Punishment In 'Holes' By Katherine Barlow

Many characters in the book Holes, were punished one way or another. Some punishments were small while others were quite big. The big punishments were the ones we noticed the most. Those include the punishments for Sam, Kate, Stanley, Zero and The Warden. All of these characters were punished in different ways and for different reasons. Some deserved these punishment while others did not. Although, some of these punishments actually rewarded them. In the end, no matter what happens or why it happens, everyone gets what they deserve.

Sam the Onion Man and Katherine Barlow had a tragic love story. Both Kate and Sam were, caring people. Always doing the best they could to help their community in any way. All they did was good for and to others, but they were both punished for what was called a ‘crime’. Two minor characters both said that God will punish them. “God will punish you!” Hattie Parker had whispered (p.111) while the Sheriff declared to Kate that “The law will punish Sam. And God will punish you.” (p.114) Sam and Kate were both in love and were punished for something that was innocent. They both did not deserve to be punished by being separated from each other, just because Kate was English and Sam was Negro. It still happened though and what happened to them, helped them punish those who really
It was just the matter of how and the outcome of it all. Sam and Kate were punished for no reason but, there sorrows helped punish those who truly deserved it. Stanley and Zero were rightly punished for their ancestors’ crimes but not for theirs. They were able to correct the crimes committed, and make their families’ lives better. As for The Warden, she truly got what she deserved for her family’s crime as well as her own. Everyone commits a crime sometime in their life, and everyone gets punished for it. The only difference is that it happens at different times and for different reasons. We just need to accept it, and move