The maze definitely strikes us as strangely familiar. In it, teen contestants are forced to confront dark forces and unexpected dangers that even a battle-hardened adult would shrink from. As a result of that whole sitch, we really get to see what they're made of: their bravery, strength, abilities, etc.

Huh. Isn't that basically like Harry's life for the last four years? And his friends' lives?

They've been dealing with heavy issues, and so they've had to be wise and courageous in ways that are pretty unusual for most adults…not to mention teens. Just as in the maze, how they respond to these challenges tells us a lot about what kind of people they are.

The maze definitely tests the participants' morals and mettle. For example, it briefly warps Harry's sense of right and wrong, to the point where he almost doesn't help Cedric out when he's captured:

CEDRIC: You know, for a moment there, I thought you were going to let it get me.

HARRY: For a moment, so did I.

The fact that Harry and Cedric can shake off the maze's influence really speaks volumes about their strength and character. Bottom line: the maze really encapsulates a lot of the challenges Harry and others have been facing, and draws out their exceptional qualities.