Analysis for Anonymous, 29 September 2000

This is how you described the room:

The room is warm and cozy. There are many posters and paintings framed and hanging on the walls. A fireplace is at one end of the room. Near the fireplace is a large, comfy red chair with a blue blanket. Next to the chair is a coffee table, with hot chocolate and a novel waiting for me. The room is lit by a warm yellow glow coming from a lamp next to my chair.

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. Note the extremely inviting surroundings of the room. This suggests a childhood filled with joy. 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:

The forest is very dense with trees, but it must be late fall, because the colors are oranges and brown. The trees remind me of New England, lots of maples and pines. The ground of the forest is completely covered in leaves and is very damp.

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. With risk of reading too much into the response, we could view the time of year (“late fall”) as indicative that the subject did not feel as sheltered as desired because of the advanced age of the adults.

This is how you described the path:

There isn't very much of a path. The forest does not seem to be well traveled. There are some open spaces here and there, but no logical connection between them.

Adolescence is represented by the path through the forest. Poor visibility of the path tells us the subject was often confused by the changes brought on by adolescence. The lack of evidence of fellow travelers suggests strong feelings of isolation at that time.

This is how you described the water:

I come to a stream that cuts through the ground directly in front of me. It is a small stream, very narrow and also shallow. Although there are many sticks and leaves in the stream, the water is very 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). Slow, gently moving water suggests a passive, restrained, calm 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:

The drinking vessel is a water bottle, new and unopened. It appears to be very clean, so it has not been left there long.

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:

The key appears to be a house or apartment key.

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. An ordinary-looking key suggests that the subject desires a nondescript 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.