Disobedience In The Maze Runner

The trend in dystopian societies is very intriguing and so vivid. Dystopian societies dictate many characteristics as leaders and followers usually one coming out from the shade to lead their small groups to rebel against order. Through, James Dashner literature the maze runner series he greatly displays challenges of the protagonist in a fallen society. He also takes his text to the next level by being able to display hopelessness in a series of challenges, with struggles with fear in courage as the protagonist in the book go through their trenches, long and dangerous journey. Basically the control the dystopian society creates. Since their beginning they all went through the same thing. On pg. 1. “he began his new life standing up, surrounded

In "Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem," Erich Fromm (1963) argues that society will self-destruct without achieving freedom through disobedience. Fromm begins with analogies of Hebrew and Greek mythology showing how disobedience to a god freed humans. Using this correlation, Fromm shows freedom as a condition for disobedience, and vice- versa. Therefore, Fromm proclaims that without disobedience the human race could destroy itself within a generation.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner is a young adult/ science fiction book which takes place in a maze known as the Glade. Some of the most important characters include Minho and Thomas. Minho is one of the most interesting characters in the book. He was the leader of the boys, called Gladers, and one of the wisest characters in my opinion. Thomas is the main character of the story. Despite his memory loss, he helps guide the Gladers out of the maze they have been placed in. His strong efforts to save the Gladers and do what’s right has earned him the respect and trust to become a leader.

Fromm initiates his article by addressing the commonly held belief that obedience is a virtue and disobedience is a vice. Fromm mentions that this is not the case, as “human history began with an act of disobedience, and it is not unlikely that it will be terminated by an act of obedience”(Fromm 227). Man began human history through Adam and Eve eating the apple in the garden of Eden. Additionally, Prometheus stealing fire from the Greek Gods

Fromm makes a very remarkable point when he states, “If a man can only obey and not disobey, he is a slave; if he can only disobey and not obey, he is a rebel(not a revolutionary); he acts out of anger, disappointment, resentment, yet not in the name of a conviction or a principle (Fromm 685)”. This statement leaves little doubt that we cannot come up with an accurate definition or reason behind obedience to authority. Essentially there is no gray area between obedience and disobedience. At this point in the essay, Fromm is very close to convincing the reader that obedience is a psychological and physical problem through the various examples in history he has cited. Fromm continues to make his case that disobedience is detrimental to society by explaining the two types of conscience that develop within the human psyche when confronted with a important decision. The first type of conscience is authoritarian conscience which deals with the internal voice that aims to please an authority figure out of fear. The second type, humanistic conscience, can be explained as the voice in the back of your head that allows you to tell what is human and inhuman. The complexity of defining which conscience ultimately decides your actions can be explained by

“Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.” Henry David Thoreau, a well known essayist, wrote: Walden. Thoreau supports Wilde’s claim of disobedience promoting social progress. He mentions that people who live in obedience are not living at all. Progress is defined as a forward or onward movement toward a destination. The only way society can progress is through evolution, as people grow from a simple neanderthal to complex modern humans like us. And in order to evolve, there must be a break in pattern: disobedience-failure or refusal to obey rules in authority. There is no development if everyone is a collective mind. Examples are seen in Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451 with the protagonist, Montag,

Have you ever seen a big red button that says do not push and then pushed it? We have all been there; it was just too tempting to not push it, right? In John Milton’s Paradise Lost, mankind presses that big red button. Through Adam and Eve’s free will to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, they fall from Paradise. It is not like God did not warn the pair; he made it abundantly clear that their one rule was to not eat from the tree. God, being omniscient, knows that they will fall, but makes their choice of disobedience an easy decision. Although God foresees the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden, they have free will and fall on their own; however, God makes it too easy for Satan to succeed.

Erich Fromm’s essay “Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem” suggests that humankind’s evolution has, and continues to rely on man’s capability to exercise disobedience. While discussing the positions of disobedience being considered a vice, and obedience being a virtue, Fromm reflects upon the history of Adam and Eve believing that “eating the forbidden fruit” was man’s first act of disobedience. This is the point that broke the bond between man and nature requiring man to be dependant upon his own powers, while rewarding him with his “complete” humanity, freedom,

Erich Fromm’s essay “Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem” suggests that humankind’s evolution has, and continues to rely on man’s capability to exercise disobedience. While discussing the positions of disobedience being considered a vice, and obedience being a virtue, Fromm reflects upon the history of Adam and Eve believing

Fromm cited that authority figures insisted obedience as a virtue and disobedience as a vice. He argued that disobedience began human history itself and necessary to continue it. Fromm first discussed a Biblical example: the story of Adam and Eve. Humans were in harmony with nature, yet still in their infancy. Prophets argued it is through man’s “sin” can reason and love developed, and men become human. Only through disobedience were they able to grow into individuals and independence. Fromm drew onto the Greek myth of Prometheus as another source of evolution through disobedience. Prometheus’ theft of fire from the gods laid down the foundations for civilization. Both examples have mankind’s history begin with disobedience. The capacity of disobedience allows humans to evolve.

Conscience is a sense of what a person believes to be right and wrong. To form a mature conscience, people must communicate with others, that are considered to have moral wisdom, within communities. According to Richard M. Gula in his book Reasons Informed by Faith, “A criterion of a mature moral conscience is the ability to make up one’s mind for oneself about

This does not necessarily mean that all disobedience is good and all obedience is bad. That would ignore the relationship between obedience and disobedience. An act of obedience to one principle is usually and act

When Thomas comes to the maze, no one knows him. He has to try to make friends. In the beginning, when no one knows you, it is hard to make friends. He only makes one friend but he still seems like an outcast. His one friend isn’t very popular so that doesn’t help thomas. The author uses dialogue to show that no one knows him. The author also uses dialogue to show his

Conscience, in modern usage, term denoting various factors in moral experience. Thus, the recognition and acceptance of a principle of conduct as binding is called conscience. In theology and ethics, the term refers to the inner sense of right and wrong in moral choices, as well as to the satisfaction that follows action regarded as right and the dissatisfaction and remorse resulting from conduct that is considered wrong. In earlier ethical theories, conscience was regarded as a separate faculty of the mind having moral jurisdiction, either absolute or as a representative of God in the human soul.

“Knowledge will give you power, but character respect” - Bruce Lee. In James Dashner’s The Maze Runner, respect is an underlying theme that is constant throughout the novel. Respect is not something that is gained it is always earned, it takes something meaningful to earn it. Respect is not given idly by any person and is shown in the novel. Respect and trust usually go hand in hand and are good things to have in a community. One of the things that can earn respect is friendship and loyalty, if they become good friends and are loyal to each other respect will come easily. Although respect does not necessarily result in friendship. Another thing that earns respect is the value of knowledge and experience. If one runs into another who does the same thing as them, but better, instantly they gain a form of respect in either form of admiration or jealousy. Lastly respect can be earned through actions of cleverness and intelligence as people who see people do clever or smart things usually gain some admiration and respect. In the novel, The Maze Runner, respect is represented throughout the novel through a variety of forms such as, friendship, experience and actions.