In Jean Cocteau's novel, the setting plays an integral role in shaping the characters and their narratives. The places discussed offer more than just a backdrop; they reflect the inner lives and transformations of the characters, particularly Paul and Elisabeth. The environments they inhabit, from the constrained streets of Paris to the expansive yet confining 'Room,' serve as mirrors to their psychological states and the progression of their story.

Cité Monthiers

The Cité Monthiers district in Paris is a critical setting for the events in Les Enfants Terribles. Nestled between the rue de Clichy and rue d’Amsterdam, it hosts the Lycée Condorcet and its bustling streets that become a playground for its pupils. It is here that a pivotal event occurs: Paul is struck by a stone-loaded snowball from Dargelos, resulting in his temporary incapacitation. This incident not only traps him in his own physical confinement but also fosters a deeper friendship with Gérard. The master’s residence, hidden from the main streets by wrought iron gates and a block of tenements, echoes the themes of seclusion and isolation embodied by the 'Room,' another significant setting.

Rue Lafitte

Gérard’s home on Rue Lafitte, while central to his life, is curiously absent as an actual setting in the narrative. Living here with his guardian before transitioning to the house Elisabeth inherits from Michael, Gérard's residence remains a shadow in the background. His interactions with Paul often occur outside this space, in Parisian cafés, underscoring the transient and inconsequential nature of the physical location itself. Even their one venture to a seaside resort, which ends disastrously, fails to pull the characters out of their urban confines.

The Room

The 'Room' is the most significant and symbolic setting within the novel. Initially imagined as an extension of the children’s bedroom in their rue Montmartre house, it is sustained by the siblings' participation in "the Game." This game represents a heightened state of self-consciousness, a realm of imagination and escape that children often inhabit but are expected to abandon as they mature. Despite the actual bedroom's cramped dimensions, it houses all of Paul and Elisabeth’s cherished belongings, depicting a world of their creation.

As the story progresses, the Room's boundaries metaphorically expand. With their mother's passing and Agatha's arrival, this space begins absorbing surrounding areas, including Michael’s grand Parisian residence, where Elisabeth relocates. Although Elisabeth initially stakes claim to a single Louis XVI-styled room, the rest of the house's grandeur is lost to her, with reception areas and amenities like a music room and gymnasium left to Michael.

Yet, the gallery within Michael's house remains untamed by modern renovations, becoming the new epicenter of the Room when Paul moves in. Here, the Game continues, creating a sanctuary so isolated that Paul must rely on written letters to express his love for Agatha, a gesture thwarted by Elisabeth. The siblings remain emotionally and psychologically bound to the Room, unable to leave behind the Game-created refuge. This enclosure, once a haven, transforms into a prison as they fail to transition beyond their childhood constructs, resulting in their tragic demise within its metaphorical walls.