Holes

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Several times the novel flashes back to Kissin’ Kate and Stanley’s great-great-grandfather.

• How do flashbacks impact the story? (topic sentence)
• Explain why the author uses flashbacks, the impact flashbacks have on the story, and when flashbacks are used in the novel.
• In your concluding sentences, describe how the author’s use of flashbacks connects to the novel’s theme of The Past Has a Strong Influence on the Present.

2. Camp Green Lake and the Warden play an important role in the fate of Stanley.

• How do the histories of Camp Green Lake and the Warden connect to Stanley’s story? (topic sentence)
• Explain how Camp Green Lake is connected to Stanley and to the Warden’s family. Then describe how the Warden’s actions are motivated by Camp Green Lake’s past.
• In your concluding sentences, explain how the fates of Stanley and the Warden are intertwined.

3. Stanley and Zero have an indifferent relationship at the beginning of the novel but quickly become close friends.

• What comparison can be made between Zero and Stanley? (topic sentence)
• Explain how Zero and Stanley are alike, how they are different, and why they became friends despite their differences.
• In your concluding sentences, explain the role their friendship plays in the novel’s outcome.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Explain the role of fate in the novel’s plot. How are people and their relationships all connected to fate? Why are the places in the novel significant to the fate of the characters? What objects impact the fate of the characters?

2. What is Stanley’s relationship with his family like? How is it different from or similar to family relationships for the other boys at Camp Green Lake? How are the Yelnats family’s financial struggles like that of other families in the novel? How does Stanley’s relationship with his family impact the decisions he makes at the camp?

3. Stanley experiences many challenges in the story. Explain Stanley’s conflicts at the camp. Why does interpersonal conflict with the other boys arise, and how is it resolved? What kinds of internal conflicts does Stanley face? How does Stanley experience conflict with the environment around him?