The Maze Runnerby James Dashner
Optional Guided Reading Questions
8th Grade Summer Reading / 20111. How does Thomas feel about arriving in the Glade?How does he arrive? Why doesn’t he reveal how familiar it feels?
2. Describe Thomas’s relationships with Gally, Alby, and Newt.
3. Thomas seems to have found a friend: another character named Chuck. What is one way that we know Thomas has befriended Chuck?
4. How do the Gladers survive without any adults?
5. Who are the people in charge? What type of government structure do they have, if any?
6. What ends up being in the box? (pg. 54)
7. If the note reveled at the end of the chapter “She’s the last one. Ever.” is true, what do you think that means for the boys? (pg. 57)
8. What do Newt and Alby ask Thomas? Why do you think they ask him about that?
(pg. 60-61)
9. What does Thomas see going into the forest toward the end of chapter 9? What does he do about it? (pg. 65-66)
10. Why does Alby say that he continues to accuse Thomas of knowing something that he’s not telling to the other boys? List two things that Alby mentions. (Bottom of pg. 86 – top of pg. 87)
11. Chuck tells Thomas that Ben is actually not dead. What does Chuck say is going to happen to Ben now? Why? (Bottom of pg. 88 – top of pg. 89)
12. What do you think is the purpose of the collar at the end of the chapter? In other words, why would the boys want to put a collar around Ben? What would be its purpose? (pg. 90-91)
13. When Thomas begins to think about the girl that came up the box, it says “A sadness washed over him, as if he missed her, wanted to see her.” What do you think Thomas would say if he was able to see her? (pg. 97)
14. What are two of the qualities Newt says are important to be a successful Runner? (pg. 100)
15. What do you think has happened to Alby and Newt out in the Maze? Provide one reason that might be the situation. (pg. 108)
16. What decision does Thomas make at the end of the chapter? Do you think he made a good decision or a bad decision? Explain your answer. (pg. 112)
17. Chuck tells Thomas, “You’re the talk of the town.” Do you think Thomas will respond well to his new-found “fame” in the Glade? Provide one reason why you think Thomas will respond well or not. (pg. 148)
18. Read the two explanations of the Changing provided below.
- People who go through the Changing are so upset because they remember their old life and they cannot have it back.
- People who go through the Changing are so upset because they remember their old life and it’s no better than what they have now.
Which explanation do you think is more likely true? Explain your choice. (pg. 149)
19. Why do you think Newt has called a Gathering to talk about Thomas? What do you think the Keepers need to discuss? Be specific. (pg. 151)
20. What does Frypan suggest should be done with Thomas? (pg. 154)
21. Gally tells the others that he thinks Thomas is “a spy from the people who put us here.” Explain why you agree or disagree with Gally’s thoughts. (pg. 157)
22. Do you think that the other Keepers will agree to the recommendation made by Minho at the end of chapter 24? Why or why not? (pg. 158)
8th Grade Summer Reading / 201123. What do you think the girl speaking to Thomas in his head means at the end of the chapter when she says “It was you and me, Tom. We did this to them. To us.”? How might that affect the rest of the book?
24. What does Minho teach Thomas to do so they don’t lose their way in the Maze? Be specific. (pg. 211)
25. Thomas suggests following the Grievers to see where they go. Do you think what Thomas suggests is a good idea? Explain your answer. (pg. 213)
26. What do you think the words stamped into the stone of the walls might suggest about the world outside the maze? (Hint: a “catastrophe” is a large-scale disaster) (pg. 215)
27. Think about what is missing. What does Thomas notice that is rather shocking? Provide a possible explanation for what has occurred. (pg. 218)
28. Minho tells Thomas they are going to go running out in the Maze, treating the day like any other day, despite the major change in their environment. How do you think you would react if you were in Minho’s situation? Support your answer with at least one reason. (pg. 221)
29. What do Thomas and Minho witness at the end of Chapter 34? Explain how that might be important to the Gladers. (pg. 223)
30. Who, or what, do you think burned the Map trunks? Why might that person or thing want to burn the trunks? Use the recent chapters to help you. (pg. 262)
31. Teresa explains that the Maze is a code, saying that it makes her think of letters. What does Teresa say the boys have been doing wrong the entire time? (pg. 264)
32. Minho accuses Thomas of giving up. What has Thomas done for Minho to think this way (hint: it involves Teresa)? Explain why you think he is right or wrong to accuse Thomas of such a thing. (pg. 267)
33. How do you think Alby and Minho will react to hearing what Teresa has to say about the Maps and the Maze? Explain why you think they will react in such a way. (pg. 268)
34. Imagine you’re Minho and Newt at the end of Chapter 41. List one emotion that you would likely be feeling, and thoroughly explain that emotion. (pg. 271)
35. What are two things that Thomas found out about the boys, their lives, and/or the creators? Feel free to use bullet points to make sure you provide two things. (pg. 303)
36. Imagine you were one of the boys listening to what Thomas says toward the end of chapter 49. How would you respond? Why would you respond in that way? (pg. 306)
37. At the end of chapter 50, Thomas says that the escape is through the Griever Hole. If he is correct, what does it show about the Creators? Explain your answer. (pg. 309)
38. Who confesses to burning the Maps? What explanation does that character provide for deciding to burn the Maps? (pg. 312)
39. What plan does Thomas suggest to get around the Grievers as they escape? Why does he think it will work? (Hint: look at the last paragraph on page 313 and the top of page 314)
40. What do you think the woman in the white shirt will say to the boys? How do you think the boys and Teresa will react? Explain why you think they will react in that way. (pg. 353)
41. There ends up being a twist with who the boy in the hooded sweatshirt is. What do you think that boy will do? Explain why your prediction makes sense. (pg. 355)
42. What causes Thomas to cry at the end of chapter 59? Why does he have that reaction? (pg. 358)
43. People come bursting through the doors and tell the boys to run like their lives depend upon it. Who do you think the people are? Why do you think they are there? (pg. 361)
44. Describe the “hideous woman” that Thomas encounters as he is about to make it to the door. Provide at least one specific quality – besides being “hideous” that describes her. (pg. 362-364)
45. How do the Gladers feel when they go to bed that night (pg. )?
8th Grade Summer Reading / 2011Adapted from