The story makes extensive use of the literary rule of three, featuring three chairs, three bowls of porridge, three beds, and the three title characters who live in the house.

[3][4] In planetary astronomy, a planet orbiting its sun at just the right distance for liquid water to exist on its surface, neither too hot nor too cold, is referred to as being in the "Goldilocks Zone".

[5] In The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales (2002), Harvard professor Maria Tatar notes that Southey's story is often viewed as a cautionary fable, conveying a lesson about the dangers of venturing into unknown territories.

Tatar highlights that while today's interpretations of the story often frame it as a quest for discovering what's "just right," earlier generations viewed it as a tale about an intruder who lacked self-control and respect for others' property.

[6] In The Uses of Enchantment (1976), child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim describes Goldilocks as "poor, beautiful, and charming," noting that the story only portrays her hair in a positive light.

[7] Maria Tatar critiques Bettelheim's interpretation, suggesting that his analysis may overly instrumentalize fairy tales, turning them into vehicles for messages and behavioral models for children.

While the story might not resolve Oedipal issues or sibling rivalry in the way Bettelheim believes Cinderella does, it emphasizes the importance of respecting others' property and the consequences of "trying out" things that don't belong to you.

[6] In the Handbook of Psychobiography, Alan C. Elms offers a different perspective, rejecting Bettelheim's view of the story as a tale of post-Oedipal ego development.

Based on his own experiences and observations, Elms suggests that children are more likely to identify with the clean, orderly bear protagonists rather than with the rebellious, unruly human antagonist.

He traces the theme of anality in The Story of the Three Bears back to Robert Southey's meticulous, cleanliness-obsessed aunt, who raised him and passed on her obsession in a milder form.

The story flips the traditional narrative, as the defense attorney highlights the trauma inflicted on the bears by the mischievous "naughty little rogue," Goldilocks.