| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain: but the reproach of ill lighting cannot be repeated, now. The 'Catholic
New Church' was the only notable building then, and Mr. Murray was confidently
called upon to admire it, with its 'species of Grecian portico, surmounted by
a kind of steeple, much too diminutive in its proportions, and surmounted
by sundry ornaments' which the unimaginative Scotchman found himself 'quite
unable to describe;' and therefore was grateful when a German tourist helped
him out with the exclamation--'By ----, they look exactly like bed-posts!'
St. Louis is well equipped with stately and noble public buildings now,
and the little church, which the people used to be so proud of, lost its
importance a long time ago. Still, this would not surprise Mr. Murray,
if he could come back; for he prophesied the coming greatness of St. Louis
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte: This was very shocking; but I hoped in time to be able to work a
reformation.
'Now you must put on your bonnet and shawl,' said the little hero,
'and I'll show you my garden.'
'And MINE,' said Mary Ann.
Tom lifted his fist with a menacing gesture; she uttered a loud,
shrill scream, ran to the other side of me, and made a face at him.
'Surely, Tom, you would not strike your sister! I hope I shall
NEVER see you do that.'
'You will sometimes: I'm obliged to do it now and then to keep her
in order.'
Agnes Grey |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Dracula by Bram Stoker: he was a brute and would not add to my present trouble.
Then he broke off and asked if I could love him in time,
and when I shook my head his hands trembled, and then with some
hesitation he asked me if I cared already for any one else.
He put it very nicely, saying that he did not want to wring
my confidence from me, but only to know, because if a woman's
heart was free a man might have hope. And then, Mina, I felt
a sort of duty to tell him that there was some one.
I only told him that much, and then he stood up, and he looked
very strong and very grave as he took both my hands in his
and said he hoped I would be happy, and that If I ever wanted
Dracula |
