Read this excerpt from Holes.
At the time, Elya thought nothing of the curse. He was just a fifteen-year-old kid, and “eternity” didn’t seem much longer than a week from Tuesday. Besides, he liked Madame Zeroni and would be glad to carry her up the mountain. He would have done it right then and there, but he wasn’t yet strong enough.
How does this section of the flashback relate to Stanley?
Elya was much older during his difficult time than Stanley was during his.
Elya’s physical weakness parallels Stanley’s physical weakness.
Elya, like Stanley, lives in the moment and does not consider the future.
Elya, like Stanley, likes the character who is giving him a hard time.