From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

“And, perhaps, there was another reason more clear to me than to Claudia. A reason that had to do with the sameness of each and every week. She was bored with simply being straight-A’s Claudia Kincaid. She was tired of arguing about whose turn it was to choose the Sunday night seven-thirty television show, of injustice, and of the monotony of everything.”

As narrator, Mrs. Frankweiler adds her own mature perspective to Claudia and Jamie’s recollections. Here, she highlights the mundane, repetitive nature of Claudia’s middle-class, suburban lifestyle as a contributing factor to her decision to run away. Though the children return home to that same situation as the novel concludes, there is hope that the things they learn and the ways they change will make a lasting difference to their lives.

“Break up, not bust up. Indecent, not undecent.”

Throughout the novel, Claudia corrects Jamie’s grammar and phrasing. Claudia’s insistence on proper grammar relates to her broader tendency to comply with social norms and expectations, whereas Jamie is less aware of and concerned about such things. While their productive differences help each of them to progress throughout the novel, Claudia learns not to be so quick to correct Jamie, showing her increasing ability to distinguish between superficial concerns and things that really matter.

“They complemented each other perfectly. She was cautious (about everything but money) and poor; he was adventurous (about everything but money) and rich.”

Through the foil characters of Claudia and Jamie, Konigsburg explores various dichotomies. Spending money and taking risks are two major areas in which they differ and complement one another. The implication is that neither extreme is healthy. Their relationship also serves as a positive example of learning from others.