preview

How Does James Dashner Use Fear In The Maze Runner

Decent Essays

In the heart-pounding book, The Maze Runner by James Dashner, Thomas, the main character, mysteriously appears in a place called The Glades. “He was consumed with curiosity but still felt too ill to look closely at his surroundings.” (pg 5). Thomas doesn't know how he got to The Glades and has forgotten who he is. He isn't alone, there are dozens of teenagers, even adults who also have no memory. Thomas asks questions, but questioning will get him killed by the Keepers. “Massive stone walls, hundreds of feet high, moving like sliding glass doors.” (pg 28). Every night the walls move as if they where closing in all the teenagers. Thomas is standing there watching the walls move and sees someone running towards the Glades trying to make it before the walls close. Chuck tells Thomas that those are the Runners running back in from the Maze, it looked like they where running from something that is trying …show more content…

Thomas spends a lot of time swallowing his fears instead of confronting them and moving past them. But fear is Thomas's motivation, fear is what is moving Thomas past all the scary monsters."If you ain't scared," Alby said, "you ain't human. Act any different and I'd throw you off the Cliff because it'd mean you're a psycho" (pg 9). Thomas doesn't have a choice when it comes to his fear, he's admitted to crying in a corner like a baby. All of the characters struggle with their identity because they want to know who they are and where they came from. They always wonder why where they put in that position and that there must be a reason. All of the boys in the Glade have struggled with that question and know they must not dwell over their past. “He wished for all the world he could remember something about his previous life. Anything. His mom, his dad, a friend, his school, a hobby. A girl” (pg 21). The main mission is for Thomas to forge his old

Get Access