The Maze Runner
Chapter 2
by Dashner, JamesThomas awakens disoriented in a vast stone courtyard surrounded by towering walls, greeted by a crowd of boys who mock and scrutinize him. He feels dizzy and confused, struggling to process his unfamiliar surroundings and the strangers’ odd slang. The Glade, as it’s called, is a massive enclosed area with ivy-covered walls, corridors, and a mix of structures like a dilapidated building, gardens, and animal pens. The boys, dressed in grubby clothes, vary in age and demeanor, some hostile, others curious, leaving Thomas overwhelmed and fearful.
The leader, Alby, a dark-skinned boy with a stern expression, attempts to calm the group while Thomas grapples with his memory loss and the surreal environment. The boys’ cryptic language—terms like “Greenbean,” “Shuck,” and “Slopper”—deepens his disorientation. Thomas notices one particularly hostile boy glaring at him, adding to his unease. The Glade’s layout, with its cracked stone floors, farm-like smells, and eerie lack of sunlight, feels both mundane and menacing, heightening his sense of isolation and dread.
Alby offers a brief, cryptic explanation, warning Thomas to stay calm and promising a “Tour” the next day. Thomas, however, struggles to suppress his panic and demands answers, but Alby deflects, hinting at the dangers of the Glade without elaboration. The mention of a “Cliff” and a boy named Nick being killed unsettles Thomas further, though Alby reassures him they don’t harm newcomers. The crowd’s mixed reactions—some mocking, others sympathetic—leave Thomas feeling exposed and vulnerable, unsure whom to trust.
As the chapter closes, Thomas sits alone, trying to steady himself despite the overwhelming fear and confusion. His inability to recall even his own age underscores his vulnerability. Alby’s vague warnings and the boys’ unsettling behavior suggest a harsh reality lurking beneath the Glade’s surface. Thomas resolves to adapt, but the chapter ends with a lingering sense of foreboding, leaving readers questioning the true nature of the Glade and its inhabitants.
FAQs
1. How does Thomas react to his new environment, and what does this reveal about his state of mind?
Answer:
Thomas exhibits a mix of confusion, curiosity, panic, and fear upon arriving in the Glade. He feels dizzy and disoriented, struggling to process his surroundings and the unfamiliar slang used by the boys. His instinct to refuse Alby’s handshake and sit alone under a tree suggests both distrust and a need to regain control. The chapter emphasizes his emotional turmoil through phrases like “utter hopelessness” and his desperate questions about his location. This reveals Thomas is in a vulnerable state, grappling with memory loss and the shock of his sudden displacement, yet trying to maintain composure despite overwhelming uncertainty.2. Analyze the significance of the Glade’s physical description. What might its features symbolize?
Answer:
The Glade is a confined, walled courtyard with stone blocks, gardens, animal pens, and a dilapidated building. The towering ivy-covered walls symbolize both protection and imprisonment, reflecting the boys’ trapped existence. The functional areas (gardens, livestock) suggest self-sufficiency, hinting at long-term captivity. The dying trees and cracked stone blocks imply decay, mirroring the boys’ strained society. The absent sun and unclear time of day add to the disorientation, reinforcing Thomas’s (and the reader’s) sense of instability. These details collectively foreshadow the Glade’s role as a controlled experiment and the challenges of survival within it.3. How does the author use slang and unfamiliar terms to create tension and world-building?
Answer:
Terms like “Greenbean,” “shank,” “shuck,” and “Slopper” are introduced without explanation, mirroring Thomas’s confusion and immersing the reader in the Glade’s unique culture. The boys’ casual use of these words contrasts with Thomas’s alienation, heightening tension. Phrases like “bet my liver on it” and “slim yourself calm” suggest a hierarchical society with its own idioms. This linguistic barrier emphasizes Thomas’s outsider status and the Glade’s isolation from the outside world. The slang also hints at the boys’ attempts to normalize their bizarre circumstances, adding depth to their shared experience.4. What does Alby’s behavior toward Thomas suggest about leadership dynamics in the Glade?
Answer:
Alby oscillates between authority and frustration, scolding the boys (“Keep yapping and next break’ll be cut in half!”) but struggling to explain the Glade’s rules to Thomas. His failed handshake attempt and blunt warnings (“try and avoid being killed”) reveal a pragmatic, no-nonsense leadership style shaped by survival needs. His mention of Nick’s death hints at past trauma, suggesting leaders bear the weight of losses. The crowd’s compliance when Alby speaks indicates respect, yet his awkwardness with Thomas shows the Glade’s systems aren’t designed for newcomers, foreshadowing conflict between order and disruption.5. Why might Thomas’s inability to recall his age be particularly unsettling, and how does this detail deepen the novel’s themes?
Answer:
Forgetting his age strips Thomas of a fundamental identity marker, amplifying his existential dread. This detail underscores the severity of his memory loss—he’s disconnected not just from his environment but from his own body and history. It deepens themes of identity and dehumanization, as the Glade’s inhabitants are reduced to roles (e.g., “Slopper”) rather than individuals. The lapse also mirrors readers’ disorientation, inviting them to empathize with Thomas’s vulnerability. By omitting such basic information, the narrative emphasizes the Glade’s role as a blank slate where past selves are irrelevant, and survival is paramount.
Quotes
1. “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.”
This quote vividly introduces the Glade’s imposing physical setting, establishing the claustrophobic and mysterious atmosphere that defines Thomas’s experience. The description of the walls foreshadows the central conflict of being trapped in an inescapable maze.
2. “Different emotions battled for dominance in his mind and heart. Confusion. Curiosity. Panic. Fear. But laced through it all was the dark feeling of utter hopelessness, like the world had ended for him.”
This passage captures Thomas’s psychological state upon arrival, mirroring the reader’s disorientation while hinting at the dystopian nature of the Glade. The emotional turmoil reflects the novel’s themes of memory loss and survival.
3. “If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human. Act any different and I’d throw you off the Cliff because it’d mean you’re a psycho.”
Alby’s blunt statement reveals the Glade’s harsh social dynamics and survival mentality. This quote introduces the community’s unwritten rules while creating tension about the mysterious “Cliff” punishment.
4. “We don’t kill shanks like you here, I promise. Just try and avoid being killed, survive, whatever.”
This ominous reassurance from Alby introduces the underlying danger of the Glade while hinting at its hierarchical structure. The casual tone makes the threat more unsettling, setting up the story’s survivalist stakes.
5. “Thomas realized with a sickening lurch that he had no idea how old he was. His heart sank at the thought—he was so lost he didn’t even know his own age.”
This moment powerfully conveys the depth of Thomas’s amnesia and disorientation. It personalizes the larger mystery of the Glade while establishing the protagonist’s vulnerable state for readers.