Thomas
The protagonist of the story. He arrives in the Glade with no knowledge of who he is or was. He only remembers his name and nothing else about his life. Thomas proves to be brave, loyal, and clever, with isolated telepathic powers and a very limited memory of previous knowledge of the Maze. Soon after arriving in the Glade, Thomas makes both friends and enemies and proves a leader among the boys.
Alby
The leader of the Gladers, Alby has authority over much of what goes on in the Glade. He is hot-headed but experienced. Only a few Gladers, those who have been there the longest like Minho, ever see fit to question Alby's decisions. After being stung by a Griever, Alby undergoes the Changing and becomes convinced that they should not return to the outside world. He wishes to stay in the Glade and even tries to sabotage an escape plan by burning the maps drawn by the Runners. Alby dies during the escape attempt by throwing himself onto a Griever.
Newt
Named after Sir Isaac Newton, Newt is a tall, muscular boy with long blonde hair who operates as second in command in the Glade. Sarcastic and direct, Newt befriends Thomas early on and spends time explaining the way the Glade and Maze work to him. As Alby's leadership begins to erode, Newt steps in to fill the gap and support Thomas's plans to escape.
Chuck
A chubby boy who is assigned to be Thomas's guide on his first night in the Glade. Chuck is awkward and one of the youngest Gladers. He is talkative, innocent and naive, and though he is also annoying at times Thomas comes to see Chuck as a friend and even as a sort of younger brother. Thomas takes it upon himself to ensure that Chuck gets out of the Maze and is reunited with his family. Chuck gives his life to save Thomas from Gally's knife. His character represents innocence.
Ben
A pale, thin boy who Thomas first hears screaming from the wooden building. He learns that Ben has been stung by a Griever. Ben later attacks Thomas in the graveyard and is struck by Alby's arrow. Ben claims that Thomas is the true criminal and needs to be punished, though Thomas is not sure for what. Following his attempt on Thomas's life Ben is banished to the Maze for his crime, eliciting great guilt in Thomas.
Gally
An arrogant, dark-haired boy who bullies Thomas on his first day in the Glade. He tells Thomas he has seen him before, during the Changing, and sows suspicion amongst the Gladers. Gally is not particularly popular amongst the Gladers. Following a confrontation with Minho, Gally disappears but reappears to warn the Gladers that the Creators mean to kill them by sending in a Griever to take one of them every night until they are all dead. He is then taken by a Griever himself. Thomas and the other escapees encounter Gally again after escaping the Maze. Gally throws a knife at Thomas, but Chuck steps in the way and is killed. Thomas then attacks and beats Gally mercilessly.
Frypan
An older-looking, bearded boy who operates as the cook in the Glade. Frypan does his best to provide nutritious meals for the Gladers every day. He is very territorial about his kitchen and its contents but his ultimate aim is to provide for all the inhabitants. He demonstrates his appreciation of Thomas several times by cooking special meals for him.
Clint
The shorter of the two Med-jacks, Clint has dark hair that is already graying at the sides. Along with Jeff, they are the only Med-jacks in the Glade. They operate as the medical first responders in the Glade, doing their best to look after Gladers who have been hurt or stung by Grievers.
Jeff
A large boy with a high-pitched voice. Jeff is one of the two Med-jacks, along with Clint. They operate as the medical first responders in the Glade, doing their best to look after Gladers who have been hurt or stung by Grievers.
Winston
The Keeper of the Blood House, the section of the Glade devoted to the slaughter of animals for food. The Blood House attendants have a reputation for being the more unusual and creepy Gladers, as they spend their days killing and dismembering livestock. Winston is no exception. After a short time around Winston, Thomas is sure he'd rather work somewhere else in the Glade.
Minho
One of the first Gladers, and therefore one of the most senior, Minho is a sometimes brash but dependable leader. As Keeper of the Runners, he is charged with overseeing the daily searching and mapping of the Maze, a dangerous task. Although he and Thomas do not get along upon meeting they come to be close allies after becoming trapped in the Maze overnight.
The Girl / Teresa
A teenage girl who mysteriously arrives in the Glade the day after Thomas. She tells everyone that everything is about to change, before slipping into a coma. Thomas is sure that he knows Teresa from before, but cannot remember. Later, it is revealed that she shares a telepathic link with Thomas. They become close friends over the course of the novel and Teresa helps Thomas and Chuck deactivate the Maze during their escape. She is the only female character in almost the entire book, yet she serves little purpose except to catalyze plot and Thomas's character development.
Zart
The Keeper of the Track-hoes, the Gladers who work the Garden. Zart doesn't speak often and is described as being big and broody. He seems to like Thomas, supporting him during his trial and stating that Thomas should not be punished for saving Minho and Alby. He falls victim to a Griever during the second day of attacks.
Ava Paige
An administrator of some sort, who is cited as the author of a memo sent to the employees of WICKED. The memorandum reveals that Thomas and the other Gladers have not actually escaped but are simply entering the next phase of the experiment, without their knowledge. The memorandum also reveals there is another test group.
Hideous Woman
A crazed woman covered in hideous sores who tells Thomas that he is meant to save them all from the Flare. She is subsequently run over by the bus driven by the rescue party the Gladers encounter after meeting the Creators.
The Creators
The individuals who designed the experiments conducted on the Gladers, the ones who imprisoned them in the Glade. Thomas, Minho, Teresa, and Chuck encounter a few of them after escaping the Maze. They are described as having pale, deathly faces that betray little emotion.
