Unlucky Boy becomes Lucky

In this story “Holes” by Louis Sachar, the main character Stanley was mentally weak and an overweight boy. He was a loner in his school and didn’t have self-confidence. But the biggest thing was he didn’t like himself. One day, he was misunderstood about stolen shoes and was sent to Camp Green Lake. He thought he had curse from his great-great grandfather because he was unlucky and was always in the wrong place at the wrong time. While in Camp Green Lake, he needed to dig a big hole on each day. The counselors said this activity is help to build the character, but Stanley noticed they had other reason to dig holes. He met camp members and his character changed. He had more confidence and finally he made a true friend.

In the beginning of this novel, Stanley always felt like an outcast in his school because he didn’t have any friends and bullies teased him. He thought he was an unlucky boy and hated himself. He was fat and the kids at his school often teased him about his size. “Even his teachers sometimes made cruel comments without realizing it. “(Pg. 7) He was always alone. And mostly, he had a low self-esteem. When he was arrested because of the shoes, he couldn’t even fight for his innocent to the lawyers. He was innocent but they decide he is guilty and sent him to Camp Green Lake. “…He could have said he found the shoes in the street. No one believed they fell from the sky.”(pg.25) He was honest, but he didn’t have any desire or fight about his future and therefore allowed himself to take the blame for something he didn’t do.

In the middle of the story, Stanley’s character started to change. When Stanley arrived at Camp Green Lake, he made many friends there. It was first time in his life, so he was proud about it. He taught reading and writing to a boy named Zero who couldn’t read. So they became closest friend. Then the Warden stopped him to teach Zero and Stanley refuted Warden’s command. Stanley’s character slowly changed to more positive and comfortable way. He got a relationship between his new friends. “He was glad they called him Caveman. It meant they accepted him as a member of the group.”(Pg.53) Also when Warden stopped Stanley to teach Zero, he fought with Warden about this situation and tried to persuade her to allow him to teach Zero. “Isn’t it more important for him to learn to read? Doesn’t that build character more than digging holes?”(Pg.137) Stanley fought with the Warden and the other counselors about Zero’s learning, it shows that he is helpful and can respect his friend’s feeling. Also, he started to speak out his thinking, because Stanley fought with Warden about teaching; it means his character started to change. Before he came to Camp Green Lake, he couldn’t even insist his thinking clearly to others. But now, he slowly got self-confidence and became more bravery. Stanley’s change is important to him because his character was negative and passive so he had some difficulties between others.

At the end of the story, Stanley met one big situation. He fought with Warden about the suitcase that it found in the hole. But luckily, the lawyer came to Camp Green Lake and solved this happen. She let Stanley take the suitcase because there was his name on it. Also she made Stanley get out of Camp Green Lake. It means finally his curse from his great-great grandfather became broke. Before this happened, Stanley escaped Camp Green Lake to find Zero who left there. Luckily he found Zero, but they met many crises in the desert. During that time, he felt his mind changed differently. “…He liked himself now.”(pg.186). Before Stanley sent to Camp Green Lake, he was not positive and felt unhappy. But nowadays he became positive and happy about himself and his life. He turned into a better person than when he was in the school. When Stanley and Zero found the suitcase in the hole, the Warden saw that situation and tried to take it from them. Also she lied to the lawyer that boys were tried to take suitcase from her. Then, Stanley refuted Warden’s insistence and voiced his thinking. He became braver and can speak clearly about his thinking. He couldn’t even think about it when he was in his school before. This time, he tried to not get accuse from others. Stanley became more brave and strong. This change affected Stanley goes to the better way. He can live better life after he came out Camp Green Lake. Now he had self-confidence, knew how to make friends and started to like himself.

In this novel, Stanley’s character and his feelings changed. When he arrived at Camp Green Lake, he was an unhappy boy, hated about his life and especially he didn’t like himself. But at the end, he became a brighter person and started to like himself and confident about his life. So in the future, he might be become better person in his life and get confidence to himself. Maybe he’ll make his new friends and start enjoying the school life. Spent time in Camp Green Lake and met different kinds of people made Stanley became new and better person.