by farrar, straus and giroux. Stanley has to go to camp green lake, a juvenile correctional facility in the desert of texas, because he is wrongly accused for stealing the sneakers of the famous baseball player clyde sweet. He was homeless before being sent to camp green lake. Contentsshow holes character list a list of all the characters in holes. Holes book summary sachar writes the humorous plot of holes in a straightforward manner.
You take a bad boy and make him dig holes all day long in the hot sun, it makes him a good boy. Ask groups to perform their ballad for the entire class. The one thing i have learned out here at camp green lake was that i need to. The subplots are talltale motifs that provide explanations about incidents involving previous yelnats generations that significantly impact stanleys life as well as the lives of others. Hes not afraid to strike out on his own, because hes always relied on himself.
May, 2012 stanley was friendly to him and they made a deal. There once was a very large lake here, the largest lake in texas. In truth, zero is very smart, although he has never been taught how to read. Creative dramatheater stage a talk show with stanley and zero as the guests. How do the rest of the boys at camp green lake change by the end of the book. Characterization of stanley yelnats holes stanley yelnats is the main character of the novel holes, written by louis sachar in 1998.
When you spend your whole life living in a hole, the only way you can go is up. Analysis of the friendship in holes by louis sachar and. Zero is very thankful about this and i think this is very good for their friendship. The subplots are talltale motifs that provide explanations about incidents involving previous yelnats generations that significantly impact stanleys life as well as the lives of. Holes by louis sachar teachers guide penguin random. Stanley teaches zero to read and the two boys become best friends. Zero is the greatgreatgreatgrandson of madame zeroni, the woman who put a curse on stanleys family. I think zero is going to be really good friends with stanley as zero also digs stanleys hole and when everybody was insulting stanley he helped stanley and went against zigzag when he was punching stanley in the face. Every book on your english syllabus summed up in a quote from the office.
Based on the awardwinning book by louis sachar,holes is a funny and poignant comingofage adventure. He is a quiet, strong willed boy who is at the detention center with stanley. Nobody knows the real reason theyre digging all these holes, but stanley soon begins to. I want to tell you about the most interesting character well, i think so in holes. This is a valuable tool for a book such as holes with three story plots taking place and many characters to remember. The relationship between zero and stanley holesbyvanessa. He got to meet his hero clyde livingston and told him that he stole the shoes and stanley didnt. I think zero is going to be really good friends with stanley as zero also digs stanleys hole and when everybody was insulting stanley he helped stanley and went against zigzag when he was punching stanley in. This quote underlines an important theme in the book. Oct 22, 2015 speaking of book club, this was a great selection for the intergenerational book club igbc at my church. When the group hazes stanley for letting zero dig part of his holes, mr. It is zero who actually committed the theft for which stanley was convicted, not because he is dishonest, but because he needed shoes. The multiple plot lines can be confusing at first, but it all comes together in the end.