The Maze Runner
Ty Johnson #16
characters
Thomas is the main character and protagonist. He is a kind hearted sixteen year old. He has brown hair, and is five' nine. He was forced created to created The Maze by W.I.C.K.E.D. and figures the way out of it as well. He has a crush on Tereasa and can talk to her with telepathy. He is best friends with Chuck. He is dynamic character due to his struggle to regain his memory and becoming more of a leader.
Teresa is the only female character and innavertanly sets forth a chain of events that signify the end of The Maze. She is 5'1/2, skinny, tar black hair, and is fifteen or sixteen. She helps find a way out of the maze and also helped build it with Thomas and shares a telepathy connection with him as well. She has a crush on Thomas. She kind, but a little spunky. She is staic character and does not change at all.
Alby was an african-american boy who used to lead the gladers before being stung by a Griever. He used to be pretty sure of himself but after the Griever lost all confidence in himself and made Newt leader. He sacrificed himself to save everyone. He is a dynamic character and changes dynamically
theme
In “The Maze Runner” by James Dashner, a theme is confidence and courage will lead to fulfilling dreams. To start with, Thomas decided to be a Runner, and the Gladers did not support his dream. When he became a Runner, Chuck congratulated him. “That first night, when you were bragging about being a Runner… I was laughing inside so hard… Well, you proved me wrong, huh?” (Dashner 187). In order for Thomas to complete his dream, he needed to have confidence. Furthermore, Thomas displayed courage when he jumped in front of the Grievers. He did this because the Gladers needed his memories in order to escape from the Maze. Being stung by the Grievers created plenty of pain, but it displayed sufficient courage and masses of confidence. Another representation of Thomas’s bravery is when he helps lead the escape from the Maze. Thomas assists as the Keepers decipher the clues given to them by the Creators. He creates some of these ways to interpret the clues using his knowledge from his newly recovered memories, and he demonstrates valor and self-belief. Thus, because of the Gladers reaching their dreams, demonstrating bravery, and assisting in the escape, a theme is to always fulfill your dreams with courage and confidence.
setting
The story for the most part takes place in various parts of the made such as the Glade and the Maze hallways. The story takes place far north of the Andes (presumubly in North America due to the mention of hamburgers).
The Glade is an area in the middle of the maze. The middle of it is made of huge stone blocks, cracked with stone and filled with weeds with a black supply box. It has a wooden building in desperate need of repair. There is a few trees next to the building. In the other corner theres a farm with different crops. In another corner, there is a fenced in area with sheeps, pigs, and cows. The final corner has a small forest in it. The walls
The Maze looks alot like the Glades walls, stone walls covered with thick ivy
The Glade is an area in the middle of the maze. The middle of it is made of huge stone blocks, cracked with stone and filled with weeds with a black supply box. It has a wooden building in desperate need of repair. There is a few trees next to the building. In the other corner theres a farm with different crops. In another corner, there is a fenced in area with sheeps, pigs, and cows. The final corner has a small forest in it. The walls
The Maze looks alot like the Glades walls, stone walls covered with thick ivy
symbolism
The maze itself is a great symbol of the novel. It is unexplained and dangerous. It's what ultimately keeps them trapped in the Glade. It's life risking to even try and escape and puts pressure of the Gladers through out the novel.
The walls of the Glade symbolizes protection. The Gladers depend of the walls to keep them safe. There are also emotional symbols like the meaning of hope. Many Gladers have hope they will escape one day. This feeling motivates them everyday to try and find a way of escaping. Day by day they get closer to the ultimate answer.
The walls of the Glade symbolizes protection. The Gladers depend of the walls to keep them safe. There are also emotional symbols like the meaning of hope. Many Gladers have hope they will escape one day. This feeling motivates them everyday to try and find a way of escaping. Day by day they get closer to the ultimate answer.
book review
James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner, provides a post-apocalyptic, science fiction look into what teenagers would do if assigned the sole task of solving an impossible maze filled with violent creatures and brutality at its dirtiest, or so it seems. Thomas, the chosen one in this scenario, finds himself thrust into the duty of messing with the system and changing an already fixed way of life in the Maze. The book begins with Thomas as confused as the rest of us readers when he rides up the loud and fast elevator to potential destruction. He, like us, has absolutely no clue as to who he is, why he is there, or how he arrived there; his memories were wiped from his brain beforehand. When he reaches the top of the elevator, one boy jumps into “The Box” and pulls him out, saying, “Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.” Dasher certainly introduces his story with a train of confusion heading to cliffhanger station.
Though the darkness, violence, and strife troubled me, what did captivate me was Thomas himself. He resembles a typical teenager, confused and reckless but also clever. With a first-person point of view, Thomas's questions parallel those of the reader. When he is confused, so is the reader, and when he receives answers, so does the reader. Eventually arriving at the Glade is a girl who holds a particularly peculiar connection with Thomas, as if perhaps they recognized each other from a past life. While neither of them can remember distinctly, they still feel this connection and cannot ignore it. Her name is Teresa, and from the moment she arrives, he nature is quite compelling. Such is not the case merely because she is the one girl in the Glade, but because her only words before slipping into a coma are "Thomas" and "I am bringing the end," a remark left puzzling and thus provoking the reader to continue.
Thomas makes a few great friends while he is there: Chuck, an innocent and chubby, young boy who arrived in The Box just before Thomas did; Newt, second-in-command, turned-leader who always provides a joke or sense of lightheartedness when circumstances seem hopeless; and Minho, at first a foe to Thomas but later becomes his friend, remaining gallant, brilliant, and collected in times of panic. All of these male characters help Thomas become a Runner of the Maze and shape him into a braver and stronger person by the end of his venture.
Also comprised in The Maze Runner are monsters, antagonists, and general acquaintances. Gally, the prominent bully and antagonist of the novel, has memories prior to life in the Glade and resents Thomas because he remembers him in a less than perfect light. Another is Alby, the leader and an unfortunate soul who falls to a Griever’s sting very badly. Grievers are slug-like beings who do everything in their power to kill the Runners in the Maze, especially at night when the Doors close. Runners must return into the Glade before the Doors close, or they sentence themselves to inevitable deaths. The Griever’s sting brings back its victims' memories before the Glade. These memories are so terrible that the people who receive stings almost die in the process of retrieving their memories. Two of the wounded are Gally and Alby.
Friendship and perseverance for overcoming obstacles serve as the two main themes of The Maze Runner.Such themes are admirable, and the characters find themselves tested repeatedly. Even so, they defend each other when all odds are against them. Minho and Thomas clearly demonstrate such charisma.
Concluding scenes of this book are very unexpected, to say the least, which will remain unexposed for an interested reader. As a precaution, the story involves extreme violence with killing and weaponry, as well as monsters eating the children. For a reader who can sustain such brutality, The Maze Runner addresses moral issues and examines difficult circumstances. While the plot is dark, it is shockingly realistic, and Dashner pushes his characters to their limits.
Though the darkness, violence, and strife troubled me, what did captivate me was Thomas himself. He resembles a typical teenager, confused and reckless but also clever. With a first-person point of view, Thomas's questions parallel those of the reader. When he is confused, so is the reader, and when he receives answers, so does the reader. Eventually arriving at the Glade is a girl who holds a particularly peculiar connection with Thomas, as if perhaps they recognized each other from a past life. While neither of them can remember distinctly, they still feel this connection and cannot ignore it. Her name is Teresa, and from the moment she arrives, he nature is quite compelling. Such is not the case merely because she is the one girl in the Glade, but because her only words before slipping into a coma are "Thomas" and "I am bringing the end," a remark left puzzling and thus provoking the reader to continue.
Thomas makes a few great friends while he is there: Chuck, an innocent and chubby, young boy who arrived in The Box just before Thomas did; Newt, second-in-command, turned-leader who always provides a joke or sense of lightheartedness when circumstances seem hopeless; and Minho, at first a foe to Thomas but later becomes his friend, remaining gallant, brilliant, and collected in times of panic. All of these male characters help Thomas become a Runner of the Maze and shape him into a braver and stronger person by the end of his venture.
Also comprised in The Maze Runner are monsters, antagonists, and general acquaintances. Gally, the prominent bully and antagonist of the novel, has memories prior to life in the Glade and resents Thomas because he remembers him in a less than perfect light. Another is Alby, the leader and an unfortunate soul who falls to a Griever’s sting very badly. Grievers are slug-like beings who do everything in their power to kill the Runners in the Maze, especially at night when the Doors close. Runners must return into the Glade before the Doors close, or they sentence themselves to inevitable deaths. The Griever’s sting brings back its victims' memories before the Glade. These memories are so terrible that the people who receive stings almost die in the process of retrieving their memories. Two of the wounded are Gally and Alby.
Friendship and perseverance for overcoming obstacles serve as the two main themes of The Maze Runner.Such themes are admirable, and the characters find themselves tested repeatedly. Even so, they defend each other when all odds are against them. Minho and Thomas clearly demonstrate such charisma.
Concluding scenes of this book are very unexpected, to say the least, which will remain unexposed for an interested reader. As a precaution, the story involves extreme violence with killing and weaponry, as well as monsters eating the children. For a reader who can sustain such brutality, The Maze Runner addresses moral issues and examines difficult circumstances. While the plot is dark, it is shockingly realistic, and Dashner pushes his characters to their limits.