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 |  This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC |
| The Power Of Three There is a little “rule” in writing called “the rule of three.” This is where three things occur, or there are three main characters, or three events lead up to a major event, or three pieces of “thing” need to be found, or even the three-act structure itself. Threes are so common that many writers utilize them without even realizing it – it just feels “right.” Why? So, why does the number three stick with us like this? It has to do with that basal part of our brain. Brains like patterns and pattern recognition is one way that we understand our place in the world. It is theorised it could stem to mother, father, child in early hunter-gatherer communities. Three forms the most basic patterns, arranged evenly can form a triangle or circle, or in a different configuration, make the simplest line. People tend to be able to remember three things. While the human memory goes to 7±1 items for memory (hence the length of traditional telephone numbers, and why some people cannot remember their mobile/cell phone numbers, which can be 10 digits), three is something even children remember. Three is basic, three is simple, and three forms a definite pattern that one or two will not. Three works for a human being. Examples In literature, I guess the most obvious examples come from fairy-tales and nursery rhymes. Three Little Pigs, the Three Billy Goats Gruff, Three Blind Mice, Goldilocks And The Three Bears are well-known in this sphere. Even going into later literature – Dumas’ The Three Musketeers, the three ghosts in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the three witches in Macbeth – threes appear everywhere. And then, when it comes to story-telling, the three-act structure of beginning/ middle/ end (or whatever other terms you use) is the most common one, and the one we teach to youngsters when they write their first works of fiction. Going beyond that, for works that go beyond a single volume, the trilogy is the most common length of a series. A work rarely has just one sequel. This is not new. Lord Of The Rings by Tolkien is probably the best known; my favourite trilogy is the Eden trilogy by Harry Harrison. Even movies – Star Wars has had a trilogy of trilogies (as I type this, ignoring standalone movies). While some do now push past the trilogy format (think Rowling’s Harry Potter series), plenty still stick the original series of books to three (think that alleged writing series of 50 Shades…, or, on a better writing scale, Collins’ Hunger Games original books). Extra volumes might be added later, but those first three stand on their own in all cases. Non-literary Examples In history, there have been surprising trios. There were the two triumvirates that preceded the Roman Empire (Julius Caesar, Pompey and Crassus, then, after Caesar’s death, Octavian (Emperor Augustus), Mark Antony and Lepidus (essentially the money-man)). There have been a few in US history, and even in early Communist history in Soviet Russia. In religion, there were the three Fates, Graces and Furies of ancient Greece, Hecate had three heads, there were the three planes of existence (Olympus, Earth/Gaia, Hades) and so on. In the Christian religion there is the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Ghost), Peter denied Christ three times, thirty pieces of silver for Judas, and so on. In advertising, how many slogans are three words or phrases? “Snap, Crackle, Pop.” “Stop, Drop, Roll.” “A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play.” “Tune in, turn on, drop out.” “Slip, slop, slap.” “Faster, higher, stronger.” Three is everywhere. You can’t avoid it! What does this mean for writers? Apart from that already mentioned, there are several things that a writer needs to take into account. If writing comedy, the “rule of three” has been well-established. Think of jokes like, “A Scotsman, Englishman and Irishman walked into a bar. You’d think the last two would have ducked.” The three people being different works better than two, and doesn’t drag on like more might. And a punch-line works best as a third line. Take this example from Roseanne: Roseanne: “Can I get you something? A drink? Some food? A taxi to get the hell out of here?” So many jokes lead to this sort of punch-line. Three trials is very common, dating back to Beowulf where he fought Grendel, Grendel’s mother and the Dragon. Yes, he died at the last one, making it a tragedy, but that is not the point. The repetition three times of a phrase s a common motif. Think about the fairy-tale of Rumplestiltskin and the saying his name three times to get power over him (in one version). In the modern urban legend, saying, “Bloody Mary,” three times into a mirror sets the titular entity free. Going much more feels redundant; saying it less could be a mistake. Three is deliberate but not too much. If giving someone a motivational speech to say, the best speeches use group of three. Martín Luther King Jr did this a bit: e.g. “justice, good will and brotherhood.” Winston Churchill said that all the Brits had to give was “blood, sweat and tears.” Remember that for your own rousing speeches in the mouths of characters. And then there is the love triangle in a romance plot/ sub-plot. The love rivals conflict over the object of their desire. This even has mirrors in history – think Cleopatra, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Two people is just a romance, more than three is verging on an orgy or a comedy of manners, but three is just right for this to work. The number three can really help give the audience just what they want. Conclusion While this is an expectation, it is important to remember there are no “rules” in writing. Harry Potter told us from the word go that this was going to be 7 volumes (though you do have the three main protagonists in Harry, Hermione and Ron). But if you want to make readers feel comfortable, then the “rule of three” is a nice way to go. Of course, if you want to unsettle a reader, then stop before three or drag on afterwards. In comedy, it is accepted that after three it stops being funny; after seven, it starts being funny again because you have completely subverted expectations. I just thought this was interesting. |
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