The Program

Content Warning: This section of the guide describes and discusses the source text’s treatment of death by suicide, depression, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and psychological abuse and manipulation.

Young uses pills as a symbol to represent choice and, in many cases, its erasure. The Program offers Sloane different colored pills throughout her stay, which she discovers is how The Program targets the memories that they need to erase. Roger’s offer of the purple pill in exchange for sexual favors places Sloane in a dilemma because she feels desperate to save any memories from The Program. Although the purple pill hurts Sloane, it does allow her to remember a piece of her past that allows her to reconnect with James. Her decision to take the pill still isn’t a choice made with agency, though, as she only takes it due to her involuntary treatment. Once Sloane realizes the extent of The Program’s manipulation, she refuses to take the pills that Dr. Warren offers her. However, The Program takes away Sloane’s choices when she does this and forcefully injects her with the medication. Sloane realizes that the pills represent the illusion of choice in The Program: No matter what The Program says, Sloane is never in control of what is happening.