Totalitarianism In The Maze Runner

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In addition to providing a figurative outlet for young adults to escape their reality, YA dystopias also provide a literal outlet for the exploration of political beliefs. Today’s generation of young adults has frequently been criticized for their political apathy and disengagement. In fact, according to a 2010 study conducted by Pew Research Center, “on a 13-question political news quiz, adults ages 18 to 29 score below all other age groups on all but two questions,” and one of these two questions concerned knowledge about technology (“Politically Apathetic Millennials”). The literature and “trashy” media that young adults consume in large amounts certainly doesn’t help the case that today’s youth should have a voice in society. Or does it? …show more content…

In the novel, the overarching organization, WICKED, is conducting an experiment known as The Maze Trials, which the young adult protagonists are part of. WICKED manipulates everything in the Glade and Maze, as a way to study the teenagers in a controlled scientific experiment, something that readers quickly deem to be unethical. Simultaneously, all the individuals in the Glade have been brought in via a mysterious elevator box with no knowledge of their prior identities or previous life. With a desire to establish some form of order, the individuals form their own rules and allow for natural leaders to emerge under the newly founded anarchy. While the story told by Dashner may be fictional in nature, the ideas presented represent those of the real-world. In this way, The Maze Runner, just like many other YA dystopias, allows young adults to explore the political ideas of a totalitarian government and an anarchic …show more content…

It’s more than just a propensity towards dark and imaginative stories of our society’s descent into hell. Instead, YA dystopias represent a form of necessity among young adult readers by allowing them to explore alternative yet familiar realities ridden with political unrest where teenagers exercise authority to bring the world out of turmoil. As a young adult and mass consumer of dystopian literature, myself, if someone had told me six months ago that YA dystopias are anything other than trash and a temporary fad, I would’ve been amused. After all, how could they be anything other than trashy entertainment? But coming full circle, having taken a course specializing in dystopian literature and having now researched the topic and read dozens of scholarly and popular articles from various experts in the field, I now understand the significance of YA dystopian literature. Though our society has evolved in recent years, there is still significant room for improvement. My generation has been plunged into a bleak future of war, violence, terrorism, economic insecurities and racial inequality. Dystopian literature has provided the necessary coping mechanism for young adults of the millennial generation, and I only hope that YA dystopias do not simply remain a temporary trend in the aftermath of 9/11. Now, the only question that remains is: Will YA dystopias remain a powerful force and

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