The Maze Runner: Chapter 16 Summary & Analysis

Thomas spends the morning hours pulling weeds and doing farm work alongside the Keeper of the farmers, Zart. Zart explains the other positions in the Glade. He says that Sloppers do all the cleaning work and that the Baggers take care of the dead but also work as police. As lunchtime nears, Thomas feels an even stronger urge to be a Runner to avoid farm work, which he despises. His desire to be a Runner is mixed with strong emotions about the girl who arrived in the Box, but he doesn’t yet know why.

At lunch, Newt is distraught and tells Thomas that the girl is still in coma. Newt says that the girl is saying “weird stuff” in her unconscious state. Newt listens but says that what’s concerning him more is Minho and Alby’s whereabouts: they went into the Maze to investigate the Griever and should have been back hours ago. When Thomas suggests sending a search party into the Maze to look for them, Newt looks horrified and says that’s not allowed because more people may get lost. Thomas notices, however, that Newt’s terror was less about a fear of losing other Gladers and more about his own fear of the Maze.

By dinner time, all the Runners have retuned except Alby and Minho. Afraid that they’re dead, the Gladers eat dinner solemnly. As they eat, Newt runs frantically from Door to Door, hoping that Alby and Minho will return before the Doors close. Thomas goes to see Newt at one of the Doors a few minutes before they all close. Newt says that Minho and Alby must be dead since they haven’t come back yet. Losing all hope, Newt walks back toward the Homestead.

As the Door begins to close, Thomas sees Minho inside the Maze with Alby, stung by a Griever, being helped along. Thomas calls for Newt’s help, but realizes Newt won’t be able to get to the Door in time to save them. Feeling he must help, Thomas slips into the Maze and the Door closes behind him.