KRHS 9th Grade Summer Reading 2020 James Dashner’s The Maze Runner INTRODUCTION When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone. Outside the towering stone walls that surround them is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive. Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying: Remember. Survive. Run. ASSIGNMENT DETAILS You are responsible for obtaining a copy of this book on your own. It is widely available. Read the book and be prepared both to test on the story and to write a full length, five paragraph essay during the first week of school (using citations from the book but no outside sources or it would be a research paper). DON’T just watch the movie--the storylines are vastly different. Attached are some reading comprehension questions to keep you on track as you read. You don’t have to do them, but they will be a big help to you as you think about possible essay topics. Some possible essay topics for you to think about are also included here; it would be smart to choose a topic and take notes on that topic or theme throughout your reading--the way you have done in the past with your other teachers. See page 8 BEFORE you start reading if you want to save yourself time later on. Your new teachers are always available to help you should you become confused. Just email us. Mrs. Pastor Poe will also be available during the school year, anytime you need extra reading, writing or language arts help, on Wednesdays and Thursdays after school in B48. Have a great summer. We’re looking forward to seeing you in 9th grade! 1 CHAPTER RESPONSE QUESTIONS Chapters 1-3 1. Where is Thomas at the beginning of the book? 2. What’s a KLUNK? 3. Who is Alby? 4. What’s a Beetle Blade? 5. Who is Chuck and why does Thomas instantly like him? 6. The Maze Runner is often compared to The Hunger Games. What similarities/differences do you note at this point in the reading? Chapters 4-6 1. Why do you think Gally picks on Thomas so much? Do you consider Gally a bully? Why or why not? How does a bully decide who he/she will target? 2. Why do you think the author includes the ‘joke’ in the story? What does it tell you about the characters? 3. What are Grievers? What happens if you get stung by one? 4. What three adjectives would describe a Griever? 5. All of the Gladers have had their memories wiped clean. What would make this necessary? Chapters 7-10 1. What is Alby afraid of and why? 2. What do you predict about the note that the girl had? 3. Many have considered that the Glade is a prison for wayward teens. What would seem to indicate that it is? What arguments against this idea can you present? 4. What do you think caused Ben to be sick? Explain. 5. What happens to Ben after he attacks Thomas? 6. Thomas has to work for the slicers. What are they and what do they do? 2 Chapters 11-17 1. What has Minho found in the maze that is very unusual? 2. What do you think this ‘find’ means? 3. Why does Alby treat Thomas the way that he does? 4. In the end, what does Alby decide to do with Ben? Do you think this was justified? Explain. 5. How is the Glader society structured? 6. Who is caught outside in the Maze when the doors close? 7. Discuss each boy’s choices. What does Minho decide to do? Thomas? Alby? Chapters 18-24 1. How does Thomas outwit the Grievers? 2. Who is watching Thomas as he outmaneuvers the Grievers? 3. What character traits can you assign to Thomas? 4. What is the ethical dilemma that Newt faces in regard to Thomas and the one big rule that he’s broken? 5. What does Thomas begin to suspect about their former lives? 6. What does Gally accuse Thomas of being for the Creators? Chapters 25-31 1. What does Minho offer to do that astounds everyone in the meeting? 2. What does the council decide? 3. What punishment do they give Thomas for breaking the rules? 4. What is more important to have, values or rules? Why? 5. What happens when Alby tries to tell Thomas about the ‘outside’? 6. What does Thomas think the girl’s name is? 7. What does Thomas hear in his mind? 8. What does Teresa tell him? 9. What happens to Gally? 10. How does Thomas view Chuck? 3 Chapters 32-36 1. What does Thomas realize about how the Glade is mapped? 2. What does the plaque in the Maze say? 3. What does the plaque’s title suggest about what is happening on the outside? 4. What do Thomas and Minho discover when they drop rocks over the edge? 5. What does Teresa say when she wakes up? 6. What happens to the doors in the Maze? Chapters 37-38 1. Since she’s awake, where do they keep Teresa? 2. Where does everyone hole up for safety? 3. What comes through the gates? 4. What do you think about Teresa? 5. Why is Thomas so upset about Teresa arriving? Chapters 39-42 1. What does Gally tell the group about the Grievers? 2. Who gives himself to the Griever? 3. What do the Gladers realize about their time in the Maze and their own futures? 4. What happens in the map room? 5. Who is injured in the map room? 6. How have the important maps been saved? 7. What do Teresa and Thomas realize about the way the Gladers have been reading the maps? 8. When the maps are layered and compared what do they seem to form? 4 Chapters 43-49 1. What are the words that the Gladers find from their analysis of the maps? 2. Why doesn’t Thomas tell the others about his telepathic link to Teresa? 3. What does Thomas realize about the code words? 4. What does Thomas realize that he’s got to do in order to regain his memories? 5. How long did Thomas take to go through the Change? 6. What does Thomas tell the Gladers about themselves? Chapters 50-56 1. If Thomas is right about the Creators (end of Chapter 50) what do you now know about the Creators? 2. Who is responsible for burning the map room? 3. What is the plan to get to the Griever hole? 4. Based on what we’ve learned so far about WICKED, how can they be good? 5. Some Gladers have decided not to go to the Griever hole. Why did they decide to stay? 6. What is the relationship between Teresa and Thomas? What proof do you have for your answer? Chapters 57-58 1. What do you notice is different about the word PUSH from the rest of the words? 2. Who finds the button on the floor that says, ‘Kill the Maze’? 3. At the end of the long slides down from the tunnel they arrive in an underground chamber. What is standing behind large windows observing them? Chapters 59-60 1. Who is the boy in the hoodie? 2. Does what Chuck does seem out of character, or is it believable that he would do what he did for Thomas? 3. How did Chuck’s death affect Thomas? 4. What do you think the woman meant when she said one more variable had to be introduced? 5 5. What are two very descriptive words for the lady that Thomas encounters as he is about to make it to the door? Chapter 61-Epilogue 1. What is ‘The Flare’? 2. Who are the rebels that rescued the Gladers from WICKED? 3. Who is Ava Paige? 4. What can you make of the experiments? What are they trying to figure out? (See next page for essay ideas) 6 ESSAY IDEAS You may be given a topic by your new teacher. In case you are not, here’s a list of ideas that might become useful. Consider choosing one before starting the novel, and take notes while you’re reading to save yourself time later on. Remember, you must state and support your opinion without using any first or second person pronouns unless they’re in quotations from the novel (no “I” or “You”). 1. Who are the antagonists in this novel? Explain how one of the antagonists changes throughout the course of the novel. 2. Describe the ways in which the Gladers maintain order in their society. Are their methods effective? 3. Is Thomas a hero? Cite information from the text as support for your opinion. 4. What attributes of dystopian literature are present in The Maze Runner? 5. The Gathering of the Keepers carries out justice when rules are broken in the Glade. Are all of the council’s decisions fair? Why or why not? 6. Examine the paradox “WICKED is good.” Given the events of the final chapters, why might the Gladers distrust this statement? 7. Because they have no memories of their lives before the Glade, Thomas and the other Gladers struggle to discover their identities. What does Thomas learn about his identity throughout the course of the story? 8.