Walls Within Walls

The wall panels hide a map of New York City, which hides the final clue in the treasure hunt; to receive it, the children must press buttons in a sequence. However, there are many more buttons than there are poems, and the only way to know the correct sequence is to solve the puzzles in Mr. Post’s poetry book. The alternate symbols on the map create a sense of confusion because there are more options that might mislead someone. This makes the map of New York City a symbol for misdirection as well as a motif for several of the novel’s central themes.

As part of the theme of The Thrill of Solving Mysteries, the children and Eloise Post must collaborate to solve the mysteries Eloise’s father left behind for her and her brother. Without the map—which gave the treasure hunt a physical goal to pursue—CJ, Brid, and Patrick would not have pursued knowledge of New York City’s history; while they may have learned a bit about their city, they would never have known how deep its roots run and how significant a previously unknown architect was to the city’s construction. This connection to New York’s history makes the map a motif for the theme of The Intersection of Art, History, and Storytelling.

However, the map goes even deeper. None of the Smithfork children would be able to complete the map puzzle alone. It requires the unique skills each of them has combined to serve their greater goal. Because the map pushes the Smithforks to work together, not only among themselves but also with Eloise and Julian Post, the map also becomes a motif for the theme of Family Dynamics and Teamwork in Problem-Solving. The children can only solve the mystery by working with others and learning how to read poetry. Everyone they meet offers some insight that helps them, knowingly or not, and this collaboration becomes their greatest strength in the clue hunt.