The Scorch Trials Fear

Ha, and you thought the Maze was pretty bad? Well, the Scorch Trials are even worse: not only do the Gladers have to deal with Cranks and bad weather, but Thomas is also separated from Teresa. What's he going to do without her?

Remember, Thomas isn't the only one who is scared out of jammy-jams. We might only get his perspective, but the other Gladers (you know, the ones we would probably be if we were in this book) are probably even more scared. With good reason, too—they're not main characters, so they're way more likely to buy the farm before the book ends.

When you're afraid of something—say a creepy noise or sound—the first thing you do shouldn't be to run toward it. But if you know Thomas well, you'll know that he just runs towards trouble. Does that make him brave? Stupid?

Curiosity is often related to fear: many things we fear are unknown, which is why we fear them. But if we don't know exactly what this fear is, of course we're going to be a little curious as to what it is.

Another reason why Thomas is so mentally torn is that he fears how he played a part in the Maze construction. Not knowing your past is one thing, but being afraid of what happened in the past is another thing.

"It's easier said than done" is a pretty good phrase to illustrate this moment. It's a lot easier to get over the fear of having a disease when you don't know what it looks like, but when it's staring you in the face, that'll resurrect some demons.

The fear of dying looms in all of the Gladers' minds, but Chuck's death actually helps Thomas overcome his fear of death. In a way, it was a form of desensitization.

Unfortunately, that's wishful thinking. Fear affects everyone, no matter how much they've been exposed to it before. Thomas will find this out soon enough.

The best way to block out fear, for Thomas, is action. Focusing on something, like passing the Trials, is a good way for Thomas and the Gladers to avoid letting their fear take over.

Ever felt like your stomach just did a flip? That's what Thomas is feeling right about now. There's no way to avoid fear completely—it's a normal reaction, and it serves a purpose. The question is knowing how to deal with it.