Literature Review: The Maze Runner

The book, The Maze Runner, shows the journey of Thomas finding out where he came from and how he got to where he was. Thomas’s call to adventure begins he first wakes up in a metal box in the middle of an enclosed forest where he had began his new life. Having his memory erased, he had no clue where he was, how to act, or even his name.

Next, the refusal of the call, Thomas was in denial that he is now a Glader, someone who lives in this little enclosed world. Thomas was unwilling to adapting to the new world he is in, scared of the surroundings. Thomas has multiple mentors that help him transform Minho, Chuck, Alby, and Newt all acting as his guide to his theory of deciphering the impossible maze helped in his transformation. The crossing of the first threshold then begins, Thomas first steps into the maze to try to save Alby and Minho from the closing gate. Despite the warnings of other, Thomas still went inside to help and save the two boys from death. A supernatural aid, is present when later in his journey. Thomas had voices guiding him and later learns the use of telepathy. The people who sent him to the maze are telling him what to do and overall controlling him.

The Road of Trials, the hardest part of the journey, starts when Thomas failed at the task of slaughtering pigs and farming, not doing the jobs he was instructed to do by other Gladers. The Belly of the Whale Transformation occurs when Thomas had a near death experience with Minho and Alby in the maze. Grievers, or monsters that lurk in the maze at night, almost killed him, Minho, and Alby. Thomas undergoes his transformation, becoming stronger than his emotional instability, overall finding his new self. Thomas finds a love that is powerful and his love that he gains had a significant effect that Campbell portrays. The seeking atonement stage, aided in fighting creatures and his opposing forces. The Ultimate Boon occurs after all the deafening of grievers, his purification in this step supplied him with confidence and hope for The Gladers, that they would make it out of the maze alive. His perseverance lead him to solve the maze and escape with the Gladers. After escaping the maze, Thomas encounters his refusal of the Return, Thomas was wounded of this experience emotionally and physically. From seeing his friends murdered to leaving them behind. Thomas had figured out a way to share his knowledge, strength, and wisdom of what he had learned throughout the quest to the Gladers and humans in the new world in which he has discovered.

By escaping the maze and finding his new self, Thomas becomes the master of two worlds, Thomas has gained independence along with some of the Gladers. Becoming master of the now human world and that of the Gladers. Thomas has officially completed his hero’s journey. He achieves freedom to live when he in the bus with adults who saved him from the creators of the maze. Thomas has then succeeded in his quest of escaping the maze, he could not bring everyone and that moment he wanted to sacrifice his own life to save the rest.

Works Cited

1. Dashner, J. (2009). The Maze Runner. Delacorte Press.
2. The Maze Runner. (n.d.). In Goodreads. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6186357-the-maze-runner
3. The Maze Runner Summary. (n.d.). In SparkNotes. Retrieved from https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/maze-runner/summary/
4. Campbell, J., & Moyers, B. D. (2018). The Power of Myth. Anchor.
5. Hero's Journey. (n.d.). In The Hero's Journey. Retrieved from http://www.thewritersjourney.com/hero's_journey.htm
6. Vogler, C. (2007). The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers (3rd ed.). Michael Wiese Productions.
7. Foster-Harris, W. (1993). The Basic Patterns of Plot. University of Oklahoma Press.
8. Propp, V. (1984). Morphology of the Folktale (2nd ed.). University of Texas Press.
9. Hero's Journey: The 12 Steps. (n.d.). In Mythcreants. Retrieved from https://mythcreants.com/blog/the-heros-journey-the-12-steps/
10. The Hero's Journey in Film: The Maze Runner. (n.d.). In Prezi. Retrieved from https://prezi.com/tadnnfmyg0l3/the-heros-journey-in-film-the-maze-runner/