Holes

When Stanley first meets Zero, Zero is a very mysterious character. He stays silent and frowns most of the time while also being the fastest at digging holes. As Stanley’s time at Camp Green Lake progresses, more about Zero’s character is revealed. Zero is constantly mocked by Mr. Pendanski, who seems to support all the other boys except for Zero. While talking to Zero, Stanley discovers that Zero likes to stay silent because he doesn’t like to answer questions.

Zero, whose real name is revealed to be Hector Zeroni, grew up homeless. He vaguely remembers having a home early on in his life but is later abandoned at a park by his mother at a very young age. Because of this, Zero did not get an education and cannot read or write. Despite this, Zero is fantastic with numbers and has a strong moral compass. When Zero stands up for himself against Mr. Pendanski and runs away from the camp, he shows bravery and confidence. He knows he deserves to be treated better, especially after all the hardships he’s already endured in his life. When Stanley eventually joins him, Zero is grateful for his friendship, and they rely on each other to survive. When Zero admits to Stanley that he’s the one who stole the shoes that landed Stanley in Camp Green Lake, it is because he feels guilty for how his actions affected Stanley. Zero’s growth arc revolves around his willingness to let Stanley help him and thereby realize that he is an individual of worth.

X-Ray is the leader of the Group D boys at Camp Green Lake. He has been at Camp Green Lake the longest and tells the boys what order they must stand in to get water. X-Ray is good at manipulating people to get what he wants. He convinces Stanley to give him Kate Barlow’s gold tube because he thinks he deserves it more than Stanley. Stanley feels uncomfortable but doesn’t say anything because he’s afraid X-Ray will make his life harder than it already is. When Stanley starts to help Zero learn how to read, Stanley is nervous about how X-Ray will react because Zero will start helping Stanley dig his hole. X-Ray becomes hostile toward Stanley. Because he is the leader of the group, the other boys berate Stanley for getting Zero’s help even though Stanley explains that he is helping Zero learn to read. At the end of the book, X-Ray does not congratulate Zero and Stanley when they get to leave Camp Green Lake because he is jealous and dislikes that they are getting so much positive attention.

The tragedy that befalls Sam, Katherine Barlow’s Black suitor, is the cause of Green Lake drying up and for Camp Green Lake to exist as a detention center. Through flashbacks to 110 years earlier, the reader learns about the beloved schoolteacher named Kate Barlow. Kate falls in love with Sam, a caring man who sells onions. Sam is Black, and this causes a racist uproar in the town, especially because there is a law that says it is illegal for a Black man to kiss a white woman. He is shot and killed in a boating accident though no one is punished for his death. Three days later, Kate kills the sheriff in cold blood and plants a red lipstick kiss on his cheek, mocking his previous request for her to kiss him. This transforms her into Kissin’ Kate Barlow, a feared outlaw who leaves a red lipstick kiss on all of her victims.

Kate and Sam’s story highlights The Connection Between Past and the Present. If it weren’t for the town’s racism, rain would still be able to fall on Green Lake, Kate would not have become an outlaw, and Sam would have been able to live his life. Sam and Kate may have gone on to have a family though such a marriage would have been illegal at the time.

Through learning about the story of Kate Barlow and Sam, the reader also learns that the Warden is trying to find Kissin’ Kate Barlow’s treasure and that this is why the boys are digging holes.