Wasting the Day in Bedlam/Analysis

Doctor’s note&mdash;

Subject: Zuckuss’s self-portrait

Earlier this week, I had provided Zuckuss with canvas and paints and gave him an assignment: to paint his self-portrait. However, rather than a simple painted reflection, I asked him to paint how he sees himself, how he perceives his disease. The resultant painting is quite profound.

Zuckuss divided the canvas down the middle and painted himself head-on. On the left side is the Uncanny One. The colors are vibrant and warm and he detailed himself with an intricate scrollwork. His hand is positioned toward the center of his chest in what I assume is a meditative posture.

On the right is the Corellian. This side is cool, dark, and muted. The detailing is sparse and vague, the strokes are angular, and the shading is flat. The Corellian is holding what appears to be a blaster, with the barrel in the center.

What is intriguing about this piece are the posturing of the hands and the stark contrast in palettes. The Uncanny One appears as if he is blocking the other half, hand up to prevent the Corellian from crossing over, whereas the Corellian’s blaster is pointed at the Uncanny One. However, no element of either side crosses over and the demarcation seems as if there should be a middle piece, but it was omitted. The Corellian is angry and cold, while the Uncanny One is warm and contemplative.

I asked Zuckuss to explain the painting, but he merely shrugged and indicated that the Uncanny One "looks weird." I will pose the question again when the Uncanny One is in control.

This painting also signifies the conflicting nature of Zuckuss’s personalities. Both fight for control and with each other. It will take time to integrate Zuckuss’s personalities into a single identity, but with how the Corellian has relegated the Uncanny One into a recessive role, I worry that the latter may end up integrating, rather than the other way around. In order to achieve the favorable findsman identity, it may come down to what many have termed "integration by firing squad."

I will continue to work with Zuckuss and he has shown progress in maintaining a level of awareness when the Corellian is in control. It will take time, but he will recover. &mdash;Dr. Gawynn Karastee