Overview
This guide will be showcasing and telling some aspects of the game that was no understood.
Introduction
Hello,
I’m JakeCat, hence the name. In this guide I will be trying to cover some hidden messages in “To The Moon.” (What was happening to River, why she created rabbits, etc.)
Hopefully you enjoy your read!
River’s Condition
In this chapter, or page more-so, I will be going over what River’s condition was and how that affected her.
River’s condition was called “Aspergers Syndrome” which is an autism spectrum disorder that
can make social interaction hard and unwanted. The signs that she shows consist of:
- She shies away from new people.
- She’s assigned several books on the condition to read.
- The sound of a ticking clock makes her nervous
Another sign that hinted towards aspergers was when River’s doctor recommended that Johnny read some of the books written by Tony Attwood, a psychologist who has written several books on Asperger’s syndrome.
What “The Accident” Is
This Page will be going over what the “Accident” is:
The “incident” refers to the scene where Johnny tells River about there “first” meeting in the school, and how he approached her for selfish reasons. Not because he actually liked her. Johnny never understands why this has the extreme reaction it has on River.
To understand River we have to take a step back for a second. Think about it. River never knew about the whole beta blockers/Joey situation. She grew up with Johnny thinking he remembered their first meeting at the carnival. That meeting is of extreme importance to her and a large part of their relationship. When Johnny tells her of their “first” meeting (the incident) in the lunch room at school, River realizes that Johnny doesn’t remember the meeting at the carnival at all.
It’s a double whammy to her because not only does she learn Johnny first dated her for entirely selfish reasons, but also that he doesn’t even remember one of the most important moments in their relationship. The making of the paper rabbits is her desperate attempt to make Johnny remember that actual first meeting. She doesn’t realize that the beta blockers are making her efforts futile, and her Asperger’s prevents her from communicating her feelings to Johnny. She dies realizing that her entire marriage was built on misunderstandings and lies. It’s an extremely tragic ending.