Analysis for Robert B. (from Los Al), 6 December 2002

This is how you described the room:

The room is warm, small, and crowded with furniture. A bed, two desks, sunlght streaming through the window, and the faint smell of dust permeating the air.

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 depth of description tells us that the subject has strong 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:

Ponderosa Pines and Jeffrey pines, shielding the direct glare of the sun.

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

This is how you described the path:

The path is well-travelled, but narrow. Visible, but not marked.

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 strong evidence of fellow travelers tells us that the subject received a lot of support from friends and family during that potentially troubling 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:

A shallow river, with cold, rushing water. ("Russian water? There's COMMUNISTS down there!")

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. Fast-moving water indicates a strong, active sex drive. (Obviously, the subject has a sense of humor when it comes to 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:

A one-quart plastic water bottle, with markings on the side showing fractions of a quart.

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 left the cup behind.

The subject is not interested in marriage.

This is how you described the key:

A brass house key. It unlocks a house somewhere. Someone just lost it, so we have no idea where the house is.

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 2002