How deep would you have to dig to change destiny? “From the tip of the steel blade to the end of the wooden rod” would answer Stanley Yelnats, the character in the novel “Holes” (1998) by the modern American writer Louis Sachar. The story is full of intrigue, romantic stories about lawbreakers, unexpected twists and plot parallels; comic, tragic and fantastic elements – an unforgettable book that won the National Book Award and the Newbery Medal. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay One of the potential titles for the novel was “Wrong Place, Wrong Time, Wrong Guy.” However, the book finally received the significant name "Holes": a direct meaning is the holes that the characters of the novel dig in the desert; a metaphor is the difficulties, obstacles, complexities that adolescents must overcome. The novel tells from a third-person perspective about young Stanley Yelnats, who mistakenly went to a correctional camp with the romantic name Green Lake, but this is not a camp of children's dreams. The main character encounters the world of constant trials and punishments. Stanley must understand why fate threw him into this camp and why they are forced to dig holes. There are several plots and many characters in the book. The protagonist Stanley Yelnats is the most amazing person. The teenager is not discouraged in the terrible camp and tests his strength. He always decides with his "heart" and not with his "head" and helps everyone selflessly! I would also like to mention another character from the story – Zero or Hector Zeroni. This is Stanley's friend and the youngest in the camp, everyone thinks he is stupid. However, Zero turns out to be an intelligent boy with deep reasoning. He says if you live in a hole your whole life, you can only go up. This is a metaphorical phrase, which means that in every difficult situation there is a solution, you just need to find it. The plot of the book is dynamic and structured so that the reader knows a little more about the main character and therefore understands all the events. The actions take place in America, today, in the desert on an ancient lake. Centuries-old legends about this place are woven into the main plot. The main character gradually understands the connection of these stories with his life. The ironic, simple, but not concise language and the numerous dialogues help the reader to understand the characters, imagine them easily and not stop reading the book. Destiny is the key theme of the novel. The repeated words of a lullaby become a symbol of the variability of life, a symbol of the connection between personality and action. The protagonist will be able to change everything and forget his bad luck. He realizes that there are no coincidences in life; you just have to make an effort. This message is simple but instinctive. Louis Sachar's novel is very symbolic. All the details of the story are significant and play their role at certain points. For example, the child's stay in the camp is a classic initiation, because by digging holes under the scorching sun and under no less scorching observation the main character matures. A simple, interesting and understandable writer talks about children's problems and shows how important it is to understand who you are and on whom your fate depends. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get Custom EssayFor me the atmosphere of the novel turned out to be fun, because in the lives of the characters there are many funny and ironic situations. However, I would not call this story a fairy tale, because it makes us reflect on human values. This is a10583-011-9135-9