The Scorch Trials
Chapter 35
by Dashner, JamesThomas awakens from a nightmare about his friends Minho and Newt being attacked by Cranks, leaving him unsettled. In the darkness of the truck cab, Brenda consoles him, assuring him that Jorge will protect the other Gladers, though her attempt at humor falls flat. Thomas expresses his frustration over their separation and his fragmented memories, prompting Brenda to share grim details about the post-apocalyptic world. She describes the devastation caused by the Flare, the unification of governments under WICKED, and the desperate search for a cure, painting a bleak picture of their reality.
The conversation shifts to their current location, which Brenda identifies as the Scorch—a wasteland spanning former tropical regions like Mexico. She explains how WICKED’s experiments, including the Maze Trials, are part of a larger effort to combat the Flare, though their methods remain controversial. Thomas grapples with his role in WICKED’s plans, feeling the weight of his missing memories. Brenda’s sarcastic remark about Cranks underscores the harshness of their environment, leaving Thomas overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis.
Brenda reveals the existence of the Bliss, a numbing agent that slows the Flare’s progression by dampening brain activity. While it offers temporary relief, it’s inaccessible to most and not a cure. Thomas senses the importance of this information but struggles to connect it to his fragmented past. The discussion leaves him agitated, as Brenda advises him to rest, though his mind races with unanswered questions about WICKED’s motives and the Trials.
As Thomas finally drifts back to sleep, he dreams of a childhood memory with Teresa, eavesdropping on WICKED officials discussing the Variables and the brutal nature of the Trials. The overheard conversation hints at Thomas’s pivotal role and the ethical dilemmas surrounding the experiments. The chapter ends with Thomas waking at dawn, still haunted by the unresolved mysteries of his past and the uncertain future of their world.
FAQs
1. What is the “Bliss” mentioned in the chapter, and how does it relate to the Flare virus?
Answer:
The Bliss is a numbing agent developed in response to the Flare virus. It works by dulling emotions and brain activity, creating a drunken stupor-like state. Since the Flare virus thrives on and destroys active brain tissue, reducing neural activity slows the virus’s progression. However, as Brenda explains, the Bliss is not a cure—it merely delays the inevitable. Only the wealthy and powerful have access to it, while most sufferers of the Flare deteriorate without treatment. This highlights the dystopian inequality in their world and underscores the desperation for a true cure, which WICKED claims to be working toward through its trials.2. How does Brenda describe the current state of the world, and what role does WICKED play in it?
Answer:
Brenda paints a grim picture of a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by the Flare and climate disasters. Former tropical regions (now called the Scorch) are wastelands, and global populations have drastically declined. Countries still exist but operate under a unified system to combat the Flare, with WICKED as their central scientific arm. WICKED coordinates quarantines, research, and the elaborate trials (like the Maze and Scorch Trials) to find a cure. However, their methods are ethically questionable, as seen in their manipulation of subjects like Thomas. Brenda’s account reveals a world where survival hinges on ruthless pragmatism, and WICKED’s authority remains unchallenged despite its atrocities.3. Analyze the significance of Thomas’s dream about eavesdropping on WICKED officials. What does it reveal about the Trials?
Answer:
Thomas’s dream-memory exposes WICKED’s cold calculation in designing the Trials. The officials discuss “Variables”—planned traumatic events (e.g., betrayals, brutal scenarios) meant to provoke specific emotional and behavioral responses from subjects. Their dialogue confirms that Thomas and others are unwitting pawns in an experiment prioritizing data over their well-being. Phrases like “the future will thank us” and “we’ll never see the end of the Trials” suggest WICKED views the Candidates as expendable. This memory deepens Thomas’s internal conflict, as he grapples with his past involvement in WICKED while recognizing its moral bankruptcy.4. How does the chapter develop the theme of fragmented identity, particularly for Thomas?
Answer:
Thomas’s identity is fractured by memory loss and conflicting roles. He remembers fragments (e.g., his connection to WICKED, Teresa) but lacks context, leaving him torn between trust and suspicion. Brenda’s revelations about the world and the Bliss add to his disorientation, as he struggles to reconcile his sketchy memories with harsh realities. The eavesdropping memory further complicates his sense of self, hinting he was once complicit in WICKED’s schemes. This theme underscores the dehumanizing effects of the Trials, where subjects are stripped of autonomy and forced to piece together their identities amid trauma.5. Evaluate Brenda’s statement: “If it weren’t for the stupid Flare, I think the world would pull through in the long run.” What does this imply about societal resilience versus biological threats?
Answer:
Brenda’s remark highlights humanity’s adaptability in the face of environmental crises (e.g., stabilizing after the flares’ climate effects) but also its vulnerability to biological threats. Society has reorganized itself—unifying governments, creating WICKED—yet the Flare’s inevitability overshadows these efforts. The comment critiques how even resilient systems can collapse under unchecked pandemics, especially when solutions (like WICKED’s trials) become morally corrupt. It also reflects Brenda’s resigned pragmatism: the world’s survivors cling to hope, but the Flare’s existential threat looms larger than any societal progress.
Quotes
1. “The outside world, huh? Well, it sucks. The temperatures are finally starting to go down, but it’ll be forever before the sea levels do the same. It’s been a long time since the flares, but so many people died, Thomas. So many.”
This quote captures Brenda’s grim description of the post-apocalyptic world, establishing the devastating impact of the solar flares and setting the stage for the harsh reality of “the Scorch.” It underscores the environmental and societal collapse that forms the backdrop of the story.
2. “Basically any area between the two Tropics—Cancer and Capricorn—is a complete wasteland now. Central and South Americas, most of Africa, the Middle East and southern Asia. Lots of dead lands, lots of dead people. So, welcome to the Scorch.”
Brenda’s explanation of the Scorch’s geography highlights the global scale of devastation and introduces the key setting of their journey. This quote is significant for world-building, showing how the Flare has transformed entire regions into uninhabitable zones.
3. “They call it the Bliss. Numbs your emotions, numbs your brain processes, slows you down to a drunken stupor so you don’t feel much. Keeps the Flare at bay because the virus thrives in your brain. Eats at it, destroys it. If there’s not a lot of activity, the virus weakens.”
This reveals the cruel irony of the Bliss - a drug that delays but doesn’t cure the Flare, sacrificing humanity to prolong life. It’s a pivotal explanation of the story’s central disease mechanism and the dystopian medical response to it.
4. “Not just that, it’s risky. What if he dies? We all agree that by then he’ll surely be one of the top Candidates… But the future will thank us.”
From Thomas’s flashback, this conversation between WICKED scientists exposes the cold calculus behind the Trials, showing how they view the subjects as expendable for the greater good. It’s crucial for understanding the ethical dilemmas and true nature of WICKED’s experiments.