Blog Prompt #5- Transition

It has been clear since early on in the novel that Thomas is different than all of the other Gladers. Although he was scared when he first arrived in the Glade, he was predominantly filled with curiosity and determination to actually do something about the Gladers’ situation. Instead of focusing on order and making a life in the Glade, Thomas focuses on how to accomplish his goals (becoming a Runner) and getting out. Because many strange things happened upon Thomas’s arrival, including the conflict with Ben, Teresa’s arrival, the changing sky, surviving a night with the Grievers- all of these events cast suspicion upon Thomas and he had to overcome all of this in his transition to becoming a leader. It is also because of these things that the Gladers realized there was something special about Thomas and that the leaders should keep him close. Although Thomas does possess some bad traits, and there are several situations in which we question who Thomas really is (the “Changing” views of him), the author keeps us invested in his story. By manipulating a contrast of order and chaos and giving the reader insight into Thomas’s rationalization in the face of unknown, we are inclined to side with Thomas and believe that he has the ability to get the Gladers home. The author uses Thomas as a character that we can either relate to, or ope to be more like. Personally, I wish I could be as brave as Thomas that I would venture into the dangerous wilderness to save someone who is basically a stranger. Because we admire Thomas and are also curious at the same things he wonders about, we tend to push aside the suspicions and antagonistic views of him and become immersed in his story.

Blog Prompt #4- Banishment

The scene of Ben’s banishment reveals numerous qualities of the boys inhabiting the Glade. The Gladers decided to banish Ben as his punishment for attempting to murder Thomas. Because no one had ever survived a night in the maze, (this was obviously prior to Thomas’s experience in the maze) this banishment was the Gladers’ form of capital punishment. They believe that they are doing what is right in order to maintain order, but there are many things that the Gladers could have done instead, and/or they could have gone about it in another way. They could have attempted to help en, either with medications, therapy, rest, etc., or they could confine him like most real world criminal punishments. If going straight to the decision of banishment doesn’t fully reflect their monstrosity, the scene of the banishment quite does. When Chuck tells Thomas about what is going to happen, “He only smiled” (pg 89). The Keepers treat Ben with no sympathy and just totally deject themselves emotionally from the gigantic situation that is occurring. They use a “collar” and a long pole (leash) to force Ben into the Maze, thus dehumanizing him in order to make themselves feel free of guilt for what they are doing. Thomas describes Alby while delivering the banishment as, “Eyes bloodspot, face wrinkled, breathing heavily- he suddenly looked evil” (pg 92). The entire scene in general portrays the Gladers (except for Thomas) as monsters.

Blog Prompt #3- Character Analysis

The prominent characters in the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde are vastly different in their moral standing. One character particularly stands out in regards to his morality and behavior, and that is Dr Jekyll. The doctor has a dual personality similar to the narrator in the novel Fight Club, but with several key differences. Dr Jekyll made the decision to create his evil counterpart Mr Hyde with the intention to wreck havoc and evil at his pleasure. He chooses when to change between his personalities and he is cognitively aware of the damage that Hyde inflicts while in control of the body. Even after Mr Hyde tramples a young child and murders a man, Dr Jekyll still chooses to let that evil side of him win out. Additionally, the doctor lies to his closest friends (until the end of the novella) and although he writes that he was tormented and morally ashamed of his behavior, he does not take the necessary steps to rid of Hyde and mend his conscious and relationships with others. All of this being said, I believe Dr Jekyll is the real evil character in this story. He has the power to decide what image his reflection is going to take on, and he consistently chooses to reflect the evil side of him onto the rest of the world.

Blog Prompt #2- Reflection

The theme of reflection is important in this novel, especially as it pertains to the narrator. Throughout the story, the narrator seems to rapidly lose his sense of self identity. The reader gets through the entire story without ever knowing the the narrator’s real name, which reinforces the idea that the narrator cannot even piece a name to reflect who he is. Once the narrator comes to the realization that Tyler Durdan is a split personality of himself, he soon falls apart. Towards the end, when the narrator has decided that death is his only escape from Tyler, Project Mayhem, and everything terrible he has created, he notices that everything in his room is gone. “My mirror with a picture of my foot from when I had cancer for ten minutes. Worse than cancer. The mirror is gone.” (page 202). Whenever he first describes the “cancer” experience, he says that his birthmark is worse than cancer and that “the cancer I don’t have is everywhere now” (page 106). I believe both of these instances symbolize both the outward and inner destruction of the narrator’s life. Not only is the world around him spreading violence and social destruction in a cancerous rate and manner, but his reflection has been destroyed as well. Tyler Durdan has become an idea for the world to cling on to in order to relinquish their destructive thoughts and behaviors, and the narrator is forced to sacrifice the last of his existence in order to attempt to right the wrong that his mental illness has created.

Blog Prompt #1- Monsters

While the term “monster” generally provokes images of inhuman, terrifying beings, the type of monsters found in the novel, Fight Club, are of a completely different sort. From an outside perspective, the main characters may seem like average citizens, but they possess certain qualities that make them monstrous in a sense. Tyler Durden, for example, has made it his life’s mission to carry out personal, as well as social destruction. He has convinced our nameless narrator to follow him on this journey of destruction. Their acts of destruction so far include inserting pornographic frames into movies and peeing in rich peoples’ food. Marla Singer can be characterized as a monster because she is “ruining” the narrator’s life, as he puts it, and she becomes an ongoing obstacle for him. While this can certainly be perceived as monstrous behavior, there are other means to define “monster”. Society, money, and class could be considered as monsters because the main character is attempting to overcome these worldly possessions in order to find himself and actual happiness. Although it is difficult to understand and empathize with these characters and their questionable personalities, it becomes easier once the reader understands each character’s underlying motivations. The three main characters share the common goal of “hitting bottom” in order to gain a sense of freedom and control over their lives. The characters cannot be fully grouped together, however, because they come from different backgrounds and have different motivations for their thoughts and actions. The narrator is just now beginning to discover that on the journey of finding oneself, there will be monsters that must be either conquered or embraced, including oneself and the society we live in.