The Hero's Journey in The Maze Runner, by James Dashner

1808 Words4 Pages

People do not have to fly to be hero, it takes much more. Many heroes of today are shown to have supernatural powers that makes them acquire amazing abilities, flying, super strength, skills to manifest anything, the list goes on. Our heroes in the present time are perceived by the audiences' mindset to have special powers but there are times where being a hero does not need to have all the extra tricks. Thomas, a character in The Maze Runner is thrown unconsciously with no memory into a place of the unknown called the Glades, consisting of only teenagers inhabiting the area. He would soon find out the whole place is bordered by a big wall that closes by night and day to protect them from the maze that are filled with demonic machines that will kill on sight. This begins his adventure, eager to learn what is out there and willing to become a maze runner which is equivalent to being a tribute for the greater good in their little homemade society. Having powers might help to become a hero, but in the dystopian novel The Maze Runner, by James Dashner, his protagonist Thomas demonstrates the hero journey in a more natural way by crossing the threshold, meeting a mentor, and lastly having tests, allies and enemies.

Anyone as brave as Thomas does not sit back and relax to watch one of his injured friends from being trapped outside as it is about to hit night time. An injured person outside of their safe haven almost equals imminent death. Thomas instinctively ran to his injured comrade in order to save him, to only find out that he himself is also trapped outside of the Glades. "For several seconds, Thomas felt like the world had frozen in place. A thick silence followed the thunderous rumble of the Door closing, and a ...

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... not a hero journey, lacking of foes and partners is an incomplete adventure. They provide the obstacles and support for the protagonist to complete the journey they are on. By having the hero journey cycle composed by Joseph Campbell, it demonstrates the complexity of how a hero's defined. It's about the growth of the character by separation from his comfort zone and venturing into the unknown. By successfully passing the stages, then one is called a hero.

Works Cited

Dashner, James. The Maze Runner. New York: Delacorte, 2009. Print.

Emerson, David. "Innocence as a Super-power: Little Girls on the Hero's Journey." Literature Resource Center. Gale, n.d. Web.

Flowers, Ann A. "Review of Morelli's Game." Literature Resource Center. Gale, n.d. Web.

Johnson, Jennifer. "Review of Safari Adventure in Legoland." Literature Resource Center. Gale, n.d. Web.

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