De La Soul had it right: Three is the magic number. Three witches. Three Musketeers. Three Stooges. You’ll find threes throughout the entire history of storytelling. Why is that? Read on to learn more about this age-old linguistic technique and how you can use it to become a better speaker, writer, and artist. (That’s three again.)
This rhetorical concept posits that three is the lowest number where humans begin to recognize patterns. As such, it serves as the backbone for effectively conveying ideas and stories, whether it’s as big as a film or as small as an advertising slogan. Break down the screenplay of any movie and you’ll likely find the three-act structure, where the first act provides the setup, the second act builds conflict and tension, and the third act brings resolution.
This is an idea that dates at least as far back as ancient Greece, where the philosopher Aristotle introduced the three elements of persuasive rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos.
Since that time, the rule of three has emerged in everything from literature, like Ebenezer Scrooge being visited by three ghosts in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” to fairy tales, like Goldilocks running into three bears. Famous orators have used the technique to make their speeches stand out more, like in Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, where he said: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
That line from Lincoln is actually an example of a “tricolon,” where three elements of a sentence are parallel in structure and rhythm, usually with the same number of syllables or words. It’s a little different from “hendiatris,” where three words or phrases are used to express the same idea. An example of this comes in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” when an apparition states: “Be bloody, bold, and resolute.”
The rule of three is also great for crafting jokes. A classic comedic setup is presenting one thing, repeating it (or something similar), and then returning to it one more time but with a twist. Take this sequence from “The Simpsons.”
Bart says he’s going to swing his arms toward Lisa, and if she gets hit, it’s her fault. That’s step one. Next, Lisa says she’s going to kick toward Bart, and if he gets hit, it’s his fault. This is step two and basically the same thing as the first one. Then, in a separate room, Homer says he’s going to bite toward a pie but then knocks his head against the oven vent. This is the final step and the one where the punchline lands hardest because it’s a subversion of what we’ve come to expect from the previous steps.
“Schindler’s List” (1993)
Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) sees his priorities change from making money to saving as many Jewish lives as possible, and he achieves the latter with help from his accountant Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley). Schindler offers Stern a drink twice in the film, and each time, Stern turns him down. This is symbolic of Stern not seeing Schindler as a moral man and not wanting to commiserate with him. However, toward the end of the film, Stern finally has a drink with Schindler the third time. The rule of three comes into play because we recognize that Stern has already denied a drink twice, so accepting it the third time is a crucial moment in both of their character arcs.
“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy (2001–2003)
A tried-and-true method of creating memorable characters is to form a trio of clashing personalities. Think of Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the “Harry Potter” franchise, or Luke, Han, and Leia in “Star Wars.” One of the clearest examples is Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli in the “Lord of the Rings” films (itself a trilogy). Aragorn is a battle-weary human and born leader, Legolas is an ethereal elf with a deep connection to nature, and Gimli is a stubborn and blunt dwarf. When these characters finally, after clashes and conflict, put aside their differences—think of “what about side by side with a friend?”—it’s a moment of deep catharsis for the audience.
“Gremlins” (1984)
The rule of three in writing also factors into crafting memorable dialogue. Shakespeare understood this when he had Mark Antony say “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!” in “Julius Caesar.” And Chris Columbus also understood it more than 300 years later when he wrote the creature feature, “Gremlins.” Billy (Zach Galligan) is told to keep his new fuzzy friend Gizmo out of sunlight, away from water, and (most importantly) unfed after midnight. Not only do the three rules stick in the audience’s memory, but the emphasis on the third rule adds to the tension.
That magic three transcends writing and also applies to visuals. Filmmakers should know about the “rule of thirds,” where any given frame is divided into a 3x3 graph. Placing your subject along these lines or at the point where they intersect creates a more pleasing, balanced image.
Credit: Leny Silina Helmig/Mykhailo Hnatiuk/Shutterstock
In many instances, you don’t even need to make a conscious effort to apply the rule of three. It’s so entrenched in our minds and culture that it comes naturally to many people, even in the sentences we write. Think about it: Every story has a beginning, middle, and end. Even this article itself has three subheadings and three film examples. It just kind of comes naturally.