The Scorch Trials
Chapter 23
by Dashner, JamesThomas awakens to a fierce wind and cold darkness, realizing his sheet has blown away during the night. The harsh conditions remind him of a dream—or memory—involving Teresa and their shared telepathic abilities, stirring guilt over his past involvement with WICKED. He tries to suppress these thoughts, focusing instead on the sudden weather shift, which he rationalizes as a storm. The cold, though uncomfortable, is a stark contrast to the scorching heat they’ve endured. Thomas grapples with the possibility that his memories are returning, torn between curiosity about his identity and fear of what he might discover about his role in the Gladers’ suffering.
As dawn breaks, the Gladers face a dreary landscape under thick clouds, with the city looming closer. The wind and dirt make the journey arduous, and Thomas feels the grime caked on his skin. Minho urges the group to move quickly, hoping to reach the city before the storm worsens. Thomas expresses concern about encountering Cranks, but Minho dismisses it, confident in their ability to handle threats. The group presses forward, eating sparingly as they march toward the city, the oppressive sky threatening rain at any moment.
Their progress is interrupted when they discover an elderly man lying motionless in the sand, his weathered appearance suggesting extreme hardship. The man seems oblivious to their presence, staring blankly at the sky. Thomas and Newt attempt to communicate, hoping to glean information about the city’s dangers. Despite their shouts over the wind, the man remains unresponsive until Thomas locks eyes with him, sparking a faint awareness. The Gladers see him as a potential source of guidance, but his silence frustrates their efforts.
The chapter takes a tense turn when the old man suddenly grabs Thomas’s wrist with surprising strength, cutting off Thomas’s words. This abrupt action leaves the group—and the reader—on edge, hinting at hidden dangers or revelations about the city ahead. The encounter underscores the uncertainty and peril the Gladers face as they approach their destination, with the old man’s cryptic behavior adding to the mystery of their journey.
FAQs
1. How does the sudden change in weather affect Thomas and the other Gladers, and what does it reveal about their emotional state?
Answer:
The abrupt shift from extreme heat to cold, windy conditions creates both physical discomfort and emotional turmoil for Thomas and the group. Thomas wakes up shivering, having lost his sheet to the wind, which frustrates him (he exclaims, “Shuck it”). The weather change also triggers his anxiety—initially mistaking the darkened sky for a recurrence of the sun vanishing in the Glade, which had marked the beginning of their earlier horrors. However, he rationalizes it as a natural storm, showing his attempt to stay grounded. The dreary, cloud-covered sky amplifies the bleakness of their surroundings, mirroring their exhaustion and uncertainty as they approach the ominous city. The wind’s constant roar even drowns out their conversations, emphasizing their isolation and vulnerability.
2. Analyze Thomas’s internal conflict regarding his returning memories. What fears and hopes does this reveal about his character?
Answer:
Thomas grapples with mixed feelings about his fragmented memories resurfacing. On one hand, he yearns to reclaim his identity, as seen when he reflects, “wanted to know who he was, where he came from.” This hope is tied to his desire for clarity and closure. On the other hand, he fears the guilt and responsibility those memories might uncover, particularly his involvement with WICKED and the suffering of his friends. The brief memory of practicing telepathy with Teresa reinforces this dread, as it confirms his complicity. His tendency to “block it out” reveals a defensive mechanism—he’s torn between curiosity and self-preservation, highlighting his moral complexity and growing self-awareness.
3. What significance does the encounter with the old man hold for the Gladers, and how does it advance the plot’s tension?
Answer:
The old man symbolizes both a potential source of information and the horrors of the Scorch’s aftermath. His near-catatonic state and physical decay (wrinkled skin, sores, empty gaze) hint at the toll of the environment and the Flare virus. Newt views him as a “gold mine” of intel about the city, underscoring the Gladers’ desperation for guidance. However, the man’s delayed reaction and sudden grip on Thomas’s wrist introduce suspense—is he a harmless survivor or a threat? This encounter heightens tension as the group debates whether to trust outsiders and foreshadows the dangers awaiting them in the city, where more “Cranks” (infected humans) may lurk.
4. How does Minho’s leadership style contrast with Thomas’s approach in this chapter, particularly in their interaction with the old man?
Answer:
Minho demonstrates pragmatic, action-oriented leadership, urging the group to keep moving (“Hurry and eat—we gotta get going”) and dismissing fears about Cranks with blunt confidence (“Then we’ll fight ’em!”). His directness borders on insensitivity, as seen when he shouts, “Hey! Old man!” without tact. Thomas, meanwhile, adopts a more empathetic and patient approach. He kneels beside the man, uses polite address (“Sir?”), and reassures him (“we won’t hurt you”). While Minho prioritizes survival, Thomas seeks connection and information through diplomacy. This contrast highlights their complementary roles: Minho as the decisive strategist and Thomas as the mediator attuned to emotional nuance.
5. Evaluate the symbolism of the approaching city as described in this chapter. How does its depiction reflect the Gladers’ psychological journey?
Answer:
The city embodies both hope and dread, mirroring the Gladers’ conflicted mindset. Its proximity (“only a few hours away”) suggests potential refuge, yet its description is ominous: buildings with “jagged teeth” of broken windows and one vanishing into fog evoke decay and mystery. The stormy sky overhead mirrors their turbulent emotions—fear of the unknown, exhaustion from their journey, and unresolved trauma from the Maze. The city’s towering, skeletal structures parallel their own fractured memories and identities. Ultimately, it represents a threshold: a place where they might find answers or confront new horrors, amplifying the novel’s themes of survival and self-discovery.
Quotes
1. “He let out a frustrated yelp, then jumped to his feet—at some point in the night his own sheet had slipped loose and flown off. With the tearing wind, it could be ten miles away by now.”
This quote captures Thomas’s immediate struggle against the harsh environment, emphasizing the relentless conditions of the Scorch. It sets the tone for the chapter’s themes of survival and adversity.
2. “He felt his heart sink a little, missing her, feeling guilt over yet more proof that he’d been part of WICKED before going to the Maze. He shook it off, not wanting to think about it. He could block it out if he tried hard enough.”
This moment reveals Thomas’s internal conflict about his past and his relationship with Teresa. It highlights the psychological toll of his fragmented memories and his attempts to cope with them.
3. “The thought gave him mixed feelings. He wanted his memory block finally cracked for good—wanted to know who he was, where he came from. But that desire was tempered by fear of what he might find out about himself.”
This quote encapsulates Thomas’s central dilemma: the tension between his longing for identity and his fear of the truths his past may hold. It underscores the chapter’s exploration of self-discovery and moral ambiguity.
4. “The buildings really were tall; one of them even stretched up and disappeared in a low-hanging fog. And the glass in all those broken windows was like jagged teeth in mouths open to catch food that might be flying about in the stormy wind.”
This vivid description of the city creates a foreboding atmosphere, symbolizing the unknown dangers ahead. It marks a pivotal moment as the Gladers approach their destination, blending hope and dread.
5. “The man’s left hand shot out from beneath the blankets wrapped around him and clasped Thomas’s wrist, gripping it with a strength far greater than seemed possible.”
This sudden action introduces suspense and mystery, hinting at the old man’s significance and the potential dangers lurking in the city. It serves as a cliffhanger, propelling the narrative forward.