Question

Who was the psychiatrist? What had he to say about the third level?

Hint:

The psychiatrist in “The Third Level” symbolizes the rational explanation of human imagination as a coping mechanism for stress.

Answer 1

The psychiatrist was a medical professional whom Charley consulted after experiencing the so-called "third level" at Grand Central Station. Charley was deeply convinced that he had entered a different time period of 1894, but the psychiatrist dismissed his experience. He explained that Charley’s belief in the existence of a third level was a result of stress, worry, and dissatisfaction with modern life. According to him, Charley’s imagination of the third level was a way of escaping from the harsh realities of the modern world filled with insecurity, fear, and tension. He believed that Charley was simply daydreaming and seeking comfort in the romanticized past.
Conclusion:
The psychiatrist’s view highlights the theme of escapism in the story, showing how people long to escape the anxieties of the present by imagining an ideal past.