Analysis for Chuck, 10 February 2000

This is how you described the room:

The room is cool. Much of the furnishings are hardwood, darkly stained. Several bookshelves, a desk, an antique lamp, and a very worn couch are here. The floor makes a hollow echo when I walk.

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. This room is neither comfortable nor uncomfortable; this suggests the subject had a bland, uninspiring childhood. The items in the room are average, which tells us that the subject has the normal memories of childhood.

You wanted to stay in the room.

The subject did not want to grow up.

This is how you described the forest:

There are many birch trees, as well as a number of smaller plants. The fallen leaves that are all around make the path very easy to follow. The leaves are dull orange. The forest is not thick, but the many branches are difficult to walk through.

The forest is growing up, and the trees are those adults with whom the subject interacted at that time. Small trees imply that the adults had a weak influence on the subject. Average lighting tells us that the subject received enough attention from the adults to be guided but not oppressed.

This is how you described the path:

The path is very worn. It has no grasses or other plants, and the leaves blow off of it. It winds & meanders around obstructions, but is easy to follow. It's narrow, and when I stand still my feet are on both sides of the path.

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. A narrow path suggests that the subject had limited options for emotional growth at this time. A few, scattered obstructions indicate the occasional problem in adolescence, but nothing consistent nor insurmountable.

This is how you described the water:

It's a small stream. There are lots of rocks and other debris, but the water flows very smoothly & swiftly over them. The water is very cold and clear.

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's a white porcelain teacup. It's larger than most, about the size of a pop can. It's stained & dirty on the outside.

The vessel, or specifically the practicality of the vessel, is how the subject approaches marriage or bonding. A container that is both decorative and practical indicates that the subject considers both romantic and pragmatic aspects of marriage. That the cup is stained and dirty suggests a superficial cynicism about the institution.

You took the cup and filled it.

The subject is interested in marriage, and sex will be a significant part of that relationship.

This is how you described the key:

It's silver. It has very ornate carvings at the top, and very simple teeth. It will unlock a secret rooms, full of someone's favorite things.

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 it opens the secret rooms of others is a more difficult concept to analyze—perhaps it suggests that the subject wants to use the career to get to know others well, that is, a socially interactive job? Old-fashioned keys suggest that the subject desires a traditional career.

You avoided the bear.

In a crisis, the subject prefers the indirect, non-confrontational 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.