Holes By Louis Sachar

This half term Year 7 & 8 have been working on their literary analysis skills through studying the novel Holes by Louis Sachar. The children were on the edge of their seats as they followed protagonist Stanley from his wrongful conviction, through his character building experience at Camp Green Lake to his final triumph as he manages to lift the decades long curse on his family.

We analysed the character development of Stanley as we read more about his experiences, noting how his mental strength developed alongside his physical strength as he was forced to dig holes as a punishment for a crime he didn’t commit. We saw how he started to take responsibility for his own actions, and found the courage to stand up for what he knew to be right.

The class discussed key themes layered throughout the book, and how the author used the parallel narratives of the present day and the past to develop each one. There was the theme of survival; from Stanley’s great, great grandfather down to Stanley himself, friendship; as Stanley went from having no friends to risking his own life for his best friend Zero, and identity; as Stanley and Zero found their voice.

All the children enjoyed looking deeper into the narrative of the story, as they began building the analytical skills they will need for IGCSE and A Level. It also led to some excellent art work, including this picture of the character Zero by Laila, now proudly displayed in the classroom.