David Sisk's The Maze Runner

Benjamin Franklin once stated “People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both.” However, around the world and even in America, the land of the free, we see natural human rights and freedoms stripped everywhere. Whether its TSA searching through citizens baggage to Uncle Sam limiting your freedom of speech during times of war, governments find a way to boast control and oppression. These events have led to one of today’s most popular genres of literature, dystopias. With technology, mass production, and communication having a huge influence on modern day, many dystopian ideals have become terrifying possibilities. David Sisk, a writer for encyclopedia.com, expresses how influential recent dystopian …show more content…
In this series a group of brainwashed children are tested to see how their biochemistry works when presented with life threatening challenges. In the first novel, the group of children are stuck in a maze in which seems like there is no escape, until a rebellious new contestant enters, Thomas. The children have had their memories wiped by the group controlling the tests, W.C.K.D. Thomas has just entered a dystopia inside of a dystopia. The group of children already present in the maze have created a fully functioning community with rules, jobs, and everyday tasks. Alby, the leader of the community, shows Thomas around and begins to explain the situation. Thomas meets the other members of the community and his new reality begins to set in. He is confused and frustrated by his surroundings. He wants to know why he is there, why things are the way that they are, and most of all how to escape the maze. Even worse he is plagued by strange dreams at night of children in a laboratory being tested on and the phrase “Wicked is good” continues to be repeated. Thomas is one of the best examples of a dystopian protagonist because he questions and fights everything he presented with. As he is shown around the community and as he approaches the maze he is told he is not allowed to enter under any circumstance. This frustrates him as he wants to know what is beyond and why is he allowed and only the “runners” are given permission inside. He becomes absorbed by his restrictions in the community and asks why he is trapped in his position and why he can’t do what he wants. He believes that this system of having others pick his position is flawed and unfair. One night at sundown, the community awaits the runners at the gate of the maze afraid they won’t make it back before it closes. As the gate is closing, one of the runners is seen