The Maze Runner Response on Character Change (Thomas)

Margot Supple - The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Blog Post #2

               Imagine being trapped in a huge stone fields, and the only way out is a giant maze surrounding the outside. This is everyday life for Thomas, the main character in “The Maze Runner”. When Thomas is first introduced, he is trapped inside a box, and knows nothing but his first name. He soon finds himself in the glade, a huge field run by 60 boys with nothing but farm land and few supplies. Thomas tours the glade, and starts to feel as if he has been to the place before, which is all very weird to him. But even weirder is when the first girl arrives in the same box Thomas did, and whispers Thomas's name. Together he and his friends try to escape the maze, and defeat the people that brought them to the glade in the first place. Throughout the book Thomas becomes more courageous, and stands up to be a leader for all the lost boys sent to the glade.

             At the beginning of the book, all Thomas can do is ask questions about his surroundings. He countlessly follows his fellow glade members trying to learn where he is and why. He is scared of his new life, but he becomes more used to it as he continues through is journey. In the end he becomes a role model for his peers and learns to trust himself. For instance, at the beginning 'Thomas is humiliated and scared.' He feels out of place at the glade. However he matures as a character and as a hero. For example, when both his friends are in the maze, he jumps through to save them. 'Thomas knew he had no choice. He moved. Forward.'. This shows his want to help others, at his own risk. At the end of the book Thomas leads the glade to finding their "creators". I think the reason that Thomas showed so much bravery was because he wanted to prove himself to the other glade members. He wanted to be a role model for Chuck, (a small boy at the glade who longed for a family). He also wanted to prove to Gally, (his enemy), that he could make a difference.

In conclusion, Thomas became the hero of the story to make his peers believe he was capable of doing great things. He started as a confused and frightened character at the beginning, and through the pressure of the other boys he turned himself to a hero.