Rendezvous with Rama

The number three is a prominent motif throughout the novel, appearing as a consistent pattern in Raman architecture. This motif drives The Mysteries of the Universe and The Beauty of the Other as themes because it underscores the Ramans’ penchant for order and design while also evoking the enigmatic sense that surrounds their way of life. In addition, it links to the importance of threes in human psychology (e.g., in denial, anger, and acceptance as the three stages of grief), religion (e.g., in the Trimurti of Hinduism and the Holy Trinity of the father, son, and holy spirit in Christianity), and science (e.g., in its ability to create balance, stability, and functionality).

The pattern first appears in Chapter 4 when the Endeavour lands on Rama’s north pole, settling in between three identical pillboxes that ring the axis of Rama. Norton later observes the pattern of threes in Chapter 7 when he mentions it in his video message to his wives. Whenever the Endeavour’s crew sees an object that repeats itself in a pattern of threes, it reminds them that the Ramans carefully designed their ship to fit their values and way of life. In the absence of aesthetic structures, such as a building or temple, the pattern of threes is the only evidence that Ramans process numerical patterns in the same way that humans do.