The Mystery of Locked Rooms

“‘Long live the Deltas!’

I grin at her use of our nickname. We came up with it last year, in sixth grade, because Hannah, West, and I are pretty much inseparable. Plus, we all love math and numbers. Like three sides of the same triangle, none of us can imagine what life would be like if we weren’t together. Without any one of our sides, our triangle would be nothing but a big ol’ L, and everyone knows Ls are for losers.”

This passage introduces the protagonists’ nickname for their friendship group, the Deltas. This sets up the symbolism of The Rule of Threes and emphasizes how close Sarah, Hannah, and West are, immediately nodding to the theme of Teamwork and Friendship. It also suggests that their respective skills are complementary, which foreshadows how they all come to rely on one another throughout the novel.

“I was our decision-maker. Ever since starting to learn about probabilities, I’ve loved them. If you understand probabilities, you understand risk. And taking too many risks in an escape room is a bad idea.”

This quote introduces Sarah’s characterization as a highly rational and risk-averse protagonist. Although she applies those characteristics to math and games specifically, they also reflect the way she approaches life. Sarah’s logical side is an asset later in the funhouse, but she also often lets her fears get the better of her. This passage foreshadows Sarah’s character arc as she learns to embrace chance and let go of her sense of control.

“I might not be as bold as Hannah or as funny as West, but at least I know my numbers. Unlike other subjects in school, math feels simple to me. There is only one right answer. Same with escape rooms. If you take your time and follow the pattern, you’ll get out.”

Following The Rule of Threes, Sarah highlights her love of reason and logic as well as Hannah and West’s respective strengths.