Question: When Stanley gets to Camp Green Lake, Zero is already there, and, from my point of view, it seems like he's been there a while, with everyone already knowing that he can't read, saying he's stupid, etc. But Zero says he got caught by the police a day after he stole the famous shoes and threw them over the bridge, and therefore a day after Stanley was arrested. Did Stanley's trial really take that long? Am I misinterpreting something? Is there something else I'm missing?
Brian Katcher
27th Jun 2025
Holes (2003)
17th Feb 2018
Holes (2003)
Question: How is Camp Green Lake legal? Aren't there laws against forced child labor? Also, what would happen if Stanley refused to dig holes?
Answer: It is illegal. That's why everyone in charge gets arrested at the end. It only lasted as long as it did because they were in the middle of nowhere with little to no oversight and no on knew what was really going on until Stanley's release.
Wait then why did the judge know about it? Did he get arrested too?
There are a lot of kids at Green Lake, sentenced by various judges. The court system either was unaware of the conditions at the camp, or didn't care.
Answer: Stanley and his fellow prisoners are convicted criminals, and as such, the authorities are allowed to work them. The conditions in the movie are rather extreme, but what recourse do the boys have? The warden and her flunkies are brutal people, and it's likely Stanley would have been in a world of hurt had he refused to dig. All they'd have to say is Stanley attacked them and whatever force they used would have been justified. That's the penal system for you.
Answer: In the book, Stanley's trial was delayed due to the schedule of the ball player who testified against him. Also, Zero was a poor homeless kid with no one to advocate for him and probably got railroaded through the system.
Brian Katcher