The Glade Symbol in The Maze Runner

The Maze also represents the trials of adolescence. Like the Maze, adolescence can appear for the teenager to be a chaotic and confusing experience full of wrong turns and regrettable choices. Although the futility of the Maze makes the boys feel sullen and depressed, Thomas shows them that with a wider perspective they can make it out of the Maze, or adolescence, alive.

The Glade Symbol Timeline in The Maze Runner

The timeline below shows where the symbol The Glade appears in The Maze Runner. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...of the boys calls him a “shank” and welcomes him to a place called the Glade. (full context)

Stability and Order vs. Change and Chaos Theme Icon

...and marches off, leaving Newt to comfort Thomas. Newt points out that everyone in the Glade arrived through the same dark box. Newt says that in time, Thomas will get accustomed... (full context)

...by a Griever, but that the boy won’t die because he got back to the Glade in time to get the “Serum.” Thomas asks for more information about the Grievers. Instead... (full context)

...the knowledge of their first names. Chuck tells Thomas that although he’s only been the Glade for a month and can’t offer that much information, he’ll be his friend. Thomas says... (full context)

...older boy, who introduces himself as Gally, says that he’s the “real” leader in the Glade and that Thomas should call him Captain Gally. Wanting to embarrass Gally, Thomas does an... (full context)

...asks what’s behind the walls, Chuck gets uncomfortable and says he’s never been outside the Glade. Thomas asks why everyone is being so secretive and Chuck says that no one really... (full context)

...says he won’t answer any more questions and heads back into the center of the Glade. (full context)

...straight out of the door and past Thomas. Thomas then sees one boy entering the Glade from each of the three other Doors. All four boys meet at the concrete building... (full context)

...a garden. As Thomas starts drifting into sleep, he has a sudden realization that the Glade and the Maze feel familiar. Although he doesn’t know why this feeling came over him,... (full context)

In another moment of realization, Thomas tells Chuck that he’s been to the Glade before. Surprised, Chuck sits up in his sleeping bag. Thomas doesn’t want to lose the... (full context)

...Maze at night. Since the doors shut at sunset, the Grievers can’t get into the Glade. Newt says that Thomas, like all the other boys, needs to help find a way... (full context)

...doors in the ground that open up to the elevator that brought Thomas to the Glade. Its doors are now closed, but Alby says that every month a new boy arrives,... (full context)

Alby brings Thomas to the South Door. Alby says that he’s been living in the Glade for two years. Everyone who had lived in the Glade before him has died. For... (full context)

...this change seems scary to them. Chuck also explains that before he arrived in the Glade, some boys made long ropes from the ivy on the walls, pried open the Box... (full context)

Newt calls for the Med-Jacks, the Glade’s version of doctors, to examine the girl. They determine that she may be in a... (full context)

...information to add to their maps of the Maze. Realizing he may never escape the Glade, Thomas wonders aloud if they are all murderers put into the Glade as punishment for... (full context)

...rest of the day in a blur of fear and anxiety about living in the Glade. The next morning, Thomas wakes up feeling depressed for having been a part of Ben’s... (full context)

...a dead Griever in the Maze. They agree to haul the Griever back to the Glade tomorrow. Alby then turns to Thomas and asks again if he’s holding any information back.... (full context)

...ceremonial and authoritative voice, decrees that Ben will be banished. The ten Keepers of the Glade all grab hold of the pole at the opposite end of the collar. (full context)

...says that Thomas will first need to prove himself as a valuable member of the Glade before he will be recommended as a Runner. When Thomas says he’ll go crazy if... (full context)

...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... (full context)

...him with the Serum before sunset. Thomas asks if they ever tried giving a stung Glader the Serum after sunset. Minho realizes they’ve never tried because stung Gladers have either managed... (full context)

...Thomas shows Newt where Alby is hanging and then he and Minho head into the Glade to rest. (full context)

...desire to get revenge on the Creators and the people who put him in the Glade. (full context)

...that Gally wants him dead. Minho says they should throw Gally in the Slammer, the Glade’s jail, for threatening Thomas. To Minho’s surprise, Winston says that maybe Gally has a point... (full context)

...says that he remembers an event called the Flare and that the world outside the Glade is horrible and apocalyptic. Alby says that he now understands that the Creators must have... (full context)

...tells Thomas that they need to find out who he was before coming to the Glade. He tells Thomas to open his mind and be honest about what he sees and... (full context)

...unintentionally ran for an hour inside the Maze. Realizing he must get back to the Glade before sunset, Thomas finds it surprisingly easy to retrace his steps. Thomas finds his way... (full context)

...he is gone. This makes Thomas angry at the Creators for putting them in the Glade and depriving Chuck of a normal life. Thomas assures Chuck that he has parents who... (full context)

...this is true, saying that if the images he saw of the world outside the Glade were real, then he would rather stay in the Glade than go home. (full context)

...squares of the same size, nine squares in all. He labels the middle square “The Glade.” Starting from the upper left hand corner and moving clockwise, he labels the rest of... (full context)

The next morning Thomas awakes to shouting and confusion in the Glade. Although his watch says it’s morning, the sky is totally grey and there is no... (full context)

...the sun none of their plants or animal will be able to survive in the Glade for long. Thomas considers telling Minho what he heard in his head the previous night,... (full context)

...the portal, Minho responds that he must have a death wish. Before returning to the Glade with their new discovery, Minho decides they should explore the Maze some more. Minho hopes... (full context)

After failing to find anything else, they return to the Glade to tell Newt and Alby about the portal, which Thomas christens the Griever Hole. But... (full context)

...to him. Thomas says that they must have known each other before arriving in the Glade, but that they can’t remember anything else. Alby gets angry at Teresa, asking what she... (full context)

All over the Glade people are trying to seal the Doors in order to prevent the Grievers from getting... (full context)

...him that she’s afraid of the Grievers. Thomas says that she’s never heard that the Gladers called them that before. He says that she she must remember more than she realizes... (full context)

...says that’s a waste of time, but Minho responds that all the changes in the Glade may have prompted an exit to open in the Maze. Newt agrees with Minho and... (full context)

...world scorched by fire. Alby says that it would be better to die in the Glade than to return home. (full context)

...that he’d rather fight and take his chances with the Creators than die in the Glade. Thomas says that no matter what the Keepers decide, he, Minho, and Teresa will fight... (full context)

...to Thomas’ plan. Although the Keepers will go, Newt doesn’t know how many of the Gladers will follow them. Newt says that he’ll get Alby to fight with the Keepers by... (full context)

...lifeless body and weeps long and loud for the first friend he made in the Glade. (full context)

To the Gladers confusion and fear, these new people tell the Gladers to follow them because their life... (full context)

...Thomas thinks is this new group’s leader explains the realities of the world outside the Glade. She says that natural sun flares began to get worse until one day a flare... (full context)

The Maze Runner

James Dashner

The Glade Symbol Analysis

The Glade Symbol Timeline in The Maze Runner