The Lamina Lab

The Lamina Lab, which is the only home Isaiah knows until he escapes, is his Horrible Place as it represents barriers which prevent him from living a life on his own terms without the pain inflicted by others who are more powerful than he is. The lab is full of barriers, such as the cages that house Isaiah and his brothers and sisters, the doors that are kept closed, the dogs which are there to guard the lab, the front gate with a security guard, and the people who work in the lab. Isaiah and his brothers and sisters have to overcome all of these barriers before they can become free.

The lab also serves to show Isaiah's growth in the narrative and the mistreatment of animals in research labs, which is a theme in this novel. As the animals in the lab are mistreated, the...