After reading The Maze Runner and Fast Food Nation, I learned a lot about the dynamics and importance of government and the fast food industry. The social contract and the ideas of Locke and Hobbes both relate to the two books and how government and businesses work side by side. The importance of addressing problems as they happen, rather than sweeping them under the rug or making small changes, is another thing that was addressed in both books, both directly and indirectly. The Maze Runner “The Maze Runner” by James Dashner is the first in a young adult dystopian science fiction trilogy. The book was published in October 2009. It is currently in the process of being made into a film, scheduled for release on September 19, 2014. The book is set in the Glade, a mini society built by teenage boys who are brought there without any memory of their past life. When Thomas arrives, strange events begin to occur. Thomas feels he holds the secret to finding the way out of the Glade, but he must figure out how to recover his memories to save the Gladers. About the Author James Dashner grew up in Georgia, but now lives in the Rocky Mountains with his wife and four children. He earned his bachelor's degree in accounting and worked in the financial industry. After the release of the first book of “The Maze Runner” trilogy, he left accounting and works full time as a writer. Dashner says most of the ideas for the trilogy came right at the beginning. He always knew there would be three books and had a good idea about how they would be divided. Being an avid reader, much of his inspiration comes from the books he has read. James says The Maze Runner was influenced by Orson Scott Card's The Enders Game and also William Golding's Lord of the Flies. It says…middle of the paper…an opportunity to use critical thinking skills and learn more about theories about government and society. The main thing I learned from this project is that for a government to be successful, it must meet the needs of the people, not large companies or organizations. Works Cited Dashner, James. The maze runner. New York: Delacorte, 2009. Print."Encyclopedia of Internet Philosophy." Social contract theory []. Np, 2009. Web. 09 December 2013. Pavao, Kate. “Q&A with James Dashner.” PublishersWeekly.com. Publishers Weekly, August 2, 2012. Web. December 11, 2013. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. Print.Schlosser, Eric. “Still a nation of fast food.” The daily beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast and Web. December 11, 2013."Schlosser on Food and Finance." PBS. PBS, 2010. Web. 11 December. 2013.