The Maze Runner
Chapter 7
by Dashner, JamesIn Chapter 7 of *The Maze Runner*, Thomas is given a tour of the Glade by Alby, who explains the basic structure and rules of their confined world. The chapter begins at the Box, the mysterious metal elevator that delivers supplies and new arrivals monthly. Alby reveals that the Gladers know nothing about its origins or operators, emphasizing their isolation. Thomas is overwhelmed by curiosity and frustration but refrains from asking too many questions, though he is disturbed by the mention of a graveyard and the eerie presence of the Grievers.
Alby divides the Glade into four sections: the Gardens, Blood House, Homestead, and Deadheads. The Gardens supply crops, the Blood House handles livestock, the Homestead serves as living quarters, and the Deadheads include a graveyard and a forested area. Thomas struggles to process the information, especially the revelation that it never rains in the Glade, and water is piped in. The Gladers’ self-sufficiency is juxtaposed with their lack of knowledge about their environment, deepening Thomas’s confusion and unease.
The tour continues to the South Door, where Alby explains the Maze—the dangerous, shifting labyrinth surrounding the Glade. He reveals that no one has solved it in two years, and the walls move at night, making mapping nearly impossible. Thomas is both terrified and intrigued, feeling a strange pull toward the Maze despite Alby’s warning that only Runners are allowed to enter. Breaking this rule results in death, either by Grievers or the Gladers themselves. Thomas internally resolves to become a Runner, driven by an inexplicable urge to explore the Maze.
The chapter ends with Thomas observing flickering red lights in the Deadheads and the odd behavior of the sun, which appears unnaturally orange. These details, along with his fragmented memories, heighten his sense of disorientation. Alby’s grim tone and the Glade’s harsh realities leave Thomas grappling with fear, curiosity, and a determination to uncover the truth, setting the stage for his eventual defiance of the rules and his role in the Glade’s survival.
FAQs
1. What are the four sections of the Glade, and what purpose does each serve?
Answer:
The Glade is divided into four main sections: Gardens, Blood House, Homestead, and Deadheads. The Gardens, located in the northeast corner, are where crops are grown, with water supplied through underground pipes since it never rains. The Blood House in the southeast corner is where animals are raised and slaughtered, containing pens for cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, and turkeys. The Homestead consists of living quarters that have expanded over time as materials are sent via the Box; though rudimentary, it serves as shelter. The Deadheads, in the southwest corner, is a forested area with a graveyard and serves as a place for rest and relaxation. These divisions reflect the Gladers’ self-sufficient but tightly controlled existence.2. Why does Thomas find his memory loss particularly baffling in this chapter?
Answer:
Thomas is frustrated by the selective nature of his memory loss. He remembers basic knowledge, such as the names and behaviors of animals in the Blood House, but cannot recall where he encountered them before or any personal context. This inconsistency troubles him because it suggests his memory was intentionally altered or erased, leaving only certain fragments intact. The chapter highlights his confusion when he recognizes the sun’s odd orange hue but cannot remember how it should normally appear. This selective retention deepens the mystery of the Glade’s purpose and the experiments being conducted on the boys.3. How does Alby describe the Box, and what does its operation reveal about the Gladers’ situation?
Answer:
Alby explains that the Box is a mysterious metal elevator that delivers supplies weekly and a new Glader (“Newbie”) monthly. The Gladers have no knowledge of its origin, mechanics, or controllers. Attempts to interfere—like sending a person back down—fail, as the Box only operates on its own terms. This underscores the Gladers’ complete lack of control over their environment. The Box’s regularity suggests they are part of an experiment or test, with resources carefully metered out to sustain them without enabling escape or rebellion. Its impenetrable design reinforces their isolation and dependence on unseen overseers.4. What conflicting emotions does Thomas experience during his tour with Alby, and why?
Answer:
Thomas oscillates between curiosity, frustration, and dread. He is intensely curious about the Glade’s workings (e.g., the Box, the Maze) but frustrated by Alby’s vague answers and the Gladers’ secrecy. The lingering horror of his Griever encounter amplifies his unease, especially when Alby mentions the graveyard and deaths in the Maze. His desire to ask questions clashes with his fear of overstepping, creating internal tension. These emotions reflect his struggle to adapt to the Glade’s harsh rules while grappling with the unnatural gaps in his memory and the looming threat of the Maze.5. Why does Thomas feel drawn to become a Runner despite the dangers?
Answer:
Thomas’s fascination with the Maze is instinctual, akin to “hunger or thirst.” Though Alby warns that entering the Maze is punishable by death, Thomas is undeterred. His determination stems from a mix of defiance (he doubts Alby’s severity), curiosity about the Maze’s mysteries, and an innate sense that solving it is key to escaping the Glade. The chapter foreshadows his eventual role as a Runner by highlighting his observational skills (noticing the moving walls, Griever details) and his refusal to accept passive obedience. This drive sets him apart from other Gladers and positions him as a pivotal figure in their survival.
Quotes
1. “This here’s the Box. Once a month, we get a Newbie like you, never fails. Once a week, we get supplies, clothes, some food. Ain’t needin’ a lot—pretty much run ourselves in the Glade.”
This quote introduces the mysterious “Box” system that sustains the Gladers, establishing the eerie regularity of supplies and new arrivals while emphasizing their isolation and lack of control over their circumstances.
2. “We don’t know jack about the Box, you get me? Where it came from, how it gets here, who’s in charge. The shanks that sent us here ain’t told us nothin’.”
Alby’s frustrated explanation underscores the central mystery of their existence in the Glade and the complete lack of information about their captors, heightening the novel’s suspense and the characters’ helplessness.
3. “Two years, I’ve been here. Ain’t none been here longer. The few before me are already dead.”
This shocking revelation about the Gladers’ longevity and mortality rate introduces high stakes and hints at the deadly nature of their environment, particularly the Maze’s dangers.
4. “Ain’t no goin’ out there, shank. You think I sent Newt to ya before the wake-up just for kicks? Freak, that’s the Number One Rule, the only one you’ll never be forgiven for breaking.”
Alby’s vehement warning about the Maze establishes the most critical rule of the Glade while foreshadowing Thomas’s future defiance of this very prohibition, setting up a key conflict.
5. “Deep inside he knew he had to go out there, into the Maze. Despite everything he’d learned and witnessed firsthand, it called to him as much as hunger or thirst.”
This internal revelation captures Thomas’s irresistible draw to the Maze, establishing his unique connection to it and foreshadowing his eventual role as a Runner, which becomes central to the plot.