Stanley Yelnats By Craig Crawford

The History of Stanley Yelnats The story begins in 19th century Latvia, when Elya Yelnats made a promise to Madame Zeroni to take her up a mountain after raising a pig and letting it drink from the stream. If Elya failed to complete the task, his family would be forever cursed. Madame Zeroni told Elya to go to America. He ended up going to America, failing to complete Madame Zeroni’s task. Elya’s successors lived with misfortune for their entire lives. For Example, Elya’s first son made a fortune in the stock market but was robbed by Kate Barlow on his way to California.

Stanley Yelnats the 3rd Stanley was cursed when he got hit in the head by Clyde Livingston’s shoes, under a highway overpass. After a trial, it was decided that Stanley would spend a year-and-a-half at Camp Green Lake. There, he met kids who had actually deserved to be there, and then he met a ward-of-the-state, Hector Zeroni- “Zero”. He was forced to dig holes every day, 5 foot by 5 foot. He taught Zero how to read if Zero dug a part of his hole. He was apprehended by the warden and many others, but continued to become friends with Zero. After months at Camp Green Lake, he ran away with Zero. They sought refuge on God’s Thumb. The same place that Stanley’s great-grandfather had found shelter, food and water. On God’s Thumb, Zero confessed to Stanley that he was the one who threw Clyde Livingston’s off the highway overpass. The two decided to go back to Camp Green Lake to dig one last hole where Stanley had found Kissin’ Kate Barlow’s lipstick. He dug until they had found her treasure. They soon fell asleep after they found the chest. In the morning, they woke up surrounded by yellow-spotted lizard and numerous camp counselors. The warden had revealed to Stanley that she was the grand-daughter of Trout Walker, an enemy of the Katherine Barlow. Trout walker died digging holes in search of Kissin’ Kate Barlow’s treasure. The warden had continued the search for Kate’s treasure and set up Camp Green Lake as a scheme to do so. When Stanley’s attorney arrived, the attorney stated that Stanley was free to leave. He took the treasure with him and also took Zero, being a ward-of-the-state. With the treasure, and Stanley’s father’s invention, they bought a house and Zero hired private investigators to find his mom. In the end, they lived happily ever after.

Why Stanley Yelnats? Stanley Yelnats is the kind of person who lets thing falls into place, instead of making them go where he wants to. For his entire life, the events he faced had always done him wrong. If he had someone to blame, his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather, then every made sense. When Stanley was sent to Camp, he had an opportunity to change how the events befell him. He met Zero and ran away to the desert. It was that very moment that had changed his life. That goes to show that any opportunity can change your life. For better or for worse. I liked that quality about Stanley.

The Relations: Stanley and Treasure Stanley Yelnats represents a chest full of gold and treasure. If you can open up the lock and pry the chest open you can reach the gold and treasure inside. The chest represents the misfortune he faced his entire life. The lock and strings embodies the the choices he made when he had an opportunity to change the outcome of events. The treasure and gold symbolize the good things that could have, did, and might happen to him if he chooses to open up the chest and obtain the treasure inside.