Ivan Estrella.

Maze runner

Centro Cultural Colombo Americano

Administración Bilingue
Nivel 1

Ivan Estrella Bueno

Maze runner essay

Barranquilla

2023
 Ivan Estrella. Maze runner

Author’s biography

James Dashner is a 50 years old writer who was born in Georgia, United States in 1972. He
grew up in Minessota and then he studied at Brigham University in Utah where he chose
accounting. In order to make some money while studying, he starting writing since he
always felt attracted by literature. Some of the most inspiring stories for him were Chronicles
of Narnia and The Lord of the rings. In 2003, he published his first book for teenagers called:
A Door in the Woods, which is better known as The Jimmy Fincher Saga. After this success,
he started preparing 2 more stories: The 13th Reality book series and the second was The
Maze Runner series. Both gained more popularity, specially Maze Runner which was also
bought by 20th century fox to film it. His work is typically within the adventure, survival,
and science-fiction genres. In the case of Maze runner, the novel is about dystopian science
fiction but his most recent work has explored adult horror genre since 2021. His work has
allowed him to get 3 prizes: a Withney award, The Young reader’s choice award and the
ALA best fiction.He is currently living near the Rocky Mountains, he is married and has got
4 children. He considers himself lucky and thankful since he received many rejections at the
beginning and also because he now can make a living writing stories, an activity he enjoys
very much.
 Ivan Estrella. Maze runner

Maze runner summary

The Maze Runner is a dystopian science-fiction trilogy for young adult readers that tells the
story about Thomas, a teenager, who awakens in an elevator with no memory but his own
name. He soon realizes that the place where he is is called the Glade and that he is not alone.
Alby and Newt are the leaders, Teresa the only woman in the place and Ben, another boy
who attacked Thomas, Minho a runner in good shape and Chuck, along with some others.
Basically what happens is that the characters must face a hard world in which lethal
creatures called Grievers are threatening them all the time. Outside the Glade, it is important
to mention that there is a Maze, a labyrinth that constantly changes. The teenagers have
access to supplies and food that the elevator sends constantly. It is important to clarify that
every month, a new boy comes up the elevator with no prior memories but his first name.
After spending several days and suffering different attacks, the Gladers discover the pattern
of letters that the Maze creates and decide to make a run for the exit, only to find out that
they were test subjects in an experiment conducted by the organization World In
Catastrophe. At the end, six Gladers are rescued and they are informed about catastrophic
solar flares that caused an apocalypse in a distant future. The rescuers reveal that the
Gladers are among a group of orphaned children being tested to find a cure for the virus.
This last revelation serves as hope and understanding of their hard reality.
 Ivan Estrella. Maze runner

Maze runner opinion

In general terms the novel illustrates certain aspects of teenagers: the lack of memory
represent the search for identity, the dystopian world shows an example of the unknown
adulthood that awaits for them and the cruelty of life represented as a game that you do not
always win. The numerous challenges and difficulties also indicate the complexity of the
world humans live in. There are good and bad things and survival is a complex task to
accomplish.

The story also entertains as it represents monsters, fantasy, futuristic features and alternative
realities without omitting human beings needs. It also rescues values such as bravery,
perseverance and intelligence which are the tools mostly outlined by the author.

Another aspect that it is found attractive from the text is the way the writer explains the
tendency to fail. As humans, we constantly make mistakes and need to revise, guess and
decipher the complexities of life. We are exposed to a continuous try and test, to an
environment or a planet that is dangerous and as humans we might feel tiny sometimes.
The characters also represent the way we usually mange control power, rage, anger and
love. They are facing a terrible truth at the end of the story and they might feel both used
and exhausted but with a feeling of hope behind all the experiments.

Additionally, the novel highlights the importance of friendship. Thomas and the Gladers
need friends because it fosters a feeling of community. The bond they all share as a result of
being confined in the Glade gives them motivation to keep moving forward and motivates
them to nurture their shared identity as well as their own personal development.

The novel is indeed full of twists and symbols. We can see through the Glade, the Maze and
the experiment that life is chaotic but hides secrets to understand, that life is fragile and
death is unavoidable.
Ivan Estrella. Maze runner