What is sanity? What is reality? How can one tell that the world they live in is a fabrication?
When Gerald Bocek is brought into psychiatrist Cedric Elton's office, escorted by police officers and tied in a straight jacket, we are naturally led to assume he is mentally ill. Jerry claims to have shot blue alien lizards and damaged some gear lockers, as opposed to killing six people and injuring two police officers. He also deems Doctor Elton to be his friend, Gar Castle, gone out of his mind. Both men attempt to bring the other into 'reality'.
In the sessions, Gerald frequently mentions yellow pills as a cure to 'space crazy'. Later on, Elton discusses said pills with his secretary, Helena Fitzroy, saying that they show him the world through 'symbols'. The situation gets freaky when Jerry starts pulling out facts like the secretary and psychiatrist's phone numbers.
About three meetings later, Cedric gives in and goes for the yellow pills in his medicine cabinet. Though Helena tries to stop him, he swallows one, and wakes up as Gar on the spaceship, his best friend tied to a gear locker, and lizard corpses on the floor.
Our story ends on a tragic note, with Gerald having accepted Dr. Elton's reality as true, and going out into the airlock, which kills him. Poor Gar is left alone in guilt and misery.
I found The Yellow Pill to be fascinating. It's like an ambiguous Matrix. Instead of a blue and a red pill, you get a yellow one that could show you the depth of the rabbit hole, trap you in the illusion, or send you on a completely different path. Schrödinger's Cat, anyone?
When I was looking for some support, I found a previous MPHS student's post on the story. She believed that the spaceship was the 'true' reality. I agree that there were some interesting parallels with Jerry's story and Cedric's life. Besides the pills, Gar had unrequited love for Helena Fitzroy the expediter, while Cedric has a relationship with his reality's version, the receptionist Helena Fitzroy. Plus Cedric entered Jerry's described reality and fit into his role well.
For the sake of being different, what if it wasn't that clear cut? Perception is highly adaptable, so maybe instead of Jerry committing suicide like Gar saw, maybe he just walked out of the office. Meanwhile, Dr. Elton is suddenly experiencing a mental breakdown on the floor of the office with Helena watching, helpless and terrified. (Keep in mind that I might be entirely wrong.)
Maybe both men are mad. Could Elton and Bocek be gaslighting each other? How would they have accepted the other's worlds quickly and without question so soon otherwise? What is the truth then? What isn't? Inception!? My head is beginning to hurt.
Before I end, there is one more question that I have, all considered:
What do the yellow pills actually do?
When Gerald Bocek is brought into psychiatrist Cedric Elton's office, escorted by police officers and tied in a straight jacket, we are naturally led to assume he is mentally ill. Jerry claims to have shot blue alien lizards and damaged some gear lockers, as opposed to killing six people and injuring two police officers. He also deems Doctor Elton to be his friend, Gar Castle, gone out of his mind. Both men attempt to bring the other into 'reality'.
In the sessions, Gerald frequently mentions yellow pills as a cure to 'space crazy'. Later on, Elton discusses said pills with his secretary, Helena Fitzroy, saying that they show him the world through 'symbols'. The situation gets freaky when Jerry starts pulling out facts like the secretary and psychiatrist's phone numbers.
About three meetings later, Cedric gives in and goes for the yellow pills in his medicine cabinet. Though Helena tries to stop him, he swallows one, and wakes up as Gar on the spaceship, his best friend tied to a gear locker, and lizard corpses on the floor.
Our story ends on a tragic note, with Gerald having accepted Dr. Elton's reality as true, and going out into the airlock, which kills him. Poor Gar is left alone in guilt and misery.
I found The Yellow Pill to be fascinating. It's like an ambiguous Matrix. Instead of a blue and a red pill, you get a yellow one that could show you the depth of the rabbit hole, trap you in the illusion, or send you on a completely different path. Schrödinger's Cat, anyone?
When I was looking for some support, I found a previous MPHS student's post on the story. She believed that the spaceship was the 'true' reality. I agree that there were some interesting parallels with Jerry's story and Cedric's life. Besides the pills, Gar had unrequited love for Helena Fitzroy the expediter, while Cedric has a relationship with his reality's version, the receptionist Helena Fitzroy. Plus Cedric entered Jerry's described reality and fit into his role well.
For the sake of being different, what if it wasn't that clear cut? Perception is highly adaptable, so maybe instead of Jerry committing suicide like Gar saw, maybe he just walked out of the office. Meanwhile, Dr. Elton is suddenly experiencing a mental breakdown on the floor of the office with Helena watching, helpless and terrified. (Keep in mind that I might be entirely wrong.)
Maybe both men are mad. Could Elton and Bocek be gaslighting each other? How would they have accepted the other's worlds quickly and without question so soon otherwise? What is the truth then? What isn't? Inception!? My head is beginning to hurt.
Before I end, there is one more question that I have, all considered:
What do the yellow pills actually do?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVSRm80WzZk