Sean Dougherty Block A

Sean Dougherty

The Maze Runner

James Dashner

Sci-fi

Just Right

Pg 144

1.     I am reading The Maze Runner by James Dashner right now. This book is one of those black out books you start with nothing. But I like it because it is easier to build off of. This blacked out character would be Thomas. He woke up in the Glade, which he soon finds out is in a maze. He only knows his name, but later on things start to become similar. The Glade gets a new person every month; they call them “Greenies.” Thomas was just unfortunate to be one of them. He is quickly greeted by Alby and Newt, the highest ranked Gladers, and introduced to the Glade. The Greenie before Thomas was Chuck, he and Chuck made a quick friendship, which is very rare in the Glade. Still new to the Glade, Thomas is extremely confused. That night, Newt took Thomas to a window near the wall that seals the Glade from the rest of the maze to see a Griever. A Griever is a creature that roams the maze and is in immense numbers at night. Grievers are very dangerous and can put them through an awful medical experience. After the scaring experience, Thomas has another strange thing happen. A girl comes, just as Thomas did, but out of order. There has never been a girl in the Glade before. She is passed out, however she was carrying a note that said that she was the last one. No more new Gladers. When Thomas was being introduced to the jobs, a runner (explorer of the maze who searches for a way out) returned with the news that he saw a dead Griever. That has never happened and draws a lot of questions. There is a forest in a corner of the Glade, and in the middle of it there is a graveyard. Thomas decides to explore these parts but soon feels that he is being followed. When he reaches it, the follower attacks. It is Ben, a patient who was bit by a Griever; he’s not in his own mind. After a few failed attempts to kill Thomas, Alby shows up to kill Ben. But Ben doesn’t die, instead he is sent out in the maze to die. Of coarse Thomas feels like it was his fault and he is soon filled with guilt. But, now he has an unknown source of becoming a runner for the better of the maze, yet he has no idea why.

2.     Again, I really have enjoyed reading this book so far because of the blank paged beginning. It makes me feel like I am just as clueless as Thomas and we both start out the same. Thomas is just a good character. Even after Ben tried to kill him, he still felt sorry for him because of what had happened to him. But the plot is just so great. This book was very well written. I mean I’ve never had a longer first paragraph. There are so many different factors that could change the plot. It really makes me think if it all really makes sense. Yet, with the smallest gap, it does. I like the variety of characters as well, You have really high strung kids and loose kids like Chuck who try to minimize the fact that there in a maze and just tries to have fun. They keep the book interesting.

3.     The theme of this book would be desire to escape. First, they all want more than anything to get out of the Glade, escape the maze, and return to their own lives. The first Gladers came about 2 years ago and have done what they could with plenty fatalities. Alby was part of those few. That’s why he is so high strung, he has hade enough of the maze and the sadness and just wants to get out of the maze. Furthermore, Thomas wondered who he was and what his past life was like. If there was a family, friends, school, social life, for him. It’s the same for all the other Glader. They earn to escape the hole in their mind where they are to get their memories back and return to the supposed lives they had. Everybody hates the Glade, but as it surprised Thomas, they have been able to manage peaceful society. But they all want to get out.

4.     My favorite character would have to by Thomas. He is one of the few Gladers who is actually kind and good-willed. He knows that all the other Gladers have gone through what he is going through now. To start with nothing, and be quickly overwhelmed by the scary information. He has sympathy and gets it. He even wants to become a runner, one of the most important jobs, to help the Gladers. Being a runner is also the most dangerous job because you are outside the Glade, which is full of Grievers. Many of the past runners have been killed doing this. This idea puts Thomas in the good hero position. It’s where anyone would want to be. Furthermore, I admire his courageousness in this situation. He is risking his life to try to escape the maze, which no one has ever done. His chances and slim, and I admire him for it.

5.     My least favorite character is Alby. He is the leader of the Gladers. He is big, and extremely high-strung. Although he is working for the Gladers to escape the maze, he is almost trying too hard. He has no time to enjoy himself, even simple pleasures like breaks and jokes are as tight as they are in a meeting. He isn’t nice to anyone, never shows half a smile, and hides everything he does. You’d think that when Thomas arrived with not even the slightest idea of what is happening Alby would be kind to him and explain what’s exactly going on. Even now Thomas and I still don’t know exactly what’s going on outside of the maze. Alby never tells anyone who comes. He thinks he has no room for joy and kindness, but what’s really best for him is to live a little. That honestly bothers me.

6.     I am predicting that they will find their way out of the maze. What really makes it obvious is that Thomas wants to become a runner, and he will be. Dashner couldn’t kill the main character. I know that there are 2 other books in the series: The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure. So Thomas must survive and find his way out of the maze. Also the last girl was a sign that the Gladers really have to get out know, or they’re done. Then the runner reports a dead Griever, which means that the game is ending and this is foreshadowing for me that something strange is happening and this is their chance. They will escape the maze with the courage all wound up inside the Glade for 2 years that will be let loose to lead then all out of the maze.