Chapter 45

Holes

Trailblazers · 4th–6th

Copywork

The light also illuminated Stanley’s hole. He glanced downward and had to force himself to suppress a scream.

Read the passage aloud. What do the words "force himself" tell you about Stanley?

Discussion

Narration Tell back what happens in this chapter, from the flashlight beam on Zero to Stanley counting his heartbeats.

1. Mr. Pendanski says, “At least we’ll have a body to give that woman.” What does that line tell us about how the adults see the boys?Inference

2. The Warden begins to thank the boys, then stops and slowly backs away. What does that moment show about her?Character

3. The Warden says, “We wait.” Is she choosing not to help, or is waiting all anyone can do?Moral reasoning

4. The Warden says she had to dig holes as a girl, even on Christmas. Why might the author give her that memory now?Author's choice

5. The chapter ends as Stanley hears his heart beat. How does the author make the waiting feel so long?Tone

Make a Connection Tell about a time you had to stay very still and wait. What did waiting feel like?

Vocabulary

Crossword
12
3
4
Across
  • Across 1. Lit up.
  • Across 3. To hold back; to keep from showing.
  • Across 4. Shone with a soft light.
Down
  • Down 2. A place where animals lay eggs and live.
The words in the chapter
  • illuminated The light also illuminated Stanley’s hole.
  • suppress force himself to suppress a scream
  • commotion he didn’t want to cause any commotion
  • scramble try to scramble out of the hole
  • helpless He felt helpless in the hole.
  • statue Zero sat as still as a statue.
  • nest He was standing in a lizard nest.
  • glowed Its big red eyes glowed
Define These Words
  • commotion: Noisy, excited fuss.
  • scramble: To climb quickly and awkwardly.
  • helpless: Not able to do anything for yourself.
  • statue: A figure of stone or metal that does not move.

Critical thinking

1. Stanley wonders whether to scramble out of the hole, then stays. Using two pieces of evidence, explain why he stays still.

2. Stanley works out where the lizards came from. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what he figures out and what he cannot be sure of.

3. Stanley notices how each adult is dressed. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what he can and cannot tell from it.