This reminds me of the 4-part character identification questionaire that we often used in acting classes to better understand our characters. It was a part of method acting instruction.
1. What is your favorite color? Think of three words to describe it.
2. What is your favorite animal? Think of three words to describe it.
3. What is your favorite location or association with water? Three words to describe it.
4. You are surrounded by a white light and can see or experience nothing else. Three words to describe your feelings.
The description of a person's favorite color is often a depiction of how that person sees him or herself.
The description of a favorite animal represents how others see you.
The description of a favorite place or association with water is (as in the previous survey) how you feel about sexuality.
The description of feelings about the white light indicate the feelings of death.
I can remember having various favorite colors over time, but my favorite animal has changed only once. Likewise the other two answers have remained the same. (Part of our challenge was to come up with answers that our characters would likely respond with instead of ourselves.)
My answers at one time.
1. Black: Mysterious, regal, dramatic.
2. Dolphin: Intelligent, playful, creative.
3. Waterfall: Relaxed, easy, comfortable.
4. Warm, curious, uncertain.
Now I'm going to try to do the original questionaire, forgetting about what the answers mean.
1. You’re walking on a road. It’s your road. Tell me about it.
The road is made of white marble with gold veins and accented with gold decorations. It looks like a little bit of heaven. On either side are beautiful forests of elegantly lined trees, with singing birds. Sometimes the forest gets more dense and a little frightening at times, but I can always see the light and can see that the path moves out into the open once again.
2. As you walk, you pass a body of water, describe it.
From a tower of ancient and beautiful green limestone a waterfall cascades into a pool of cool, clear water with a nearby bush with dark green leaves and white flowers. It is inviting and refreshing and there's a sparkle in the air that can only be provided by waterfalls. The scent of earth and water is almost overwhelming and it's easy to fall head over heels in love with it.
3. Directly in your path is an empty bottle. What’s your response to it?
The bottle is both jeweled and ancient, like a Djinn bottle almost, and I pick it up and look around to see where it came from. There is a marble column podium nearby and I place it gently and reverently on the podium and continue on my journey.
4. You continue until you find yourself facing a wall that crosses your road perpendicularly. What do you do?
I search for a door in the wall, leaving the path if I have to.
