: By Chapter 17, Stanley has built the stamina and calluses necessary to survive the desert, a stark contrast to his soft, bullied self at the start of the book.

: Stanley begins to understand the harsh social hierarchy of the camp. He realizes that "character building" is a facade for state-sanctioned greed.

In the chapters leading up to this section, Stanley Yelnats and his fellow campers are told that digging one hole a day is meant to reform them. However, starting in , the Warden’s true intentions are exposed. After Stanley finds a gold lipstick tube belonging to the outlaw Kissin' Kate Barlow, the Warden becomes increasingly erratic and cruel. The boys are forced to dig in the same area for a week and a half, moving from individual holes to a massive collective pit as the Warden's impatience grows. Character Transformation and Hardening