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Jade Miller

HZT4U1

Mr. McLean

11 November 2022

The Maze Runner as it Relates to Determinism

The Maze Runner is a dystopian science fiction film released in 2014, directed by

Wes Ball. It is based on James Dashner’s 2009 novel of the same name. In the film, the

protagonist, Thomas, awakens in an unfamiliar place surrounded by other teenage

boys. He has no recollection of who he is or how he ended up there. After collecting his

bearings, he looks around and notices that he is standing in a large, square clearing

that is surrounded by gigantic walls, forming a maze, this is known as the Glade. It is

discovered that the boys are trapped inside of the maze and must find a way out, some

of the gladers have been there for upwards of three years. Themes of trust, love, loss,

and friendship ensues as Thomas, along with the rest of the boys continue attempts of

finding a way out of the maze. Three days after his arrival, Thomas successfully

escapes the maze, yet what he finds is not what he had expected. He is faced with a

control room. The walls, covered in screens and monitors which depict images of the

Glade, and the faces of Thomas and the rest of the gladers. It is revealed that all this

time, they have been watched. Thomas switches on one of the monitors and a video

begins which states that ‘Sun Flares’ had struck the Earth and begun an epidemic

known as the ‘Flare’, the speaker stresses the necessity of the discovery of a cure.

Thus, it is unveiled that Thomas and the gladers were nothing but an experiment in a
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search for a cure, sent into the maze with a predetermined purpose. This brings about

the question of the actuality of freedom.

In Chapter 3.7 of Philosophy: A Text With Readings, the concept of freedom is

explored. Furthermore, the topic of determinism is introduced. Determinism is defined

as “the theory that everything that occurs happens in accordance with some regular

pattern or law” (Velasquez 234). In other words, determinism argues that all things that

occur are predetermined. It is evident that this concept can be seen in The Maze

Runner, as the gladers had no real choice in their fate. They were sent into the maze

with a predetermined outcome, their one true purpose was to find a cure. They were

rats in a cage, observed and controlled by a puppet master.

One man, Clarence Darrow, proposed that everything that happens, including

every human action, in the universe is determined by previous actions, earlier causes

and the laws of nature. He believes that there can be no freedom. Subsequently, it is

apparent that this thinker would agree with the correlation between determinism and the

film. Just as he believes in the lack of freedom in the lives of mankind, he would concur

with the parallel made due to the absence of liberty faced by the gladers.

Moreover, a deterministic argument is founded on the lack of self-governance

and the true ability to choose one’s fate. As seen in the film, while the gladers had

believed that their lives in the maze were authentic, it is revealed that they served one

purpose, to serve the greater population. As they went about their everyday lives, they

were watched, studied, and surveyed. None of their choices had an impactful effect on

the outcome of the experiment. Thus, it is evident that The Maze Runner is comparable

to determinism as it relates to the actuality of freedom.

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Works Cited

Ball, Wes, director. The Maze Runner. 2014.

Velasquez, Manuel. Philosophy: A Text With Readings. Ninth ed., The Charles Dirksen

Professor.
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CATEGORY Level 1 50-59% Level 2 60 –69% Level 3 70-79% Level 4 80-100%

KNOWLEDGE Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates

minimal unelaborated considerable in-depth
knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of
Metaphysics Metaphysics Metaphysics Metaphysics
topic and topic with topic by topic and
Philosopher with unelaborated elaborated, supported by
limited and/or and/or relevant details rich, engaging,
unrelated repetitious given in a and/or pertinent
details. details logical details with
/10 sequence. evidence of
analysis

APPLICATION Demonstrates Shows lapses in Demonstrates Demonstrates

random or weak connections logical and careful
between film and coherent connections
connections Philosopher(s)’ connections between film
between film ideas between film and
and and Philosopher(s)’
Philosopher(s)’ Philosopher(s)’ ideas
ideas ideas
/10

COMMUNICATION - Writing - Writing - Few errors in - Control of

contains a contains some spelling, spelling,
multitude of errors in punctuation & punctuation &
errors in spelling, capitalization capitalization
spelling, punctuation &
punctuation & capitalization
capitalization that do not
interfere with - Demonstrates - Demonstrates
communication. considerable outstanding
ability to follow ability to follow
- Demonstrates writing writing
/10 little effort in guidelines guidelines
following writing - Demonstrates
guidelines some effort in
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following writing
guidelines

THINKING -Shows limited Uses planning Uses planning Uses planning

planning and and processing and processing and processing
processing skills skills with some skills with some skills with a high
in written work effectiveness in considerable degree of
written work effectiveness effectiveness
/10