When he first comes to the camp he is a person who cares for others, for example, he is concerned about the guard who accompanies him to Camp Green Lake. He thinks about how long a journey it is and decides that the driver deserves the drink more than he does as it takes nine hours to reach there and it takes another nine to travel back. This is proven when Stanley thinks about the “long, miserable bus ride” and feels ”a little sorry for the bus driver.”
Stanley is also the kind of person who doesn’t enjoy being in trouble. When the “Lump” challenges Stanley, he really doesn’t want to be involved in a crisis after a long day of digging and in addition, he discovers that the “Lump” is not only as big as him, he also seems to be much tougher. Therefore, it appears to be foolish for him to fight the “Lump” and instead he claims that he isn’t ”looking for trouble ”.
Stanley is a person who isn’t considered trust worthy because when he says that he didn’t steal the shoes in court, nobody believes him and he is sent to Camp Green Lake. Also, when he reaches this camp, he says that he stole the sneakers and yet nobody believes him. Some of the people believe that it is impossible for him to have stolen the shoes of “Sweet-Feet” (Clyde Livingston) this is proven when “Squid” says “No way”.
Stanley is a person who isn’t very self-confident as he always finds fault with himself. For example, when he is in the camp digging holes he finds himself to be “defective” and he thinks to himself that “for once in his life” it pays to be “overweight” as it helps him push the blade of the shovel deeper into the earth.
Nearing the middle of the story, Stanley’s character seems to change when he learns more about the harsh reality of camp life. His character transforms from one that is simple to a harsher and stronger one. This is identified when he refuses to teach Zero how to write. I believe the reason for this is that the environment, which he is in, is filled with a great deal of physically tough boys. The individuals around him are also rough and unsympathetic compared to those in his previous school.
Stanley takes everything for granted and he gives the impression that he never reacts to any situation. When he first enters Camp Green Lake he isn’t bullied and he is treated with respect. He is always left alone and the people at the camp never bother him. Later in the story when Stanley is faced with a choice of attaining an easy form of physical labour, he takes the choice and has Zero dig part of his hole. This is the time where Stanley seems to change and takes advantage of the situation. This is when everybody in the camp starts to think of this act in an old communal way where the blacks worked and the white people sat back and relaxed.
Shortly after this incident Stanley corrects himself and decides that the act of making Zero dig his hole for him was wrong. This is because he observes that his new friend has the energy to learn even after digging both their holes and if Zero could carry on, he learnt that he too should very well be able to do so.
Stanley is a person who never expresses his feelings. This is confirmed when he never reacts when Mr. Pendanski ignores his fossil and says that the warden wouldn’t find it interesting. However, nearing the middle of the story he actually makes up his mind and decides to run away from Camp Green Lake and go in search of Zero. In my opinion, this is the time where he thinks for himself and makes a decision that he wants to look for Zero.
At this period of time Stanley goes through some changes as he starts to care about Zero again. This adaptation is after his previous change due to the exposure of the harsh environment in Camp Green Lake. Stanley, at current has already changed his personality to what he was as he now started to care about others again. Stanley now seems to consider Zero as his friend this proven by his act of running away from green lake and searching for Zero.
Stanley in the story was a very honest character but the “curse” on him seemed to affect his luck but everything turned the right way up when he took Zero up great thumb. This shows that the story about the curse was partially true. Stanley was a very complicated character and he always acted differently in different.