the book hole 1. Discuss the Warden’s response to Zero’s running away. What did Mr. Pendanski say he would do? Is that realistic? Discuss your opinions. 2. What risks did Stanley take in going after Zero? Talk about what else he could have done to help his friend. What would you have done if you were in Stanley’s shoes when Zero ran away?

1a. The Warden did not care much about Zero running away from the camp.  Instead of caring for the safety of Zero, he together with the other officials, decided to erase the records of Zero.  He thought he would be taken care of by the venomous lizards.

1b. Mr. Pendanski, the camp director, said that Zero would be digging holes all his life.  This was not fair.  By such a statement, Mr. Pendanski would be condemning Zero to a life of continued imprisonment and punishment.  The camp was instead meant to be a youth correctional centre and not a maximum-security prison.  Mr. Pendanski should have remained focused on his job.  After all, he was not the judge that committed Zero to a time in the camp.

2a. Stanley took life-threatening risks.  He could be killed by the venomous lizards.  He could have his stay extended indefinitely for trying to escape, even though he later returned with Zero.  He could have died of hunger and thirst.  After all, there was no food in the mountain, except the onions he and Zero found there.

2b. Stanley could have left the authorities to handle Zero's disappearance.  But, friendship could not allow him to leave the matter to the authorities due to their lackadaisical attitude to Zero.  There was certainly nothing else he could have done, but to go and find Zero.  Going to look for Zero brought about the revocation of the family curse, which made Zero confess to the stealing, for which Stanley was falsely imprisoned.  It also enabled Stanley and Zero to eat enough onions which prevented the lizards from eating them, and they were able to dig out the treasure papers hidden by Kissin' Kate Barlow.

2c.  When Zero ran away, I would also escape to "go and look for Zero."  He holds the key to the whole puzzle, at least in hindsight.  Friendship demanded such a move.

Explanation:

The "Holes" was written by Louis Sachar in 1998 as an adolescent novel.  The novel had as its main protagonist an unlucky teenage boy named Stanley Yelnats, who was sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile corrections facility in a desert in Texas.  Stanley was falsely accused of theft.  The plot explored Texas' history and how the actions of several characters influenced Stanley's life.

The stories told in the novel revealed themes such as racism, homelessness, illiteracy, false imprisonment, demeaning punishment by prison officials, and arranged marriage.