Analysis for Thick-E, 29 January 1999

This is how you described the room:

It is cold. I don't want to get out of bed because it's warm under the covers. There is a nightstand with a lamp, a book about D-Day and an empty Dr. Pepper can. The walls are empty except for a door, a window with the blinds shut and a large Dead Kennedy's poster.

The initial room is the subject’s childhood. What interests us here is the general atmosphere of the room, in addition to the level of furnishings described by the subject. Few, simple furnishings tells us that the subject has few memories of that time.

You wanted to leave the room.

The subject wanted to become an adult.

This is how you described the forest:

It has very tall trees. I cannot see the tops of them. It is "shaded", mostly dark with some light from the sun shining down through the trees.

The forest is growing up, and the trees are those adults with whom the subject interacted at that time. Tall trees imply that the adults had a strong influence on the subject. A semi-dark forest tells us that the subject felt somewhat oppressed by the attention the adults gave.

This is how you described the path:

The path is formed with cobble stones. It is mostly straight, with few curves. It appears to be well-traveled.

Adolescence is represented by the path through the forest. The visibility of the path tells us that the subject had a good idea of what to expect from adolescence. The strong evidence of fellow travelers tells us that the subject received a lot of support from friends and family during that potentially troubling time. That the path is free of obstructions indicates that the subject had no problems during adolescence.

This is how you described the water:

It is a very wide (about 100 feet) river. It's doubtful it's man-made because the edge is chaotic. The water is clear and very cold. Most of the bank is made up of stones.

The water is the subject’s sexuality. What interests us here is the clarity of the water (representing attitude) and its movement (representing libido). Fast-moving water indicates a strong, active sex drive. Clear water tells us that the subject has no issues regarding sex.

When you came to the water, you crossed it.

The subject is open to new sexual experiences.

This is how you described the cup:

It is a green plastic military surplus canteen. It is half full and the water has a putrid smell. It looks very old.

The vessel, or specifically the practicality of the vessel, is how the subject approaches marriage or bonding. A practical container indicates that the subject is pragmatic when it comes to questions of marriage. The stagnant water is very interesting, in the light of the meaning behind the next answer…

You took the cup but left it empty.

The subject is interested in marriage, but sex won’t be a significant part of that relationship.

This is how you described the key:

It is a car key with a black plastic head.

The key is the ideal career for the subject. What interests us here is how the key appears (representing how others view the career) and what it may open (representing the subject’s goals for the career). Having the key open a house, car, or other commonplace use tells us that the subject has no extraordinary expectations about a career. Old-fashioned keys suggest that the subject desires a traditional career.

You confronted the bear.

In a crisis, the subject prefers the direct, no-nonsense approach.

When you came to the wall, you jumped over it.

The wall represents death: by jumping over it, the subject not only acknowledges death but has come to accept its finality.