Answer Key for The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Chapters 31-33, pages196-217
Share your notes and personal vocabulary with your group and update your notes with any ideas or words you were not sure of.
Challenging Vocabulary Words
Use a dictionary and the context clues provided in the novel to define the following words.
Chapter31trance (pg. 196) a dazed or bewildered state
jest (pg. 196) a joke or witty remark
ominous (pg. 197)portending of evil or harm; foreboding, threatening
hallucinations (pg. 198)a sensory experience of something that does not exist outside the mind, caused by various physical and mental disorders, or by reaction to certain toxic substances, and usually manifested as visual or auditory images.
secluded (pg. 199) sheltered or screened from general view
milled (pg. 199)to move around aimlessly,slowly, or confusedly
Chapter 32cranny (pg. 201)small, narrow opening in a rock or wall
haphazardly (pg. 204) randomly
waned (pg. 205) to decrease in size or strength
riveted (pg. 205) fastened with metal pins
Chapter 33corridors (pg. 210) hallway
sheen (pg. 210) luster, brightness, radiance
catastrophe (pg. 214) a sudden and widespread disaster
Comprehension Questions
- What did Alby tell Thomas about his experience with the Changing? Why? Does it make Thomas feel better?
Alby tells Thomas that he saw him with the Creators, helping them. He thinks the memories that they have during the Changing are fake. He also tells Thomas that he doesn’t believe his is evil or responsible.
- What old story did Minho tell Thomas about the Maze in Chapter 31? Does it make sense, in your opinion? Why or why not?
Minho told Thomas the story of a woman trapped in a maze who escaped by having her right hand on the wall at all times forced to turn right at every turn. The simple laws of physics and geometry ensured that she eventually found the exit. Answers will vary.
- What equipment did Thomas get for his job as a Runner? Why did he need these specific items?
Thomas received a new pair of running shoes, a wristwatch, a backpack, water bottles, lunch pack, a sharp knife, t-shirts, and shorts. He also got a pair of “Runnie-undies”. All of these items made the job easier. He would be quicker and more comfortable. He would know when he should turn back for the Glade and he could carry his food and drinks while he was in the maze each day.
- Why was Thomas disappointed when he saw the Map Room? What did he expect? What did he actually see?
Thomas had been expecting something a little more profound than what he saw of the Map Room. He actually saw eight trunks of old maps, complete with Runner name and day number. It was a simple room with a table and eight chairs.
- What things did the Runners do while inside the Maze? Why?
The Runners would stop periodically to write down observations, anything that changed since the day before. They also cut pieces of ivy and dropped them to the floor so they could use tehm to find their way back to the Glade.
- Why did everything seem so pointless to Thomas at the end of Chapter 33? Do you think any of the others feel this way? Why or why not?
It seemed pointless because Thomas hadn’t found anything or discovered a way out. He felt as if being a Runner had already lost its glamour in just one day. Answers will vary.