Holes

Holes

by

Louis Sachar

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Girl Scouts Symbol Analysis

Girl Scouts Symbol Icon

Mr. Sir's favorite catchphrase is that "this isn't a Girl Scout camp," and calling the campers Girl Scouts is his favorite insult. This speaks to the way that those at Camp Green Lake gender their cruelty—it's masculine (and acceptable) to be cruel and perform hard labor, while anything else, even positive qualities like kindness or caring, are unfashionably feminine. In this way, Mr. Sir's catchphrase comes to encapsulate the toxic nature of the camp and show that the camp takes destructive masculine ideas to the extreme. When the narrator says at the end of the novel that a restored Camp Green Lake will actually be turned into a Girl Scout camp in the future, it suggests that, with balanced restored to the area of Green Lake, these more feminine qualities have prevailed and, contrary to Mr. Sir's beliefs, kindness and genuine care for others and the environment—as represented by the Girl Scouts—will govern the area going forward.

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Girl Scouts Symbol Timeline in Holes

The timeline below shows where the symbol Girl Scouts appears in Holes. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1, Chapter 4
Cruelty vs. Kindness Theme Icon
...Stanley and introduces himself as Mr. Sir. He tells Stanley that he's not in the Girl Scouts anymore. (full context)
Part 1, Chapter 16
Cruelty vs. Kindness Theme Icon
Justice Theme Icon
Man vs. Nature Theme Icon
...runs with his wheelbarrow, especially when Mr. Sir is around. He reminds them they're not Girl Scouts . They're the last group in that afternoon. (full context)
Part 2, Chapter 41
Cruelty vs. Kindness Theme Icon
Justice Theme Icon
Power, Money, and Education Theme Icon
...he wanted to be a Cub Scout. He notes that his mother was once a Girl Scout . Zero says that he and his mother always had to steal, but it took... (full context)
Part 2, Chapter 47
Power, Money, and Education Theme Icon
...could figure that out. They hear cars approaching, and Mr. Sir says it's certainly not Girl Scouts with cookies. (full context)
Part 3, Chapter 50
Fate and Destiny Theme Icon
Cruelty vs. Kindness Theme Icon
Justice Theme Icon
Power, Money, and Education Theme Icon
Man vs. Nature Theme Icon
...family's land after the Attorney General closed Camp Green Lake. It's slated to become a Girl Scout camp. (full context)