Chapters 26 & 27 Summary and Analysis

Kaysen's analyst is named Melvin. They spend many hours together, usually in near-total silence. After Kaysen attempts to psychoanalyze Melvin, who suggests that instead of therapy, Kaysen should progress to analysis. The narrative does not describe analysis in any detail; instead, Kaysen focuses on the method of traveling to analysis during bad weather.

Kaysen learns that the various buildings of the medical campus are connected by a series of underground tunnels. This information is known by virtually everyone else but surprises Kaysen. Kaysen is fascinated by the tunnels because their ordered, measured existence is like the plan of the above-ground hospital campus, which is more chaotic and difficult to traverse. Kaysen explains to Melvin that the tunnels are like Plato's perfected world; whereas, the above-ground campus is simply a shadow of the tunnels' reality. Melvin is nonplussed by the analogy...