Objectives

• Analyse how Dashner uses Thomas's amnesia in Chapters 1–4 to position the reader as equally disoriented as the protagonist.
• Explain how the Map Room and the Runners in Chapters 5 and 10 present knowledge as a form of power and survival.
• Trace how loyalty and community fracture across Chapters 6, 7, 11, and 12, using close reference to Newt, Gally, and Teresa.
• Evaluate how Dashner builds tension in the escape sequence of Chapters 13–14 through sentence structure, pacing, and the deaths of Alby and Chuck.
• Write a fully evidenced analytical essay arguing how the Maze functions as a symbol of institutional control and the denial of freedom.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Disorientation as Design: Thomas in the Box and the Glade (Ch.1–4)

   55 min · ch. 1, 2, 3, 4

   Do now

   Read the opening paragraph of Chapter 1 quietly. Jot down everything Thomas knows for sure at this point — no guesses, just facts. You should list no more than five items. Be prepared to share your list without prompting.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the paragraph in Chapter 2 where Thomas first sees the Glade and the Gladers staring at him ('The crowd of boys — he counted at least fifty — all stared at him'). Let's think through this together: Dashner intentionally leaves out Thomas's surname, age, and background. Notice how the third-person limited narration reflects Thomas's amnesia — the reader is only aware of what Thomas sees, and he hardly sees anything at all. On the board, we can annotate noun phrases that indicate absence, like 'no memory' and 'nothing.' We should also point out the passive construction 'had been sent,' which positions Thomas as the object rather than the agent in the narrative.

   Independent task

   Students will compose a complete PEEL paragraph (150–200 words) addressing the question: 'How does Dashner use narrative perspective in Chapters 1–3 to convey Thomas's disorientation to the reader?' They need to incorporate at least two quotations from Chapters 1–3, with one quotation from the Box scene in Chapter 1 and the other from Thomas's initial conversation with either Alby or Newt in Chapter 2 or 3. The paragraph should also comment on the impact of Dashner's choice of third-person limited narration, focusing not just on the events that occur.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence that names the narrative technique Dashner uses and explains in your own words why it makes the reader feel disoriented rather than simply telling us that Thomas is confused.

2. Lesson 2: Knowledge is Survival: The Runners and the Map Room (Ch.5 & 10)

   55 min · ch. 5, 10

   Do now

   Without opening the book, jot down three things you already know about the Runners and the reasons why no one else can enter the Maze. Then, write one specific question you still have about the Map Room. Avoid vague questions like, 'What happens in the Maze?'

   Teacher input

   Model on the whiteboard how to interpret Chapter 10's Map Room scene as an exploration of power dynamics, rather than merely a plot element. Emphasize the moment when Minho lays out the maps and Thomas realizes they create a code ('It was a map — a real map, with coordinates and everything'). Illustrate how Dashner utilizes the visual arrangement of the maps — their sections, patterns, and the term 'code' — to link literacy to survival. Annotate the verb choices Minho uses when he explains ('showed', 'pointed', 'revealed') in contrast to Thomas's verbs ('stared', 'couldn't believe'). Pose the question: who possesses the knowledge, and how does that shift the power dynamics within the Glade?

   Independent task

   Students are tasked with creating an annotated diagram (one A4 page) depicting the power hierarchy in the Glade as illustrated in Chapters 5 and 10. Each level of the hierarchy should be clearly labelled with a quotation from one of those chapters, accompanied by a one-sentence explanation of how that quotation demonstrates who controls knowledge and why that control is vital for survival. The diagram must feature at least four levels and must position the Runners, the Keepers, the Greenies, and WICKED (as an off-stage force) in relation to each other.

   Exit ticket

   In one or two sentences, explain why Dashner gives Minho — and not Alby or Newt — the role of showing Thomas the maps, and what this tells us about how the novel values physical courage alongside intellectual knowledge.

3. Lesson 3: When Community Breaks: Loyalty, Betrayal, and Gally's Revolt (Ch.6, 7, 11, 12)

   55 min · ch. 6, 7, 11, 12

   Do now

   Take a look at the characters listed on the board: Thomas, Teresa, Newt, Gally, Alby, Chuck. Now, rank them based on their loyalty to the Glade community, from most loyal to least loyal. You have three minutes to do this. Be prepared to support your ranking with one piece of evidence from the chapters you've read so far.

   Teacher input

   Read aloud the passage in Chapter 12 where Gally confronts Thomas in front of the gathered Gladers, saying, "You're the reason everything's falling apart — you and that girl." Analyze this moment as an example of scapegoating: Gally's language is both accusatory and commanding; the use of the collective term 'everything' amplifies his claim to sway the crowd; the phrase 'that girl' removes Teresa's name, undermining her identity and authority. Explain to students how Dashner portrays Gally not merely as a villain, but as a representation of the community's fears — he's mistaken, yet his fear is genuine. This adds complexity to the novel's exploration of good and evil.

   Independent task

   Students are tasked with writing a 200-word comparative paragraph that addresses the question: 'How do Newt and Gally illustrate two distinct reactions to the collapse of order in Chapters 11 and 12?' They are required to include at least one quote from each chapter and reference at least one significant moment for both Newt and Gally. The paragraph should not merely recount the events; instead, it should argue which character Dashner portrays more favorably, incorporating the word 'however' or 'whereas' to indicate the comparison.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining whether you think Gally is a villain or a victim in Chapter 12, and name the one piece of textual evidence that most strongly supports your view.

4. Lesson 4: Tension and Sacrifice: The Griever Hole and the Escape (Ch.13–14)

   55 min · ch. 13, 14

   Do now

   Open to Chapter 13. Silently read the first two paragraphs of the Griever Hole scene. List every technique you notice — just name and quote them without any explanations. You have four minutes.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the moment in Chapter 14 when Chuck steps in front of Gally's knife to save Thomas ('Chuck's body slammed into his, and they both went down'). Highlight how Dashner uses short, declarative sentences at this moment—subject, verb, object—to create a sense of brutal inevitability. Compare this with the longer, breathless sentences earlier in the chase through the Maze. Annotate: the verb 'slammed' (violent, sudden, unexpected); the pronoun shift as Chuck becomes 'his body' after death; the absence of dialogue during the sacrifice. Ask students: what does the sentence structure reveal about how Dashner wants us to feel?

   Independent task

   Students are required to write one extended analytical paragraph (200–250 words) addressing the question: 'How does Dashner use sentence structure and word choice in Chapter 14 to depict Chuck's death as both shocking and inevitable?' The paragraph must include at least three quotations from Chapter 14 and incorporate the terms 'declarative sentence,' 'verb,' and 'contrast.' Additionally, the paragraph should conclude with a sentence that connects Chuck's death to the novel's overarching theme of sacrifice within the community.

   Exit ticket

   Write two sentences: the first should name the structural technique Dashner uses most powerfully in the death scene, and the second should explain what emotional effect that technique creates in the reader at that specific moment.

5. Lesson 5: Institutional Control and the Illusion of Freedom: A Sustained Essay (Ch.1–15)

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

   Do now

   Read the last paragraph of Chapter 15, where WICKED's true purpose is disclosed. Summarize in your own words what WICKED says it was doing and the reasons behind it. Finally, include one sentence expressing whether you find that justification convincing, and explain why.

   Teacher input

   Model the essay's opening on the board using Chapter 1 and Chapter 15 as a structural frame. Write a thesis sentence live: "Dashner creates the Maze not just as a physical barrier but as a representation of institutional power that strips the Gladers of control over their own identities, a truth that becomes clear in the revelation of Chapter 15." Demonstrate how to incorporate a quote from Chapter 1 ("Everything he'd ever known had been erased") and link it to Chapter 15 without summarizing the intervening plot. Show the process: quote → technique → effect → theme.

   Independent task

   Write a comprehensive analytical essay of 450–550 words addressing the question: "How does Dashner use the Maze as a symbol of institutional control throughout the novel?" Your essay should present a clear thesis in the introductory paragraph. Include at least four embedded quotations from a minimum of three different chapters: one from Chapters 1–4 (covering Thomas's arrival and early days), one from Chapters 8–10 (focusing on the Maze and the Map Room), and one from Chapters 13–15 (discussing the escape and the revelation). Each quotation should be followed by an analysis that explores a specific language or structural technique. In your conclusion, revisit the concept of "freedom" and evaluate whether the Gladers attain it by the end of Chapter 15. Avoid retelling the plot; ensure that every sentence contributes to your analytical argument.

   Exit ticket

   Read back your thesis sentence. In one full sentence, explain whether your essay's conclusion actually proves what your thesis promised — and if it does not, write the one change you would make to bring them into alignment.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: checks whether students can name third-person limited narration and connect it to the effect of disorientation, not just describe what happens to Thomas.
• Lesson 2 annotated diagram: checks whether students can place characters in a power hierarchy using textual evidence from Chapters 5 and 10, rather than general impression.
• Lesson 3 comparative paragraph: checks whether students can sustain a two-sided argument about Newt and Gally using the word 'however' or 'whereas' as a structural signal.
• Lesson 4 exit ticket: checks whether students can name a specific structural technique (declarative sentence) and explain its emotional effect at the precise moment of Chuck's death.
• Lesson 5 thesis/conclusion alignment check: checks whether students' conclusions deliver what their opening thesis promised, targeting the most common essay-level structural weakness.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story (e.g. where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
• W.11-12.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Explain the function of word choice, imagery, and syntax in a literary text.
• Character (CHR-1) — Explain the function of contrasting characters (Newt vs. Gally) and how they illuminate the text's thematic concerns.
• Narration (NAR-1) — Explain the function of point of view and how Dashner's third-person limited narration shapes reader understanding of Thomas's identity and agency.
• Structure (STR-1) — Explain how the sequence of events — from arrival in the Box to WICKED's revelation — contributes to the text's exploration of institutional control.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts, maintaining a critical style and developing an informed personal response with references to the text.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by Dashner to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received, including the dystopian genre context.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, with particular reference to Dashner's use of narrative perspective, sentence structure, and symbolism.
• AO4 — Explore connections across literary texts, including connections between The Maze Runner's treatment of institutional power and the wider dystopian genre.