"I think… I think we're here as part of some weird experiment, or test, or something like that. But it's supposed to end somehow. We can't live here forever—whoever sent us here wants it to end. One way or another." […] "She's just a pawn—they sent her here as our last tool or hint or whatever to help us get out." Thomas took a deep breath. "And I think they sent me, too." (37.33-34)
See, we knew they'd catch on eventually. Thomas is hitting the nail right on the head here. The only point he's missing is that they are all pawns and subjects in a horrible experiment.
Quote 2
Thomas shook his head. "No, you don't get it. They're weeding us out, seeing if we'll give up, finding the best of us. Throwing variables at us, trying to make us quit. Testing our ability to hope and fight. Sending Teresa here and shutting everything down was only the last part, one more… final analysis. Now it's time for the last test. To escape." (48.54)
And there you have it, folks. Why won't the other boys just listen to Thomas? Have they been so badly messed with that they can't trust anybody?
Quote 3
"Whatever the reason, it makes me sick! All of this—the Grievers, the walls moving, the Cliff— they're just elements of a stupid test. We're being used and manipulated. […] They're throwing crazy things at us to see our response, test our will. See if we'll turn on each other." (49.22)
Pro tip: used and manipulated kinda mean the same thing. We're just sayin'…
"[The Changing] brings back memories. Just little snippets, but definite memories of before we came to this horrible place. Anyone who goes through it acts like a bloody psycho when it's over—although usually not as bad as poor Ben. Anyway, it's like being given your old life back, only to have it snatched away again." (23.27)
No wonder Gally's so grumpy. The Changing sounds pretty awful. It's like being told that you're on your way to Disney World, and then your mom pulls into the parking lot of the dentist's office and says "Gotcha!" (Thanks, Mom.)
Quote 5
"Like I said, they wanted to test us, see how we'd react to what they call the Variables, and to a problem that has no solution. See if we could work together—build a community, even. Everything was provided for us, and the problem was laid out as one of the most common puzzles known to civilization—a maze." (49.19)
Building a community ranks up there with fighting off killer mucus machines—they're both pretty difficult. Could they have been just as effective at surviving without having established their law and order?
"Chuck, how… old do you think I am?"
The boy scanned him up and down. "I'd say you're sixteen. And in case you were wondering, five foot nine… brown hair. Oh, and ugly as fried liver on a stick." […]
Sixteen? He was sixteen? He felt much older than that. (3.23)
We all feel older than we are… until you hit about 50. That's when you start to say "Yeah, I'm 65 but I feel like I'm 20 again." Side note: has anyone ever seen fried liver on a stick? We're wondering exactly where Chuck got this analogy from.
Quote 7
An explosion of fear ripped through Thomas. It was now or never. […] Without hesitating, knowing the others would think he was trying to commit suicide, Thomas sprinted in their direction until he found himself in the middle of the pack of creatures. […] "Don't worry," he whispered, hoping they could hear him. "I did it on purpose… " (46.16, 21, 35)
What a shuck-face. Once again, Thomas is sacrificing his bodily well-being for the greater good.
Quote 8
"It doesn't do the Creators any good if we all die—this thing is meant to be hard, not impossible. I think we finally know for sure that the Grievers are programmed to only kill one of us each day. So somebody can sacrifice himself to save the others while we run to the Hole. I think this might be how it's supposed to happen." (51.37)
Oh, okay then, no problem. Wanna draw straws? There are so many flaws to this logic, but it's astounding what people will believe out of desperation.
Quote 9
Thomas got to his feet and started walking toward the eastern opening. "Well, no one said I couldn't look around." He needed to learn something or he was going to lose his mind. (4.15)
Infamous last words: "No one said I couldn't…" This is probably the most brazen Thomas acts the entire time he's in the Glade, most likely spurred by his innocence. He has no idea what's out in the Maze yet, so how could he be scared?
Quote 10
"Time to stay out there and see if anything opens up when the walls move. If they still move." […] Although it scared him to death, exploring the Maze—really exploring it—was something he'd wanted to do from the first time he'd learned about it. (38.11, 14)
'Nuff said. (Drops mic, walks away)
"How could these walls move? They're huge, and they look like they've been standing here for a thousand years." And the idea of those walls closing and trapping him inside this place they called the Glade was downright terrifying. (4.32)
It kind of goes without saying that being enclosed in a space against your will would be terrifying, no matter who or where you are. Through a heaping pile of the unknown into the mix, though, (moving walls?) and this is just the worst.