Analysis for Anonymous, 3 January 2003

This is how you described the room:

Warm, with walls covered with off-white padding that's 4 inches thick. There is no furniture or windows.

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. No furnishings at all tells of either a complete absence of memories from that time or active suppression of said memories. The room is obviously a padded cell, but the forced symbolism here can be ignored.

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 dark with a narrow path. The trees are rotting and some have fallen. The path is about as wide as I am.

The forest is growing up, and the trees are those adults with whom the subject interacted at that time. Stunted, damaged, or absent trees imply a dearth of adult interaction with the subject. A very dark forest tells us that the subject felt considerably oppressed by the attentions of the adults.

This is how you described the path:

The path is well worn, but if it wasn't, it wouldn't be obvious.

Adolescence is represented by the path through the forest. 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.

This is how you described the water:

Reeking green water sloshing out of an open drain infects this pleasant area with a stream of what seems to be raw sewage. Environmentalists have protested this area. The water is murky, dark green, and quite thick.

The water is the subject’s sexuality. What interests us here is the clarity of the water (representing attitude) and its movement (representing libido). The movement of the water suggests a normal, average if somewhat playful sex drive. Murky, dirty, or otherwise unclear water suggests that the subject has significant issues regarding sex.

When you came to the water, you went around it.

The subject is not interested in new sexual experiences.

This is how you described the cup:

It's an old canteen. The cloth around the metal is frayed and covered in dirt. It is empty.

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:

It is very rusty and large. It appears to be iron. I believe it unlocks a chest of antique heirlooms.

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 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.