Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses suicide, in addition to strong psychological manipulation.

“It can be frightening to become acquainted with parts of yourself that you don’t like to admit exist.”

Confronting Uncomfortable Inner Truths is something that Jessica, Dr. Shields, and Thomas all have to do. Each of them holds a secret that they do not want to admit and that could change their lives if it were exposed. As the experiment progresses, they all learn things about themselves they wish they hadn’t.

“Moral questions lurk everywhere.”

The Nature of Morality is a central question in the novel, and both Dr. Shields and Jessica regularly consider and test their own moral reasoning as they attempt to win power over one another. Moral questions also exist in everyday life, and Jessica notices these dilemmas in everything she does.

“You return to your seat and lean forward. Your eyes flit across the screen as you read the question once more.”

Dr. Shields watches Jessica as she sits in the testing room. She describes Jessica’s exact movements and detailed body language, right down to the way Jessica’s eyes move and how many times she reads the question. It is already clear that Dr. Shields is a keen observer.