Scott Nichols

Scott Nichols
The Scorch Trials
James Dashner
Fantasy/Sci-fi
Just Right
104

1.  Right now in The Scorch Trials, the remaining Gladers have just gotten out of the tunnel that led from their dormitories out to the Scorch. The tunnel claimed two people's lives and severely wounded another. It showed what technology is available, not to mention the "easiest" and first part of the journey has already done more damage in one day than the Maze did in weeks at some points. Once out of the tunnel, the group realized that the Scorch is incredibly hot, to the point that people are already light-headed and blistering when they've been in the sun for ten minutes. They are approaching an abandoned city where they hope they can get food and supplies. Thomas just saw who he thinks is Teresa in an old building and is now approaching the building

2. I really like this book, and I can never put it down. It is never has anything unnecessary and every word is important. Something good is always happening, and even them trudging through a desert is interesting because of the interaction between the characters and the hope that they will find their ever closer destination. The novel also has lots of suspense, and there is a cliff hanger at the end of every chapter. I always need to read the next few pages to find out what happened, and it is always very exciting what happens afterwards. However, the part that makes me want to keep reading the most is the amount of unanswered questions. The entire book is a mystery, and all you know is that there is a horrible disease going around making people go crazy. That is literally all you know, and they are in a deserted wasteland and being attacked by odd things beyond anything they could even imagine, and the only people they've seen are insane Cranks trying to kill them, other than four shadowed WICKED  members and Rat Man.

3. A theme of this book would be manipulation. The Glader's entire tortured lives has happened because they were manipulated by WICKED. This theme mostly appears in the plot. First, they were put in the Maze, and once they escaped, they get whisked away by "rescuers". Thinking that they were finally safe, the next day, the Gladers walk into their common room to see their rescuers dead, manipulated by WICKED to give the boys a sense of security, and to be another Variable. Then, the group is forced to cross the most dangerous part of Earth, which is already incredibly dangerous, the Scorch. They were implanted with the disease that has caused so much trouble, the Flare, so that they would have no choice but to do what they were told, in the hopes that at the end they would receive a cure. The entire book is pushed along by manipulation and how many people must do things they don't want to do because WICKED manipulated them and their minds to accomplish what WICKED wants.


4. My favorite character in the book is Newt. Newt is really the only genuinely nice Glader that is still alive. He is the second-in-command of the group, and is, as said by his ID tag on his neck, the glue that keeps the Gladers together. He makes sure the boys don't panic, and always looks on the bright side. He is also one of the few people that is nice to Thomas, and is Thomas' only real friend. He talks to Thomas a lot, and cracks jokes to lighten Thomas' nearly perpetual somber mood. If it wasn't for Newt, the entire group would probably have fallen into chaos, not to mention Thomas would get depressed, which would be terrible for the group, given how important Thomas is to the Gladers survival, and to a greater extent, humanity's.

5. My least favorite character is probably Minho. He is the new leader of the Gladers after Alby died in the Maze. Minho can be bossy, and has let his leadership position get to his head. He goes by the "My way or the highway" mentality and makes all the decisions. He also has no respect for authority, which is ironic, considering he is in an authoratative role. When a representative from WICKED showed up, Minho called him Rat Man and kept bothering him even after Rat Man said he wouldn't help them if they ated like they were. Minho also acts childish nearly all the time. He yells consistently when he is upset, which happens often given his temper, and will be painfully stubborn, always thinking he is right. However, despite all this, I think that I will grow to like Minho because he is the designated leader of the Gladers, and will probably pull himself and the Gladers together.

6. I predict that the Gladers, while crossing the Scorch, will find cities full of Cranks, and have to fight their way through them. I guess that only a few will make it, and Winston will die of his wounds. I also think that the cure that has been promised by WICKED if they cross the Scorch will be delayed once they get their because WICKED needs them to do more, and will use the fact that they have the Flare against them to force them to do more work so that they can get the cure.