“We’re escaping from a place that’s foul and creepy and 100 percent HORRIBLE! It’s also the only home my family and I have ever known.”

On one hand the lab is “HORRIBLE,” but it is “the only home” the mice have ever had. This shows the complex emotions often associated with leaving one’s comfort zone. It parallels many real-world situations where people must leave behind familiar settings for a chance at betterment.

“I’m guessing, however, that none of my ninety-six siblings are as stupendously scared as I am right now, because, basically, I’m the coward in the family.”

By comparing himself to his siblings, Isaiah articulates his feelings of inadequacy and invites reader empathy. He also sets the stage for his character development toward leadership and courage, and The Journey of Self-Discovery.

“I figure I have a choice: A) I could turn around, run back to the Horrible Place, and turn myself in to the Long Coats. If I do that, I’ll be with my family again […] B) I can keep running. Find someplace to hide. Wait for my family to escape and find me.”

This is a critical decision point for Isaiah and reflects a fundamental part of his character. Despite fear and insecurity, he will opt for the possibility of a better future rather than a return to the oppressive but known past. However, he still takes a passive role; he is still waiting for his family rather than trying to save them.