Wrong place, Wrong time, Wrong kid

Holes, a Newberry Award-winning novel written by Louis Sachar and arguably among the best children’s literature can offer. The narrative is centered around a wimpy little boy named Stanley Yelnats who has some strings of  bad fortune thanks to a curse brought by his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing great-great grandfather. As a result of this, he usually tend to be the wrong kid found in the wrong place at the wrong time, hence deriving the original title of the novel “Wrong place, Wrong time, Wrong kid”. Stanley’s latest misfortune is to be accused of a crime he did not commit (by “stealing” a pair of shoes belonging to a famous basketball player). As a punishment, he was sent to a Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention and correctional facility which despite its name, is located in the middle of a barren desert. At the desolate place, the inmates have very harsh tough working conditions. Which is considered to improve their characters and make them more competent citizens and as such, they have to dig holes at the dried up lakebed, 5 feet in depth and 5 feet in width , but as often in the case of Louis Sachar’s story... There is more than what meets the eye 

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The book cover of Holes 

First of all, the names have a comprehensive amount of significance in the novel, including the title itself describing many of its characteristics and influencing many aspects of it. The boys dig holes at Camp Green lake, there is a hole in Stanley’s life before his time within Camp Green Lake and there are holes in the story that the reader must fill in as the plot further develops. Each of the inmates at Camp Green lake has a nickname that has been assigned to them, a rite of passage in a certain sense. You are required to have a nickname, otherwise the boys haven’t accepted you and even though the origin of the them are never clarified or explained, they do depict the personalities of the characters adeptly and brings a very “characteristic” and eccentric frame of reference to the narrative Sachar is known for as well. In addition he also took the advantage of using palindromes, thus making the main character, the protagonist named Stanley Yelnats (which is pronounced the same spelled backwards), probably putting special emphasis to it, adding some touches of “mystery” and further developing his "personal" style.

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A scene from the movie adaption of Holes, showing the inmates
at Camp Green lake.
Far right: Stanley (Caveman)
Next to Stanley: Armpit
Next to X-Ray: Zero
Far left: X-Ray 

Often in Holes, the characters introduced with negative connotations evoke sympathy as you familiarize with their stories. Stanley’s no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing great-great grandfather was actually a very sincere man, who wasn´t treated that sensitively and Kissin Kate Barlow, the murderous outlaw was formerly a sweet and loving schoolteacher, but destroyed by the violence and cruelty of the townspeople. Despite her becoming the nations most wanted criminal, the reader is still sympathetic to her pain (reminding me of the Star Wars villian Darth Vader, a.k.a. former heroic Jedi knight named Anakin Skywalker who was betrayed by his dearest which lead to his affiliation with the Dark side ). Even Stanley and his friend Zero were introduced as two“bad boys” sent to a detention center from the beginning but once again, the first impression that gains them society’s punishment eventually earns them compassion as the truth was spoken. Signifying that many social stereotypes that lead to injustice often are challenged as the victims’ stories are revealed. So this means that many criminals or outlaws actually are/were virtuous people but somehow misjudged in a certain way by society.

The narrative of the story frequently shifts from present to distant past, back to present, then to recent past etc. and as such, a linear and consistent story cannot be maintained. Current events are structured in a chronological order but do not neccesarily correspond to their historic counterparts told at the same time. The present day plot centering around Camp Green Lake and Stanley’s thoughts and actions is narrated like an adventure while while the historic parts, the story if his great great grandfather Elya Yelnats as fables or flashbacks. 

The combinations of the stories creates a feeling that fate is molding Stanley (as if his destiny determines his actions) and as the two plots come together, it somehow turns into a puzzle or a mystery. The chapters in Holes tend to be very short but each of them adding and revealing a new and important piece of the mystery bit by bit, although it might not seem relevant at the time. This pacing method also allows the reader to make interferences even though the ties or connections between the past and the present are not yet proven. The narrator also seems to know more than what is shared with the reader and using a very intriguing kind irony and dark humor to make his point, occasionally addressing the reader directly making him form interferences before the facts are completely clear, evoking interest, attention and admiration in a powerfully irresistible way. The details and clues required to solve the mystery are never quite given until the very end. In order to fully comprehend the story, you must keep a careful track of all of those backstories balanced here but as the pieces of history start to fall into place, the reader sees a relationship between the past and the present and Sachar manages to weave them all seamlessly, creating this very compelling narrative.

Destiny and the value of friendship are two major themes associated in Holes. As the story progressed, it was apparent that destiny and fate surrounded Stanley, and he was only a minor portion of a much larger context. Stanley was "the wrong kid at the wrong place during the wrong time" and bad things did happen to the Yelnats family but the point is that Stanley bore with it, and made the best of his abilities during a poor situation. And the “curse” was eventually broken, not because Stanley wanted to break it but as the mutual bond between him and his friend Zero lead to their mutual survival. Only true friendship, such as the unselfish bond between Stanley and Zero can earn freedom and fortune - not just the material wealth or physical freedom but also emotional freedom, happiness and self-satisfaction.

In conclusion, the story of Stanley’s time within Camp Green Lake, race, destiny and how we treat others was compelling and moving, while also having some twists of irony and seriousness. A rare balance but easily achievable with the proficiency of Sachar. The premise of this novel is very thought out, the subliminal message of the story was great and inspiring, the settings were well depicted and it definitely deserved that Newberry Award!