The Maddest Obsession

The number three is a recurring symbol of Christian Allister’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies, representing the rigid control he imposes on his life to manage the chaos of his traumatic past. This symbol is therefore central to the intersecting themes of The Interplay of Control and Chaos and The Enduring Impact of Trauma.

Christian’s life is governed by patterns of three: He taps his fingers rhythmically in threes, adjusts his watch three times, and famously limits his sexual encounters with any woman to three. This numerical rule is a carefully constructed defense mechanism. By containing relationships and even minor actions within strict, finite boundaries, he prevents emotional investment and maintains order over what he calls his “addictive personality.” This self-imposed structure is his primary tool for coping with deep-seated psychological wounds, providing a semblance of predictability in a world that once offered him none.

The symbol’s meaning is fully realized when Christian reveals its traumatic origin. When asked about his earliest memory of the number, he states, “They always knocked three times […] The men who made me” (47). Though his words go unexplained at the time, it ultimately emerges that he is referring to the clients his mother brought home, linking the number directly to the abuse and instability of his childhood.