Holes – extension questions
Chapter 30
· “It was better than digging. But not a lot better.” Why wasn’t it a lot better to rest while Zero dug Stanley’s hole? Explain with reasons.
· What do you learn about the other boys from what they say and do? Why do you think they behave in this way?
· Why didn’t the counsellors shoot Zero after he hit Mr Pendanski and was escaping?
Chapter 31
· Is Zero stupid? Did he do a stupid thing when he escaped? Explain your answer – give reasons and examples.
· Why does the Warden want Zero’s records erased?
· What is the symbolism of Zero’s name?
Chapter 32
· “He had probably just done the stupidest thing he had ever done in his short and miserable life.” Was Stanley stupid to steal the truck? Why did he steal the truck? Explain your answer.
Chapter 33
· What was Stanley looking for in each hole that he passed?
Chapter 34
· “It seemed pointless.” Why did Stanley keep walking? Explain your answer, giving reasons.
· “Someone may have drowned here … at the same spot where he could very well die of thirst.” What is ironic about this comment?
· Where did the boat come from originally?
Chapter 35
· What is splosh? Explain your answer.
Chapter 36
· “It was like chasing the moon” – what does this simile mean?
· What is ironic about the boys conversation about the name of the boat?
· What might the Warden tell Stanley’s family if he died out on the lake?
· “For a brief second he seemed to defy gravity.” What does this metaphor mean?
Chapter 37
· Why did being “almost there” scare Stanley?
· What qualities does Zero display? How do you know this?
Chapter 38
· Stanley carries Zero when Zero collapses. Why is this an important moment in the book? What connections can you make with other parts of the story?
· “It was the bitter smell of despair.”
What does this metaphor mean?
Chapter 39
· What does Stanley’s song mean to you? Explain.
· What is significant about Stanley singing to Zero?
Chapter 40
· What sort of person is Sam? Give a detailed description and evidence from the chapter to justify your interpretation.
· How did Stanley manage to carry Zero so far up the mountain?
Chapter 41
· “We always took what we needed. When I was little, I didn’t even know it was stealing.”
What is stealing? Is Zero guilty of stealing? Justify your answer.
Chapter 42
· Why does Stanley like himself now?