| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum: over its misfortunes. After a time, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman
came along and sat beneath the tree, paying no heed to the mutterings
of the gray dove. The Tin Woodman took a small oilcan from his tin
pocket and carefully oiled his tin joints with it.
While he was thus engaged, the Scarecrow remarked, "I feel much better,
dear comrade, since we found that heap of nice, clean straw and you
stuffed me anew with it."
"And I feel much better now that my joints are oiled," returned the
Tin Woodman with a sigh of pleasure. "You and I, friend Scarecrow,
are much more easily cared for than those clumsy meat people, who
spend half their time dressing in fine clothes and who must live in
The Lost Princess of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from 1984 by George Orwell: were poor? Is it a fact, for instance, that you had to call them "Sir" and
take off your cap when you passed them?'
The old man appeared to think deeply. He drank off about a quarter of his
beer before answering.
'Yes,' he said. 'They liked you to touch your cap to 'em. It showed
respect, like. I didn't agree with it, myself, but I done it often enough.
Had to, as you might say.'
'And was it usual--I'm only quoting what I've read in history books--was
it usual for these people and their servants to push you off the pavement
into the gutter?'
'One of 'em pushed me once,' said the old man. 'I recollect it as if it
1984 |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from What is Man? by Mark Twain: undeserved. It follows without doubt or question, then, that the
most desirable position possible is that of a prince. And I
think it also follows that the so-called usurpations with which
history is littered are the most excusable misdemeanors which men
have committed. To usurp a usurpation--that is all it amounts
to, isn't it?
A prince is not to us what he is to a European, of course.
We have not been taught to regard him as a god, and so one good
look at him is likely to so nearly appease our curiosity as to
make him an object of no greater interest the next time. We want
a fresh one. But it is not so with the European. I am quite
What is Man? |
