The Maze Doors In Edith Wharton's The Glade

Imagine waking up in a box filled with darkness and loud noises, and not knowing what your first name is. This is what Thomas was experiencing as he was being elevated up into a mysterious setting known as “The Glade,” which is a large space enclosed by enormous stone walls. As the elevator doors open, kids who are staring down at him surround Thomas. The massive stonewalls that surround the Glade open every morning, and close at night. From the time that the doors open in the morning and close at night, kids known as “runners” run through the doors. What lies between the doors is a gigantic maze that shifts every night, and to get stuck in the maze overnight is everyone’s worst nightmare. The two main runners, Minho and Alby, came back later than their usual time. Just as the maze doors were closing, Thomas ran into the maze to try to help Minho and

Although he is not the leader, he has some authority when it comes to decision-making. This is how I feel in life; it is fun to be a part of things but you don’t want to control everything. Being a runner is one of the more important jobs in The Glade, they are never quiescent and have massive responsibility to find a way out. School, sports, and extracurricular activities are what cause stress to teenagers. In this novel it is obvious that Minho’s job is a little more stressful than going to school; going out every morning and night into a confusing dark maze sounds pretty terrifying. Not to mention “grievers,” which are robot-like monsters that are spread throughout the maze. Being aware of when the grievers come out and knowing the maze by heart are key factors in trying to find a way out. That is like learning and studying; they are required in order to be successful. Taking a big test is like running into a griever: “Thomas stared in horror at the monstrous thing making its way down the long corridor of the Maze” (Dashner