Analysis for Anonymous, 29 March 2000

This is how you described the room:

It's a big square room with one of those big wide chairs that you can lay in sideways and still be comfortable. It has a computer in it as well, a comfortable couch and a TV. This room is warm and well-lit.

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 comfortable room suggests a childhood that was pleasant. The significant detail in the description of the room tells us that the subject has rich, lasting 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:

It is a kind of dark forest with tall pine trees. It isn't too thick and you can see some light in the distance through the trees.

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

This is how you described the path:

It is a gravel path with a lot of turns in it. It is tree-lined not too wide, but not very narrow either. It is a visible path, but not overly traveled.

Adolescence is represented by the path through the forest. That the path is free of obstructions indicates that the subject had no problems during adolescence. The lack of evidence of fellow travelers suggests strong feelings of isolation at that time. 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.

This is how you described the water:

The water is a wide stream - natural. The water is kind of cool, but not super cold. It is 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). Clear water tells us that the subject has no issues regarding sex. The movement of the water suggests a normal, average if somewhat playful sex drive.

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 canteen - kind of old, but sturdy. There is fabric covering the canteen that is slightly fraying.

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.

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 is a basic house key. It definitely opens either the front or back door to a house.

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). An ordinary-looking key suggests that the subject desires a nondescript career. Having the key open a house, car, or other commonplace use tells us that the subject has no extraordinary expectations about a career.

You avoided the bear.

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

When you came to the wall, you turned around and walked back along the path.

The wall represents death: by avoiding it altogether, the subject shows complete denial about the possibility of death.

See another test from 2000