| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The American by Henry James: He put them into his pocket-book, and the next time he encountered
old Madame de Bellegarde drew them forth and displayed them to her.
This, it must be confessed, was a slightly malicious stroke;
the reader must judge in what degree the offense was venial.
Newman knew that the marquise disliked his telegrams, though he could
see no sufficient reason for it. Madame de Cintre, on the other hand,
liked them, and, most of them being of a humorous cast,
laughed at them immoderately, and inquired into the character
of their authors. Newman, now that his prize was gained,
felt a peculiar desire that his triumph should be manifest.
He more than suspected that the Bellegardes were keeping
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Iron Puddler by James J. Davis: He may carry a band and give a daily street parade, but if he's
not accompanied by Simon Legree and the bloodhounds, he is not a
genuine Uncle Tom, his slavery is less than skin deep. You can't
fool me. I know what real slavery is. I know as much about
slavery as the man that made it. He's the guy that taught me. I
worked under Simon Legree in Louisiana.
On the way to New Orleans we paused at a siding, and a native
asked me, "Who are all them men, and which way are they goin'?"
I told him "which way" we were going, and that we were needing
jobs. He replied:
"You-all are comin' down hyah now looking for food and work. In
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: idle word might be of benefit to him. Moreover, these rough men
were always interesting.
"Bland's been chased across the river," said one.
"New, he's deliverin' cattle to thet Cuban ship," replied
another.
"Big deal on, hey?"
"Some big. Rugg says the boss hed an order fer fifteen
thousand."
"Say, that order'll take a year to fill."
"New. Hardin is in cahoots with Bland. Between 'em they'll fill
orders bigger 'n thet."
The Lone Star Ranger |
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane: to be counted in the ranks of his fellows. The
youth could detect no expression that would
allow him to believe that the other was giving
a thought to his narrowed future, the pictured
dungeons, perhaps, and starvations and brutali-
ties, liable to the imagination. All to be seen
was shame for captivity and regret for the right
to antagonize.
After the men had celebrated sufficiently they
settled down behind the old rail fence, on the
opposite side to the one from which their foes
The Red Badge of Courage |
