holes essay on friendship

• Ask LitCharts AI
• Discussion Question Generator
• Essay Prompt Generator
• Quiz Question Generator

• Literature Guides
• Poetry Guides
• Shakespeare Translations
• Literary Terms

Louis Sachar

Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

Fate and Destiny

Holes follows fourteen-year-old Stanley Yelnats , a boy wrongly accused of stealing a pair of shoes, as he's sent to Camp Green Lake in the Texas desert to serve his sentence. For generations, Stanley's family has been haunted by the specter of Stanley's "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather." That great-great grandfather, Elya Yelnats , didn't follow through on a bargain he struck with a "gypsy" woman, Madame Zeroni , and the Yelnats family has been plagued by bad luck…

Cruelty vs. Kindness

Camp Green Lake is an impossibly cruel place. There, the Warden forces teenage inmates to dig holes five feet wide and five feet deep, seemingly for no reason other than to "build character." In addition to this backbreaking labor, the adults in charge, who are ironically referred to as counselors, also work hard to terrify the inmates and destroy their senses of self-worth—and in turn, they foster an environment in which cruelty and terror are…

Holes explores the complexity of justice, both in terms of formal justice systems like courts of law, and more personal justice systems, such as the banditry and vigilante justice of the outlaw Kissin' Kate Barlow in the late 1800s. By exploring the ways in which the formal justice system falls short and doesn't actually promote justice, both in the present and in the past, Holes questions the usefulness of formal systems of justice in the…

Power, Money, and Education

At its heart, Holes is a study of power dynamics. By considering the different ways that characters gain power, hold onto it, or are unable to do either, Holes questions the very nature of power and, specifically, the different ways that individuals are denied power due to poverty and a lack of education.

One of the first means of gaining power that the novel explores is through money. The Yelnats family is extremely poor, while…

Man vs. Nature

In all three settings of the novel (Latvia in the mid-1800s; Green Lake, Texas in the 1880s; and Camp Green Lake in the late 1990s), the natural world is afforded a great deal of power over its human inhabitants. For those who are willing to play by the natural world's rules, nature isn't something to be feared; rather, it's something that can bring happiness, good fortune, and even economic prosperity. For those who seek to…

• Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.

Pardon Our Interruption

As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. There are a few reasons this might happen:

• You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser.
• You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed.
• You've disabled cookies in your web browser.
• A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Additional information is available in this support article .

To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.

88 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-3

Part 1, Chapters 4-6

Part 1, Chapters 7-12

Part 1, Chapters 13-19

Part 1, Chapters 20-24

Part 1, Chapters 25-28

Part 2, Chapters 29-35

Part 2, Chapters 36-43

Part 2, Chapter 44-Part 3, Chapter 50

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

What are some of the instances where fate seems to play a role in the plot? Are these acts of fate, or do the characters have a role in shaping their own destinies?

How do the flashbacks impact the story? Why did the author choose to include the flashbacks when he did?

How does Stanley change throughout the story? What about his personality is different from the time before he came to Camp Green Lake?

Related Titles

By Louis Sachar

Sideways Stories from Wayside School

Small Steps

The Cardturner

There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom

Wayside School is Falling Down

Featured Collections

Action & Adventure

View Collection

National Book Awards Winners & Finalists

Newbery Medal & Honor Books

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Book Review — Holes by Louis Sachar: Summary

Holes by Louis Sachar: Summary

• Categories: Book Review Novel

About this sample

Words: 922 |

Published: Jan 4, 2019

Words: 922 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

The essay explores the novel "Holes" by Louis Sachar, providing a summary and delving into its themes, particularly the concept of fate. The story follows the protagonist, Stanley Yelnats, who suffers from bad luck due to a family curse. Unjustly sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention camp, Stanley is forced to dig holes every day under the scorching sun. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that the camp's purpose is to search for something, revealing the story's intricate layers.

The essay also discusses the role of fate in the story and how Stanley's perception of it changes over time. Initially, he believes the curse controls his life, bringing him constant misfortune. However, his encounter with a fellow camper named Hector Zeroni (Zero) and the discovery of his family's history challenge this belief. Through their friendship and determination, they overcome obstacles and eventually unearth a valuable suitcase tied to Stanley's family's past.

Furthermore, the essay draws parallels between "Holes" and the movie "Moana," emphasizing how fate shapes the protagonists' journeys. Both Moana and Stanley face curses and expectations from their families that initially hinder their progress. However, they each undergo personal transformations and take control of their destinies, leading to their success in achieving their goals.

Works Cited

• Sachar, L. (1998). Holes. Yearling.
• Clements, R., & Musker, J. (2016). Moana: The Junior Novelization. Random House Books for Young Readers.
• Cox, S. (2008). The Fate of Louis Sachar's Holes. The ALAN Review, 36(3), 39-47.
• Edwards, S. (2019). The Narrative Structure of Moana. Cinephile: The University of British Columbia's Film Journal, 15(2), 61-69.
• El-Hussein, M. M. (2014). Literary Fate and Freedom: A Comparative Study of Louis Sachar's Holes and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. International Journal of English and Literature, 5(5), 259-270.
• Latham, D. P. (2003). Reading Moana: How Literary Allusions and Intertexts Enhance the Film. Children's Literature Association Quarterly, 28(4), 216-232.
• Moss, M. (2011). Holes: A Case Study of Texts and Contexts. Children's Literature in Education, 42(1), 59-72.
• Sachar, L. (2000). Stanley Yelnats' Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake. Yearling.
• Sanderson, B. (2019). Empowering Indigenous Girls in Moana: A Critical Race Feminist Analysis. Girlhood Studies, 12(2), 95-112.
• Thompson, J. R. (2012). Young Readers, YA Fiction, and Holes: Challenging Genres in an Urban Classroom. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 56(8), 675-685.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

• Expert in: Literature

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

3 pages / 1234 words

4 pages / 1663 words

2 pages / 859 words

3 pages / 1286 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Book Review

Adrienne Rich's poem "Diving into the Wreck" is a powerful and evocative work that delves into themes of identity, self-discovery, and empowerment. Through vivid imagery and metaphorical language, Rich takes the reader on a [...]

"Jurassic Park" is a science fiction novel written by Michael Crichton, first published in 1990. This literary masterpiece takes readers on an unforgettable journey into a world where science, genetics, and nature collide, [...]

  Kenneth Grahame's 'The Wind in the Willows' is a novel aimed at youngsters. The plot, itself, is not American humor, but that of Great Britain. In terms of sarcasm, and British-related jokes. The novel illustrates a [...]

In conclusion, "Where The Crawdads Sing" presents a nuanced portrayal of human resilience, societal prejudices, and the intrinsic connection between individuals and the natural world. The novel's profound exploration of themes [...]

The title of this book is The Hunger Games and was made by Suzanne Collins in 2008. This book is set in a fictional version of America. In the nation of Panem at a date of which is not specified. With characters all along the [...]

A timeless classic is a novel that resonates with readers and does not fade with time. No matter how old the book is, the novel is relevant and prominent in today’s society. For instance, if the book is in the historical genre, [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

by Louis Sachar

• Holes Summary

Stanley Yelnats IV is an overweight teenage boy from a poor family, whose future fortune depends on his inventor father discovering the secret to curing bad foot odor. The Yelnats family is said to be cursed: Stanley's great-great-grandfather did not honor a promise he made to an old woman with magical powers, and misfortune has followed him and his descendants ever since. Stanley is unlucky enough to be wrongly accused of stealing baseball star Clyde "Sweet Feet" Livingston's shoes, and instead of being locked up in prison, he is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention and correction facility in the middle of the desert.

After a long and lonely bus ride, Stanley arrives at the camp and meets the lazy and nasty Mr. Sir , one of the camp supervisors. He is warned to watch out for Warden Walker. Stanley also meets Mr. Pendanski , another camp supervisor. He is assigned to Tent D, where he befriends his tent mates and slowly learns the ropes of surviving in the harsh conditions of the camp: terrible food, limited shower time, an uncomfortable bed. Stanley becomes particularly good friends with a small but tough boy named Zero , whom we later discover is Hector Zeroni, a descendant of the woman who cursed the Yelnats family.

Stanley and the other boys are forced to dig a hole every day, five feet deep and five feet wide. The work is exhausting, especially in the shadeless heat of the day, and potentially dangerous: the lake is populated by yellow-spotted lizards, whose venom is strong enough to kill a person. The boys are told that the digging will teach them to work hard, and eventually facilitate their rehabilitation into society, but in reality, the Warden has a hidden agenda. She wants to find the treasure stolen and hidden by infamous bandit Kate Barlow.

The sad story of Kate Barlow is revealed later in the novel, although we learn early on that she is the one responsible for robbing Stanley Yelnats' great-grandfather of his stock market fortune and plunging the family into financial difficulties. Shortly before that time, when Green Lake was still full of water, Katherine Barlow was a beautiful young schoolteacher who fell in love with a black man - an impossible match, given the racism of the era. Her lover Sam was killed after they were caught kissing, and Kate became mad with grief, going on a killing spree that started with the sheriff and expanded into a career of banditry and murder. She earned the nickname "Kissing Kate" for kissing each of her victims with a full mouth of lipstick, leaving the mark of her lips on their skin. Legend has it that she left a great treasure buried somewhere in the desert before she committed suicide.

In Camp Green Lake, Stanley begins to teach Zero how to read. Zero eventually runs away from the camp, and a couple of days later Stanley steals the water truck and drives a short way before crashing the truck and following Zero on foot. Stanley finds Zero under an overturned and abandoned boat, eating the decades-old leftovers of the peaches that Katherine Barlow loved to make.

Since Zero is the descendant of Madame Zeroni , Stanley - although he does not know it - has the chance to put things right and break the curse that has plagued his family for generations. Stanley's great-great-grandfather received a piglet from Madame Zeroni, and instructions on how to turn it into a prize-winning pig, in return for promising to take Madame Zeroni up a mountain and to sing her a song while she drank from a life-giving stream. It was by forgetting this promise that he brought the curse down on him and his descendants.

In the present day, Stanley and Zero find themselves at the thumb-shaped mountain that Stanley spotted from afar and they begin to climb it, hoping to find water. Zero becomes too weak to continue, so Stanley carries him up - thereby fulfilling his great-great-grandfather's promise, albeit several generations late, and breaking the curse. The two boys spend a week at the lush green top of the mountain.

After coming down, the two friends go back to Camp Green Lake and find the treasure. They are caught by the warden and her supervisors and are almost killed. Stanley's lawyer shows up and takes him, Zero, and the treasure back to Stanley's family. Camp Green Lake is shut down, and the Warden sells the land to an organization that plans to turn it into a Girl Scout camp. Stanley and Zero split the treasure, and Zero uses his half to find his mother. Stanley's father is finally able to find, patent, and sell a cure for foot odor. The Yelnatses and Zeronis live the rest of their lives in comfort.

Holes Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Holes is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Write a diary that Kissin' Kate Barlow would have written if she had kept one.

Sorry, this is only a short answer space. We can't do assignments for you.

Find words in holes that stress the ideas of the wasteland and aloneness

He hated to think what kind of vile substance Mr. Sir might have put in it.

Vast / emptiness

"Oh, Sam," she would say, speaking into the vast emptiness.

Chapter 21 Summary

GradeSaver has a complete summary and analysis for Chapter 21 readily available in its study guide for the unit.

Study Guide for Holes

Holes study guide contains a biography of Louis Sachar, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Holes
• Character List

Essays for Holes

Holes essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Holes by Louis Sachar.

• The Not So Subtle Portrayal of Supernatural Elements in E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and Louis Sachar’s Holes

Lesson Plan for Holes

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Holes
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Holes Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Holes

• Introduction

Holes Essay

The novel Holes, written by Louis Sachar, is a great example of an analytical essay. The novel tells the story of Stanley Yelnats, a young man who is unjustly sent to a juvenile detention center for a crime he did not commit.

While at the detention center, Stanley discovers that the warden has been using the boys as slave labor to dig holes in the desert. Through his friendship with another inmate, Zero, Stanley slowly begins to unravel the mystery behind the holes and eventually learns the truth about his family’s history.

Sachar does an excellent job of developing the characters in Holes and making them relatable to readers. Stanley is a sympathetic protagonist who is easy to root for, and Zero is a complex character who is more than just a sidekick. The other inmates at the detention center are also well-developed and each have their own distinct personalities.

The novel addresses some heavy topics, such as racism and injustice, but Sachar handles these themes with sensitivity and care. Holes is an engaging and thought-provoking read that will stay with you long after you finish the last page.

Authors aspire to make an impact on their readers and change the way they think about and behave in the world. They do this by ensuring their writing includes themes that are relevant across generations. A theme is a message about life that an author wants the reader to understand. In his novel ‘Holes’, Louis Sachar explores the theme of friendship. He highlights how friends can help us stay mentally and physically strong, weather lonely times and improve our lives overall.

Sachar addresses the idea that friends are essential for our survival by having his protagonist, Stanley Yelnats, experience the positive and negative effects of companionship.

When Stanley is first introduced to the reader, he is depicted as an unlucky loner. Previously convicted for a crime he did not commit, he is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention center in Texas, where he is forced to dig holes in the blistering heat all day long. Prior to his arrival at the camp, Stanley had no friends; nobody to rely on or talk to. He was alone in the world.

When Stanley meets Zero, another inmate at the camp, he finally has somebody to connect with. Zero is shy and does not speak much, but Stanley is drawn to him and the two quickly become friends. He teaches Zero how to read and write, and in return, Zero helps Stanley escape from the camp when he is wrongly accused of stealing one of the warden’s precious possessions.

This act of friendship is key to Stanley’s survival; without Zero, he would have been stuck at the camp forever. Sachar uses Stanley and Zero’s relationship to show that friends can help us in ways we never thought possible. They can give us hope when we are lost and they can be our strength when we are weak.

However, Sachar also explores the idea that friends can sometimes let us down. When Stanley is finally reunited with his family, he learns that his father has squandered all of the money he had been saving to buy a boat, on a man who promised to help him win back Stanley’s mother’s affections. Devastated, Stanley runs away from home in search of his friend, Zero. He believes that Zero is the only person who will be able to help him through this tough time.

But when he finally finds Zero, he discovers that his friend has become a thief and a liar. Zero has stolen money from Stanley’s father and he has lied about his past, telling Stanley that he is an orphan when really, he has family who loves him and wants him back. This revelation is crushing for Stanley; he feels betrayed and alone once again. Sachar uses Stanley’s relationship with Zero to show that even our closest friends can sometimes let us down.

In ‘Holes’, the advantages of having trustworthy friends are portrayed well. Even though the book was published over 20 years ago, the theme of companionship is still important in today’s age. To begin with, close friendships can help us stay mentally and physically fit. This concept is illustrated in the story when Stanley and Zero hike up to Big Thumb mountain. The boys are fighting to get away from Camp Green Lake alive, and during this journey they come to trust each other more deeply than before.

“Without thinking, Stanley reached out and grabbed Zero by the arm, to stop him from falling. It was the first time he had ever touched Zero.”

This act of companionship is significant as it foreshadows their escape plan which requires both mental and physical strength. Furthermore, during their time at Camp Green Lake the boys are required to dig holes all day in the hot sun. If they did not have each other for support they would quickly become dehydrated and exhausted.

In contrast, friendships can also provide us with a shoulder to cry on during tough times. This novel demonstrates how true friends will be there for you no matter what. When Stanley is accused of stealing Mr Pendanski’s shoes, Zero is the only one who believes that he is innocent.

“I don’t care if you did or didn’t. I know you”

This novel also shows us that friends will help us when we need it the most, even if it means putting their own lives at risk. When Stanley buries the treasure in the desert, he does so knowing that Zero will never be able to dig it up by himself. However, he does not hesitate to give his friend the coordinates as he knows it will make him happy.

In conclusion, Sachar’s novel ‘Holes’ addresses the theme of friendship in a variety of ways. He shows that friends can be essential for our survival, but he also shows that they can sometimes let us down. However, the novel ultimately leaves us with the message that, despite everything, friendship is still worth fighting for. Stanley Yelnats may have had his share of bad luck, but in the end, it was his friendships that got him through the tough times and helped him find his way back home.

More Essays

• Book Report On Holes
• Holes Book Report Essay
• Black Holes Essay
• Qualities Of A Good Friend Essay
• Fake Friends Paragraph
• Garuda Di Dadaku Friendship Essay
• Theme Of Friendship In Gilgamesh Research Paper
• Friendship Definition Essay
• A Man A Woman Just Friends Analysis Essay
• The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas Analysis Essay

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Official Labor Day deals are here: We found up to 82% off at Amazon, Walmart, Kohls, more 

• Share this —

• Watch Full Episodes
• Read With Jenna
• Inspirational
• Relationships
• TODAY Table
• Newsletters
• Start TODAY
• Shop TODAY Awards
• Citi Concert Series
• Listen All Day

Follow today

More Brands

• On The Show
• TODAY Plaza

Supreme Court rejects bid to restrict access to abortion pill

In a blow for anti-abortion advocates, the  Supreme Court  on Thursday rejected a challenge to the abortion pill mifepristone , meaning the commonly used drug can remain widely available.

The court  found unanimously  that the group of anti-abortion doctors who questioned the Food and Drug Administration’s decisions making it easier to access the pill did not have legal standing to sue. 

President Joe Biden said in a statement that while the ruling means the pill can remain easily accessible, “the fight for reproductive freedom continues” in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s ruling two years ago that overturned abortion rights landmark Roe v. Wade.

“It does not change the fact that the right for a woman to get the treatment she needs is imperiled if not impossible in many states,” he added.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the court, wrote that while plaintiffs have “sincere legal, moral, ideological, and policy objections to elective abortion and to FDA’s relaxed regulation of mifepristone,” that does not mean they have a federal case.

The plaintiffs failed to show they had suffered any injury, meaning that “the federal courts are the wrong forum for addressing the plaintiffs’ concerns about FDA’s actions,” he added.

“The plaintiffs may present their concerns and objections to the president and FDA in the regulatory process or to Congress and the president in the legislative process,” Kavanaugh wrote. “And they may also express their views about abortion and mifepristone to fellow citizens, including in the political and electoral processes.”

The legal challenge was brought by doctors and other medical professionals represented by the conservative Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom.

“We are disappointed that the Supreme Court did not reach the merits of the FDA’s lawless removal of commonsense safety standards for abortion drugs,” said Erin Hawley, one of the group’s lawyers. She told reporters she is hopeful the underlying lawsuit can continue because three states — Idaho, Missouri and Kansas — have brought their own claims and have different arguments for standing.

By throwing out the case on such grounds, the court avoided reaching a decision on the legal merits of whether the FDA acted lawfully in lifting various restrictions, including one making the drug obtainable via mail, meaning the same issues could yet return to the court in another case.

Another regulatory decision left in place means women can still obtain the pill within 10 weeks of gestation instead of seven. 

Likewise a decision to allow health care providers other than physicians to dispense the pill will remain in effect.

The court’s decision to roll back abortion rights two years ago led to a wave of new abortion restrictions in conservative states.

Then, the court suggested it was removing itself from the political debate over abortion, but with litigation continuing to rage over abortion access, the justices are continuing to play a pivotal role. 

Abortion rights supporters welcomed the ruling, with Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, saying she was relieved at the outcome but angered about the case lingering in the court system so long.

“Thank goodness the Supreme Court rejected this unwarranted attempt to curtail access to medication abortion, but the fact remains that this meritless case should never have gotten this far,” she said in a statement.

Danco Laboratories, manufacturer of Mifeprex, the brand version of mifepristone, praised the ruling too, saying it was good for the drug approval process writ large.

In rejecting the challenge, the court “maintained the stability of the FDA drug approval process, which is based on the agency’s expertise and on which patients, health care providers and the U.S. pharmaceutical industry rely,” company spokeswoman Abigail Long said.

Anti-abortion groups expressed disappointment, saying that the ruling highlighted the importance of this year’s election in which Democrat Biden, who has pledged to defend abortion rights, faces off against Republican Donald Trump, who has the strong backing of conservatives who oppose abortion.

“Joe Biden and the Democrats are hell-bent on forcing abortion on demand any time for any reason, including DIY mail-order abortions, on every state in the country,” Marjorie Dannenfeiser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, said.

If Trump were to win the election, his appointees to the FDA would be a position to impose new restrictions on mifepristone. Biden’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez-Rodriguez, alluded to the possibility in a call with reporters after the ruling. Calling the case “one tactic in a broader, relentless strategy” by anti-abortion activists, Chavez-Rodriguez said if Trump is elected, his advisers and allies would try to ban abortion nationwide “without the help of Congress or the court,” and also restrict access to contraception — a threat, she said, to blue as well as red states.

The mifepristone dispute is not the only abortion case currently before the court. It is also due to decide whether  Idaho’s strict abortion ban  prevents doctors in emergency rooms from performing abortions when a pregnant woman is facing dangerous complications.

Mifepristone is used as part of a two-drug FDA-approved regimen that is now the most common form of abortion in the United States.

Abortion is effectively banned altogether in 14 states, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that backs abortion rights.

The FDA had the backing of the pharmaceutical industry, which has warned that any second-guessing of the approval process by untrained federal judges could  cause chaos and deter innovation.

Last year, Texas-based U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk issued a sweeping ruling that completely invalidated the FDA’s approval of the pill, leading to panic among abortion-rights activists that it would be banned nationwide.

The Supreme Court last April put that ruling on hold, meaning the pill remained widely available while litigation continued.

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in August then narrowed Kacsmaryk’s decision but left in place his conclusion that the FDA’s move to lift restrictions starting in 2016 was unlawful.

Both sides appealed to the Supreme Court. The court in December took up the Biden administration’s appeal in defense of the later FDA decisions, but it opted against hearing the challenge to the original approval of mifepristone in 2000. 

The Supreme Court focused solely on the later FDA action, including the initial 2021 decision that made the drug available by mail, which was finalized last year.

This article first appeared on NBCNews.com .

Lawrence Hurley covers the Supreme Court for NBC News Digital.

Bravo star Jax Taylor shares he’s been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, PTSD: ‘It’s been a lot to process’

Men’s health.

The Cure keyboardist Roger O’Donnell reveals lymphoma diagnosis

Bindi Irwin and her husband answer question they’re asked ‘daily’: ‘Will you be having more children?’

I’m a Paralympian. We’re not your ‘inspiration’ — we’re elite athletes

IVF success rates by age: What to know

These foods can reduce pain from period cramps

Women's health.

People tell me I don’t ‘look disabled,’ but I’m a Paralympian — and I’m going for gold

Tom Brady's TB12 diet: The pros, the cons and a shopping list

Diet & fitness.

The 5 types of friendship we all need in our life

Mind & body.

What is cycle syncing? Everything to know, from foods to workouts to fertility