The Maze Runner

1. The Maze Runner By: Grace Sarris and Alison Rhen http://www.audioeditions.com/products/The-Maze-Runner-James-Dashner-364260.aspx

2. Chapter 1: Setting This is how we image the Glade. We think this picture is a good representation of the Glade because it shows the walls of the Glade and the rocky, dirty feel of it. • Most of this story takes place in the Glade. The Glade is a large area about 3 times the size of a football field. All the Gladers live here. The ground of the Glade is made up of large stones with weeds growing through the cracks. The Glade consists of about 5 sections, one being The Box. The Box is where a new Glader is sent to the Glade each month. Also, every two weeks supplies are sent. Supplies might be ingredients for food, clothes, and other necessary items. • There is also the Gardens in the northeast corner, where crops are grown. If never rains, so the crops get watered by underground watering systems. The next section is the Blood-House located in the southeast corner. That is where the Gladers raise and slaughter their animals. This is how they get meat. Next is the Homestead. The Homestead is a large building made to be the living quarters. However, most Gladers choose to sleep outside in sleeping bags. Even knowing that, there is still some purpose for the Homestead. There is the kitchen where Frypan, the chef, cooks all the meals. There is also another room where all the Keepers have their meetings. Here, they discuss any excitement going on in the Glade, good or bad. This is a private room, limited to the Keepers. Then there is the Deadheads. It’s a large forest in the southwest corner. In the back, where the forest is thick with trees and plants, is the Graveyard. • There is also a jail in the Glade. It’s referred to as the Slammer. It is one jail cell with a single window, barred up. Being sent there is one form of punishment to ensure the Glade obtains order. There is a room in the Glade that is only for Runners. This is called the Map Room. Each night, after they return, they all meet in this room and try to create maps of the sections explored that day. Then they study a series of them and try to find patterns that will help them find a way out of the Glade and the Maze. Another room limited to Runners and leaders is in a basement. There isn’t much description of where this basement is but it holders many many cabinets, filled with weapons. • Also, there are 4 walls surrounding The Glade made of gray story, covered in ivy. The are hundreds of feet high and they make a perfect square around The Glade. There are 3 openings in the walls, just as tall as the walls themselves. These opening are closed at night when the ‘doors’ move in. When the ‘doors’ move in the boys are pretty much trapped in The Glade until morning when the ‘doors’ open again. The openings, when open, lead to The Maze. The Maze is a complex labyrinth that is only allowed to be solved by The Runners. Every night when the ‘doors’ are closed the Maze changes positions and, the walls that make it up move. This is why there isn’t a good description of the Maze, or why it seems impossible to be solved. • There is a part of the Maze known to all Gladers. It is called the Cliff. The Cliff is a never ending abyss. Once pushed off, you will never return. There is a part of the Cliff called The Griever Hole. This seems to be the only flaw in the entire Glade, or Maze for that matter. The Grievers can go through that Hole and basically go back to their Creators. They don’t fall, nor plummet to their death. • With that summing up the Glade and the Maze, the next area that should be covered is the lab type area, the work place of the Creators. Thomas suggests that it’s large enough to hold about nine, if not ten, Homesteads. Every inch was covered in machines of some sort. Then there was a large glass wall/window. Just beyond it, laid a single row of 20 Creators. Then it was assumed that this was the lab of the Creators. Soon after meeting the people who made these boys suffer for years, the boys and Teresa were taken down long corridors and hallways, lead by rebels of WICKED. The lead them to a large bus, which then took them to a muddy parking lot, surrounding a non-descript building. Inside, the surviving Gladers were shuffled into a large dorm stacked with bunk beds on one side and dressers and tables on the other. The room, as Thomas said, was full of color. You can tell from the leading action that whatever this place is, it’s important. Unfortunately short after the survivors arrive, the book one is drawn to a close, leaving you in suspense to find out more about this new mysterious scene. http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/18842/hardwicke-to-adapt-the-maze-runner

3. Chapter 2: CharactersThomas Thomas is the main character of The Maze Runner. He is the second newest Glader and is very curious. Since the first moment he arrived, he has been asking questions about the Glade, the Maze, and why he can’t leave. Since his questions are yet to be answered he keeps asking. He really isn’t taking no for an answer. He is very determined to learn what he wants to know. Chuck, Thomas’s only friend, says he thinks that Thomas is about 16. The boys don’t know how old they are, or what they look like. Before they were sent to the Glade, their memories were washed. Thomas is very worried because he feels like he has been in the Maze before. He keeps thinking that everything seems familiar. He thinks that he has a connection to the Glade and to the Maze. He is determined to figure out why it all seems familiar. But he is also extremely secretive about his feelings. He doesn’t want to tell his leader, Alby, that he feels connected to this place because right from the beginning his being there has been questioned. You can tell by all of this Thomas is very cautions, yet curious and wondering at the same time. Thomas is the protagonist of this story and definitely a major character. Thomas is static because he doesn’t change in the fact that he thinks he can helps the Gladers solve the Maze. I think through out most of the book, Thomas second-guesses his choices and actions. But then, towards the middle/end when a lot of the action happens, he starts to trust his instincts more. As you read the book, you can see Thomas has more confidence, and more trust towards his fellow Gladers. Thomas has feelings very similar to anybody. He is very compassionate for finding Chuck’s home. Thomas is also very sad and emotional when a close friend of his dies. Regardless of the strange things Thomas has been through, the way he thinks and acts is similar to how present day society would do so. This is what we think Thomas looks like; about 16, dark hair & dark eyes. http://mazerunner.wikia.com/wiki/File:Braeden-lemasters.jpeg

4. Chapter 2: CharactersGally Gally is one of the antagonist of the story and is a minor character at the beginning, but the significance of his character grows as the story progresses. He isn’t involved in every page of the story (until major events start to occur), but when he is, his part is important. He’s not truly a ‘bad guy’ but he is mean to everyone and thinks he's better than the rest of the Gladers. He is rude and arrogant but he isn’t trying to keep anyone from solving the Maze; he has the same goals as the rest of the Gladers. He seems to lack self confidence and has a low self of steam. This is why we think he is a bully. Gally is hard headed, and one of the 3 boys whose gone through The Changing. This is why he thinks he has seen Thomas before. He is also determined to figure out the connection. Through out the book, it’s proven that Gally does have a lot of determination. Gally is probably between 15 and 17 years old. He is tall and skinny and he has dark hair and dark eyes. He hair falls just above his shoulders and right from the start he seems to have a negative look on life. Gally is static because from the moment he is introduced, to the moment he is killed off, he wants to know what's up with Thomas. Then, you might also think he could be dynamic because at the start of the book all he wants is out of the Maze. Then later he realized the real world is very much going through a catastrophe and life is better in the Glade. Through out the book (and what we just said!) you can see that the feelings and actions expressed by Gally are similar to people in present day. This is how we imagine Gally. He doesn’t have the long hair we imagine but he definitely shows the scary factor of Gally’s character! http://mazerunnerfandom.net/category/movie-news/

5. Chapter 2: CharactersChuck Chuck starts as a minor character in The Maze Runner so, it is sort of difficult to decide whether he is an antagonist or protagonist because he really doesn’t do much. But he probably would be classified as a protagonist because his character is good and he does what he can to help Thomas be a helpful hero. Chuck is definitely static because his outlook on the Glade and on the Maze never changes. Chuck starts kind of cocky, thinking that he knows it all about the Glade. But as the book progresses you can see that he just wants everyone to believe he is brave, when that’s clearly not the case. He is a kind person seeing that he was one of the only people that where nice to Tomas in the beginning. Chuck is also quite, he doesn’t say much more than he needs to. Chuck’s appearance is curly red hair reaching his shoulders, freckles, a bit on the chubby side, short, and young! Chuck is one, if not the, youngest at the Glade. Overall his personality seems rather innocent and playful and most young boys are. Thomas suggests he is about 11 or 12 years old. We believe this picture best matches the description of Chuck’s character in the book. http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/tmredit?before=1346504118

6. Chapter 2: CharactersNewt Newt is a tall boy, but younger than his leader Alby. He is probably about 16 or 17. His hair is blonde and long. Thomas says it falls right over his shoulders. One of the first things Thomas notices about him is that is veins pop out of his arms and he appears to be strong with muscles. He isn’t an antagonist because he isn't a bad person or evil in any way. But we also don’t think he’s a protagonist because he isn’t a hero and doesn’t go out of his way to help with anything. He is a static character and definitely major. He is 2nd in command of the Glade and insists on order and a perfectionist of the glade. He is also very caring about his friend Alby. Newt isn’t mean at first, just strict. He remains strict through out the book, but becomes nicer and more of a friend to Thomas, Chuck , and Minho. It’s seems like his personality consist of wanting to help, but never actually helping the best he could. He’s willing though. He try's acting all brave, but it’s quite clear he’s afraid. Newt might look something like this. Around 17, and pretty average looking. http://mazerunnerfandom.net/2012/06/02/maze-runner-dream-cast-week-5-newt/

7. Chapter 2: CharactersTeresa Although Teresa isn’t an active character until a little while into the book, she is definitely a major character. We think Teresa is a protagonist because she is trying to help escape the Maze and she also wants to help the other Gladers. She could possibly be considered a antagonist from certain points of view, because before she was brainwashed, she did help to create the Maze, not knowing how much pain it could bring the Gladers. Teresa is static character, too. Her personality is definitely brave and outgoing. She isn't afraid stand up to Newt, making her courages. But she is also nice and caring. Teresa is a very truthful by not lying to Tomas and telling him everything she knows. As for physical appearance she is skinny and tall. She has skin white as snow, long dark hair, and piercing blue eyes. We think Teresa looks like this. Bright blue eyes, long dark hair, snow white skin. http://mazerunnerfandom.net/2012/06/14/maze-runner-dream-cast-week-7-teresa/

8. Chapter 3: Figurative Language Imagery • “They stood in a vast courtyard several times the size of a football field, surrounded by four enormous walls made of gray stone and covered in spots with thick ivy. The walls had to be hundred of feet high and formed a perfect square around them, each side spilt in the exact middle by an opening as tall as the walls themselves that, from what Thomas could see, led to passages and long corridors beyond.” (pg. 5) • “The floor of the courtyard looked like it was made of huge stone blocks, many of them cracked and filled with long grasses and weeds. An odd, dilapidated wooden building near one of the corners of the square contrasted greatly with the gray stone. A few trees surrounded it, their roots like gnarled hands digging into the rock floor for food.” (pg. 7) • “Dark wallpaper covered the walls of the foyer and the hallway, half or it peeling off. The only decorations in sight were a dusty vase on a three-legged table and a black-and-white picture of an ancient woman dressed in an old-fashioned white dress.” (pg. 17) • “At least twenty feet across, the break in the wall went all the way to the top , far above. The edges that bordered the vast opening were smooth, except for one odd, repeating pattern on both sides. On the left side of the East Door, deep holes several inches in diameter and spaced a foot apart were bored into the rock, beginning near the ground and continuing all the way up.” (pg. 25) http://search.rainbowresource.com/figurative-language

9. Chapter 3: Figurative Language Foreshadowing • “Then she spoke one sentence-her voice hollow and haunted, but clear. ‘Everything is going to change.’ Thomas stared in wonder as her eyes rolled up into her head and she fell back to the ground. Her right fist shot into the air as she landed, staying ridged after she grew still, pointing toward the sky. Clutched in her hand was a wadded piece of paper…Scrawled across the paper in thick black letters were five words; She’s the last one. Ever.” (pg. 57) We know that this is foreshadowing because it implies that things will indeed begin to change. Not only because this girl said so, but because she’s a girl. Because Gladers will stop coming. Because this girl came just a day after Thomas came. Because things have already began to change. • “He glanced upward at the sky again, half expecting it to have changed back to normal. But it was all gray. Not cloudy, not twilight, not the early minutes of dawn. Just gray. The sun has disappeared.” (pg. 218) We know that this is foreshadowing because the sun isn’t supposed to disappear. It just doesn’t. Even in this dystopian society where everything is weird and different, the sun doesn’t disappear. So from that we know something is going to change, and things will be different. Similes • “’Oh, yeah, smart guy? I’ve seen the sucker’s bones. Cut in half like a knife through whipped cream. They keep him in a box to remind future kids not to be so stupid.’” (pg. 51)

10. Chapter 3: Figurative Language Metaphors We couldn’t find a single metaphor in our book! But, we found an example of one on the internet. • Love is a sweet, sweet rose. http://examples.yourdictionary.com/metaphor-examples.html Alliteration • “He selected a short silvery dagger with a rubber grip, then one with a long black blade.” (pg. 204) Personification • “He started up the stairs. Each step groaned and creaked under his weight; he might’ve stopped for fear of falling throught the old wood if he weren’t leaving such an awkward situation below.” (pg. 19) • “Near that, maybe twenty feet to the south, stood a squat building made of rough concrete blocks, a menacing iron door it’s only entrance-there were no windows.” (pg. 22) Onomatopoeia • “Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, click-click-click, whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.” (pg. 127) We looked through every page giving a description of something and we couldn’t find two more examples of onomatopoeia, so we had too use thee two examples we found online; • "Chug, chug, chug. Puff, puff, puff. Ding-dong, ding-dong. The little train rumbled over the tracks.” • "Brrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinng! An alarm clock clanged in the dark and silent room.” Both of those examples are from, http://grammar.about.com/od/mo/g/onomaterms.htm

11. Chapter 4: Plot http://www.thefullwiki.org/Rising_action Rising actions Rising actions are the important events that lead up to the main event of the story. • For the past two years of the Gladers trying to solve the Maze, once a month, on the exact same day, around the exact same time, a new Glader has been sent through the Box. Never, ever, ever, has it happened any other way. Until now. Thomas arrived at the Glade just yesterday and now a new Glader has been sent up. This is unheard of. The only thing that could possibly make this a weirder situation is what happens next. It’s not another scared boy, it’s a girl. And it seems as though she’s dead. As the leaders should, Alby and Newt climbed into the box to bring her up. They next lied her on the ground to realize she wasn’t dead, but in a coma. After a moment or so, she sits up, quicker than light. She announces, “everything will change”, only to lie back down a stick her fist into the air. They find there is a note in her palm reading, “she is the last one. Ever”. Of course, this does nothing but brings panic to the Glade. This rising action because it is an extremely important event, but not important enough to be the main conflict. • This next event is also rising action because again it is important. This could also be classified as conflict. Ben, a boy of the Glade, was attacked by a Griever, he was stung. Luckily for him he was able to get some Serum, or medicine, and live through the attack. But, the medicine made him absolutely crazy and he used all his strength to attack Thomas and attempt to murder him. Clearly this shouldn’t and isn’t tolerated. Alby was near by and was able to bring some help to get Ben into the Slammer. Unfortunately, for Ben’s case, this wasn't enough punishment. The leaders of the Glade are very specific about keeping order and can’t afford to let the other boys think behavior like this is allowed. So Alby called everyone to the West Door, about 15 minutes before it was due to close. Newt strapped a mangled leather collar around Ben's neck. The collar was attached to a pole and each Keeper grabbed one to the old, rusted, metal pole. Once they heard the door begin to close in, Ben’s pleads were immediately ignored and the Banishment began. The Keepers used all their might, and pushed Ben into the Maze, just as the door locked him in for the night. Alby and Newt couldn’t make exceptions to chaos so they had no other choice but to leave Ben in the Maze for the night, to be attacked by the grievers until death meet up with him. • Just the day before Minho had found the dead Griever. Lying on the ground, no ability to get up. So today was the day Minho and Alby would set out, back into the Maze to find and investigate it. Newt, Thomas, Chuck, and everybody else expected them to be gone all day, just like every other Runner. But time passed and passed and the still hadn’t returned. Other Runners started showing up, but of course they wouldn’t have seen them because all Runners attend different sections. The day was growing into evening and soon the doors would close. Everybody had become anxious and worried. Just then, Thomas saw them! Minho was jogging with an unconscious Alby dragging along. Thomas’s original reaction had been to yell to run quicker. But soon it became quite obvious that Alby had been stung and Minho had been dragging him for quite some time. Then, Thomas acted with out thinking. He broke into a sprint and bolted for the door, just making it, Alby, Minho, and himself, became locked in the maze for the night. After yelling at Thomas for breaking the number one rule and being such an idiot, Minho explained to him the Griever had plated dead and after Ably kicked him, he was stung. Then the horrific sounds of the Grievers were released as if to signify that they could catch more prey. And with that Minho took off leaving Thomas and Ably to defend for themselves.

12. Rising actions As the night continued on, Thomas was creative enough to tie Alby, helpless Alby to the wall of ivy. This would be his best defense to remain alive until morning. Then Thomas had no other choice but to outrun the Griever chasing after him. He finally reached a dead end only to be encountered with 3 more of the vicious creatures waiting for him. He was able to dodge them and do a 180 but, they were still on his tail. He finally met up with Minho were he lead them to the Cliff. Corner after corner, Minho leaded the way never thinking twice. Then finally both boys stood directly in front of the Cliff, only to dive away once the Grievers got close. And then to their amaze, they watched them fall, and fall, and fall. The next day all three boys were given the unofficial title of being the first ones to make it a whole night to make it in the Maze. That isn't a title most anyone would challenge. • Just two short days after a terrifying night in the Maze, Thomas and Newt go into a small room to visit the girl in a coma. The Med-Jacks, or doctors, had been feeding her and writing every single syllable she muttered. Surprisingly enough, she spoke of Thomas often. They sat at the side of her bed as newt forced Thomas to stare at her. He needed to know if she seemed familiar, and if Thomas would find any connection at all. That’s when Thomas heard the voices. As Thomas sat at her bedside, he heard he talking to him in his head. She first said his name, then said his. Thomas was immediately scared as couldn’t understand how this was happening, but message after message was said. “Tom, we’re the last ones. It’ll end soon. It has too.” and “ Everything is going to change. It was you and me, Tom. WE did this to them. To us.” After hearing such absurd words spoken in his mind, Thomas ran and ran. He ran through the Deadheads for an hour. Until the voices had stopped. • Thomas woke up from a nice long sleep, to find a rude, quick wake up call. Many boys had crowded around the Homestead all talking about the same thing. The sun. It was no longer up. Just like that, vanished. Thomas knew the sun was to rise each morning, and he knew it was wrong it hadn’t rose this morning. Then Chuck and himself, realized that the sky seemed to just be a large empty ceiling, not an actual sky. But that was only the start. • Later that day, Thomas and Minho went on their usual day in the Maze. They finally found themselves in front of the Cliff. Only to see that a griever had jumped off, but instead of falling to it’s death, vanished through a small section of the Cliff. Thomas and Minho needed to explore this interesting portion of what the thought of it to be a death sentence. They tossed rocks at the hole only to find that indeed there was a small little hole that could possibly lead to a way out of the Maze. Maybe it wasn’t the exit the Creators wanted them to fin, but maybe it’s a loophole in the Creator's flawless system. • This next event it really important to the story because it’s a rude awaking to the Gladers letting them know that this is over and needs to end soon. Once Thomas and Minho got back they found a rude Newt and Alby panicking near the doors. The supplies hadn’t been sent through the box, and if they didn’t come today, they weren’t coming at all. On top of that Thomas and Minho had spent more time in the Maze than normal, and they didn’t get caught. The doors were just no longer closing. This meant either the creator’s wanted the Grievers to have 24 hour access to the Gladers, or they wanted Runners to have 24 hour access the Maze. Either way, they were telling the Gladers they needed to solve the Maze. Soon. • The next important thing in the story line that the girl in the coma, Teresa, was woken up. Right after the boys realize that the walls won’t close anymore, and supplies wont come anymore, Chuck runs over to tell them that Teresa is awake and asking for Thomas. But, Thomas already knew she was looking for him; she sent him mental messages. She’s telling him things like, she needs him and she’s losing her memory and needs to talk to him. But her last message is most important, “The Maze is a code, Tom. The Maze is a code”.

13. Rising actions • After Thomas receives Teresa’s freighting messages, he runs. Just like before he runs and runs into the forest where he’s slept the past few nights. He finds his blankets right where he left them and hides under them hoping for some type of protection for what he’s going through. Then he hears Teresa talking to him. They talk about the Ending and she tells him what she knows, which isn’t much. But right when they start to talk about things, a little deeper that is, Alby and Newt approach them with the Med-Jacks. They talk to Tom and Teresa only to hear Theresa admit to trigging them ending and them putting her into the Slammer. It’s a bad night to be alone, even if she is in the safest place, because it is the first night in two years the Gladers didn’t have protection from the Grievers. The worst part is Teresa thinks she has triggered the ending, put she didn’t. The Creators had been planning the ending for a while, and she was sent to show them the End was near. Not because she caused it. • Later after Teresa is in the Slammer, almost all the Gladers have gathered into the Homestead for the night. It’s packed tight but everyone is happy to have even the slightest bit of protection from the vicious Grievers. But then, all the boys heard a griever coming. They could hear the clicking and clacking of the Griever’s approaching the Homestead. They heard the sounds and thought at least 3 or 4 were waiting outside for their next victim. Thomas could hear them shredding the wood of the Homestead and climbing and crawling up the sides. Then just when they were expecting the Griever to smash through the window, not for Gally, of all people, to appear in the doorway. As soon as Thomas could get a closer look at him he saw he eyes were bloodshot, clothes torn and shredded, hair tousled. He walked in raging, screaming, “They’ll kill you! The grievers will kill you all-one every night until it’s over!” Gally staggered over to Thomas and spitted his words, “You! It’s all your fault!” Truthfully Gally didn’t care anymore though. But he did know that the Maze can’t be solved. Or so he said. He screamed that it will never be solved and that they’ll each one of the Gladers, one by one. Gally started ripping off the boards they had used to board up the windows. And with that a pulsating Griever rolled it’s body into the room. Before he could attack anyone, Gally through himself onto the creature and he was taken away. The treacherous mutt didn’t try to grasp anymore victims, he just accepted Gally, and left. • Soon after the attack, Thomas saw a small shadow sprinting into the Maze. He realized it was Minho, but he realized too late. He couldn’t chase after him with the chaos rumbling through the Glade. And just after he came to the conclusion he couldn’t go after his friend, Newt came up to him to announce all the trunks in the Map Room had be burned. All the trunks holding all the Maps. And soon after that, he talked to Teresa only to learn the Maps might have spelled out the answer to their prays. But, it was too late to see if Teresa had been right. Two years worth of maps, were now nothing, but ashes. • The next interesting portion of this book takes place in the Homestead. Thomas knew that he was so close to memories. Memories that he needed to solve the Maze. But he knew the only way to access them, would be to go throught the Changing. And with that thought fresh in his mind, and the nighty Griever attack right in front of him, Thomas threw himself on top of a treacherous Griever.

14. Chapter 4: Plot http://www.thefullwiki.org/Rising_action Climax Climax is the main event, or most important part of the story. If you look at a story map, climax is the the top of the mountain. • After Thomas goes through the Changing, he has Newt call a meeting for the Keepers. Thomas has memories fresh in his mind and he needs to explain EVERYTHING to his fellow Gladers. He explains that the Maze isn’t meant to be solved,; it’s all just a trial. They’ll keep throwing variables at the Gladers until they have their survivors. Their survivors are going to do something important. He tells them that the Creators knew the Gladers would be apart of their trials for a long time; they were taken when they were little. Thomas isn’t super clear about why but he’s guessing that they were all brighter than average, so they were chosen to be used. Then he tells them how after be taken they were raised in special schools for a couple of years as, the Maze was planned out. Then, he explained that their names, aren‘t even their real names. They’re abbreviations of scientists names. Like, Alby for Albert Einstein. And from there they come to the conclusion that they are orphans raised by scientists. So from that point Thomas moves on to more details so it’s easier to understand and well, believe. He says that in the schools the scientists made them extremely smart, and some people even have altered brains. He says that they wiped their memories of the all events leading up to being put in the box. Now, as the Creators throw different variables at them, they study their every move, seeing how they handle a problem with no solution. They all get mad and upset realizing they are just pods in the Creator’s game. After the frustration burns down, Thomas tells them that the Maze creates a code, a code that is displayed in the maps. Thomas then admits to being there when the created the Maze, and that him and Teresa helped. Surprisingly, no body was mad, just shocked. But, Thomas’s goal of gaining their full trust, had been achieved. Then, Thomas breaks the escape plan to everybody; they would leave through the Cliff, through the Griever Hole. • Next, everybody who has decided to go with their leaders (Newt, Alby, Thomas, Teresa, and Minho) have gathered around the West Door. After a few inspiring words of wisdom form Minho, they take off. They move quickly, in a tight pack, no words being spoke. I imagine that they had been running for about 45 minutes, when they stop at a corner. Minho said he heard something, and shortly after, Thomas hears it too. Minho looks around the corner to see about a dozen Grievers; waiting for them. They stand there, thinking, only to be interrupted by Alby. Alby sacrificed himself to the Grievers. Apparently when he had underwent the Changing, he saw memories so terrible he couldn’t go back.

15. Climax Everybody was in total and utter shock. But the cackling of more Grievers approaching snapped them out of it. They all turned to see that mass herds of Grievers were closing them in. They were surrounded. That’s when Newt decided they needed to fight. They all charged in the direction of the Cliff, beating and stabbing as they moved. Thomas could hear the horrid screams, but Teresa and himself, had a mission to complete. Eventually they reached the Cliff, already knowing how many soldiers were lost. But he couldn’t think about that now. He needed to defeat the Creators and save his friends. Teresa was the first to jump, then Chuck, then Thomas. They all fell one-by-one, into the Griever Hole. They land in a room, entirely black. Thomas is called to the opposite side of the room by Teresa; she had found the computer. She began typing in the code they had solved, but something wasn’t working. She’d type in the words, but the computer wouldn’t allow the last word to be typed in. She keep trying as a Griever fell through the Hole, landing in the room. Thomas looked around realizing the lights were now on, and that he had no other choice but to fight them off. After a 10 minutes battle, the Griever was defeated, just as another fell through. Thomas panicked now, and ran over to Teresa. She still couldn’t do it, but Chuck had solved their problems. He had noticed there was a button below the computer reading “Kill Maze”. So, he pushed it to see the newest Griever flop dead. Shortly after the survivors popped through, one-by-one. Thomas, Chuck, and Teresa learned that above them was a blood bath. Not only that but they lost half their army. They couldn’t worry now though, they needed to get their hands on the Creators. So, they went down a tunnel and found themselves in a lab, where they were approached by a Creator.

16. Chapter 4: Plot http://www.thefullwiki.org/Rising_action Falling Action Falling action are the important events that close the story. The occur after the climax and they basically tie up lose ends, or in some cases, create new problems left to be solved in future books. • The Gladers must have thought this was too good to be true; they had escaped and they were free! Well, almost free. After shutting down the Grievers and escaping the maze, they found them selves in mysterious lab of some sort. Clearly it’s owned and operated by the Creators. They weren’t surprised when a Creator began speaking to them but they were surprised to see Gally sanding in front of them. He trying to speak, but non of his words were clear. They could make out that he said the Creators could control him. And with that he pulled out a sharp dagger, and through it at Thomas. Thomas obviously saw it coming but couldn’t make his body move. Right before the knife would’ve dove into Thomas’ chest, Chuck ran in front of him, and let the knife pierce him instead. And with Chuck landed on the ground, twitching until death met up with him. • After Chuck’s death and band of grimy looking men and women busted into the room. They shot down the Creator whom had been speaking with the survivors and lead 19 boys and 1 girl down emissive amounts of corridors and hallways, saying they must run as if their lives depended on it, because they did. They finally reached a door leading outside, where no body hesitated to break through. There was a large bus outside waiting for them, and a lady with greasy hair spilling down her face helped them aboard. After an hour of just sitting there, still and confused Teresa asked for an explanation. The lady explained to them that WICKED was bad and their group was rebelling agonist them. She told them about the Flare, the disease the world was dealing with and why WICKED needed to be stopped. Just as she was finishing they arrived at a building and then shuffled in and lead up the stairs into a dormitory. They would stay here for the night, but no further information was given. And with that, book one was over.

17. Chapter 5: Conflicts http://trumpethope19.wordpress.com/2008/11/27/i-hate-holidays/ • Man vs. Man: Man versus man is when two different characters are having a conflict. In The Maze Runner, Thomas is walking through the graveyard in the Deadheads when he hears some noises. He looks around only to then be attacked by the psycho, Ben. Ben tackles him and bites him, giving him death threats through clenched teeth. This is definitely a conflict between the two characters, Ben and Thomas. • Man vs. Fate: After escaping the Maze, and being talked to by the Creators, Gally walks into the room, and throws a dagger at Thomas! However, Chuck was very heroic and jumped in front of him, saving his life, but taking the knife. This is an example of man versus fate because after what Chuck did, it was only a matter of time before he passed away, and that’s just fate. • Man vs. Self: When it becomes clear that Minho and Alby won’t be able to make it out of the Maze in time, Thomas debates whether to stay in the Glade and avoid breaking the Number One Rule, or go in and save his friends. He’s debating in his head, between what he thinks he needs to do. This is an internal conflict; man versus man. • Man vs. Society: A group of the society, of which this story takes place, called WICKED, takes young boys, snatching their childhood away from them. Thomas experiences this first hand. Him, and everybody else, don’t want to lose their families memories, therefore, creating a conflict between man (Thomas) and society (WICKED).

18. Chapter 6: Theme and Resolution Theme is basically the moral of the story. It explains the overall ideas and concepts used in the book. The resolution is the solution, or how the problems are solved. It’s pretty much just the ending of the book. • I think that the novel The Maze Runner, has about three different themes. I think that the first one is friendship. Through out the story you watch many different friendships be created. Most of them, being significant to the story. This theme leads into the next one of not being able to do everything on your own. I think that there's a long list of examples of this theme but a few would be that Minho needed Thomas to find the Griever Hole, Thomas needed Teresa to inform them that the Maze was a code, and everybody needed Chuck to find the infamous “Kill Maze” button (“She’s right, Chuck-you saved us, man! I told you we needed you!” pg. 347). All this shows you can’t do it all by yourself, and you need help sometimes, and that’s okay. The final theme we recognized was determination. In the epilogue/lab report, they say that it’s amazing the Gladers never gave up. And it’s true; after 2 years of trying to solve an impossible problem, most people would give up. But, the Gladers didn’t because they would not take no for an answer. Those are the three themes we recognized in The Maze Runner. • In The Maze Runner, there isn’t a real resolution or real closure to the book. The last page of the final chapter implies that if you want to know what happens next, you’ll need to read the next book. And from what we’ve heard, the next book picks up right where this one left off. But the closest think given is the epilogue. The epilogue is a lab report/email from one Creator to the others. In the note it says that all the variables and tests were perfect. That the “rescue” and Chuck dying were a perfect ending to their first trial. She also says that they finished with more survivors than expected and that the results were absolutely perfect! She seemed very pleased with the way the Creators test had turned out. That was the closest thing to resolution given in the novel, The Maze Runner.

19. Chapter 6: Theme and Resolution • Symbol of resolution We think that this symbolizes resolution because the resolution of a story is the end of a book. This flag signifies the end of a race http://bootcampboston.com/finisher/

20. Chapter 7: Mood • We think that the overall mood of this book is fear. We think that this is the mood because through out the story lots of action and drama occur, where fear is quite evident. For example, when Minho sees all the Grievers, when trying to escape. “’Oh, no,’ the Keeper said through a moan. ‘Oh, no.’...’There’s at least a dozen of them. Maybe fifteen.’” (pg. 330) This passage shows Minho’s fear when finding the Grievers. This isn’t the only time though, the whole book is filled of fear. They fear that they’ll die, or never solve the Maze.