All of Esther's thoughts lead to suicide, it seems. And then, to make matters worse, Dodo Conway and Esther's mother drive her to Dr. Gordon's hospital in the Conways' hearse-like car. Gray images have now turned to black. Significantly, we only get the description of the Conway car after Esther has received her first shock treatment. We, as readers, almost wish that Esther had run away to Chicago, or that she had started hitchhiking somewhere. However, Esther always returns home after her fantasies of escape — and thus she continues to be "a dutiful girl," following Dr. Gordon's plans, and doing as her mother and society think best.
One of the reasons why Esther always goes back home is that she feels she is "hopeless at stars" — and although she can find directions on a map, she can't understand them when she is lost. She also tends to lose track of time and frequently discovers that it is "too late." Her depression is now complicated by a definite sense of disorientation.
Dr. Gordon's private office is decorated in monochromatic beige, with green plants. The private hospital is also very chic and makes Esther think of a guesthouse in Maine. This sense of fashion is attractive to her. But both places have an air of unreality. The office is icily air-conditioned and windowless; the private hospital, in spite of its secluded drive, is white with quahog shells, and its light, summer resort appearance is peopled with motionless human bodies, who have almost uniform-looking faces. Finally, Esther sees that some of the people in this institution are making "small, birdlike gestures," yet her final conclusion is that she is in a department store, surrounded by mannequins.
