Rule of three (writing)

The rule of three is a writing principle which suggests that a trio of entities such as events or characters is more humorous, satisfying, or effective than other numbers.

[1][2] Slogans, film titles, and a variety of other things have been structured in threes, a tradition that grew out of oral storytelling[3] and continues in narrative fiction.

[6] A hendiatris is a figure of speech where three successive words are used to express a single central idea.

[8]Some examples include: In comedy, the rule of three is also called a comic triple[14] and is one of the many comedic devices regularly used by humorists, writers, and comedians.

The third element of the triple is often used to create an effect of surprise with the audience,[14] and is frequently the punch line of the joke itself.

Vladimir Propp, in his Morphology of the Folk Tale, concluded that any of the elements in a folktale could be negated twice so that it would repeat thrice.

A small sample of the latter includes: The use of a series of three elements is also a well-known feature of public oratory.

Max Atkinson, in his book on oratory entitled Our Masters' Voices,[19] gives examples of how public speakers use three-part phrases to generate what he calls 'claptraps', evoking audience applause.

Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights activist and preacher, was known for his uses of tripling and the rule of three throughout his many influential speeches.