Read the excerpt from Holes.

"Not every Stanley Yelnats has been a failure," Stanley's mother often pointed out, whenever Stanley or his father became so discouraged that they actually started to believe in the curse. The first Stanley Yelnats, Stanley's great-grandfather, had made a fortune in the stock market. "He couldn't have been too unlucky."

At such times she neglected to mention the bad luck that befell the first Stanley Yelnats. He lost his entire fortune when he was moving from New York to California. His stagecoach was robbed by the outlaw Kissin' Kate Barlow.

In the excerpt, how does the author provide details to suggest that Stanley’s mother often chooses to focus on the positive side of a situation?

He describes what Stanley’s mother often says.
He describes what Stanley’s mother often feels.
He describes how Stanley’s mother often behaves.
He describes how others often react to Stanley’s mother.

In this extract, the author provides details about Stanley Yelnat’s mother and her optimistic way of viewing things. One example of this is when she tries to console Stanley and his father whenever they felt negative when it came to their ancestry of bad luck.

The starting sentence of the extract is said by Stanley’s mother, “Not every Stanley Yelnats has been a failure.” It gives us a view into Stanley’s family and the “curse” that befell them. However, Stanley’s mother seems to only look at the good side of things, expressing her encouraging and optimistic nature.

This impression the reader has of her is further reinforced by the line, “He couldn't have been too unlucky.” Through this, she tries to console Stanley by saying that, the first Stanley Yelnat could not have been too unlucky, and so Stanley now wouldn’t be too unlucky as well.

She tends to only look at the good side, as seen by the line, “She neglected to mention the bad luck that befell the first Stanley Yelnats.” It tells us that his mother views life with rose-tinted glasses, and is unaware of the obvious.

In conclusion, the author provides multiple details to build the personality of Stanley’s mother, an optimistic and cheery person.