Chapter 34 · Holes

Copywork

He hurried toward it. The pool hurried away from him, moving as he moved, stopping when he stopped.

Read the passage aloud. What does the repeated word "hurried" do in these two lines?

Narration Tell back what Stanley sees and does in this chapter, from the pool of water to the hand coming out of the tunnel.

Stanley closes his eyes and opens them to make sure the pool is real. What does that tell us about the state he is in? Inference
Stanley keeps walking toward Big Thumb “although he didn’t know why.” Why might he keep going toward it? Character
Stanley decides to make the boat his halfway point, but he also hopes he has not gone too far. Is that sensible? Moral reasoning
Stanley thinks someone may have drowned at the spot where he could die of thirst. Why might the author put that thought here? Author's choice
The chapter ends with a dark hand and an orange sleeve coming out of the tunnel. Why might the author stop there? Plot structure

Make a Connection Tell about a time something you could see or hear turned out to be different from what you thought.

hurried: The pool hurried away from him, moving as he moved, stopping when he stopped. Moved quickly.
stopping: stopping when he stopped Coming to a halt.
pointless: It seemed pointless. Having no use or purpose.
mirage: It was a mirage caused by the shimmering waves of heat rising off the dry ground. A false sight, like water, made by hot air.
shimmering: the shimmering waves of heat rising off the dry ground Shining with a faint, wavering light.
encourage: it seemed to encourage him To give someone hope or courage.
mysterious: But he could make it to the mysterious object. Hard to explain or understand.
barren: this dry and barren wasteland Empty, with nothing growing.
grimly: he thought grimly In a serious, gloomy way.

Stanley sees what looks like a fist with its thumb up. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how sure he is that it is real.
Stanley still carries the empty sack of sunflower seeds. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what this small detail shows about how he is thinking.
The boat's name is painted upside down on its back. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how the author describes the boat and where it lies.