| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: "I never loved him," she said, with perceptible reluctance.
"Not at Kapiolani?" demanded Tom suddenly.
"No."
From the ballroom beneath, muffled and suffocating chords were drifting up
on hot waves of air.
"Not that day I carried you down from the Punch Bowl to keep your shoes
dry?" There was a husky tenderness in his tone. . . . "Daisy?"
"Please don't." Her voice was cold, but the rancor was gone from it.
She looked at Gatsby. "There, Jay," she said--but her hand as she tried
to light a cigarette was trembling. Suddenly she threw the cigarette and
the burning match on the carpet.
The Great Gatsby |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Collected Articles by Frederick Douglass: It was the pursuit of knowledge under difficulties, and I look back to it now,
after so many years, with some complacency and a little wonder that I could
have been so earnest and persevering in any pursuit other than for my
daily bread. I certainly saw nothing in the conduct of those around
to inspire me with such interest: they were all devoted exclusively
to what their hands found to do. I am glad to be able to say that,
during my engagement in this foundry, no complaint was ever made against
me that I did not do my work, and do it well. The bellows which I worked
by main strength was, after I left, moved by a steam-engine.
Douglass, Frederick. "Reconstruction."
Atlantic Monthly 18 (1866): 761-765.
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: would gladly learn of you: What service do you pay the gods, so to
secure their friendship?
[76] Lit. "Nay, nought of the things you tell us is incredible,
but . . ."
Truly it is not a ruinous service, Socrates (he answered)--far from
it. I give them thanks, which is not costly. I make return to them of
all they give to me from time to time. I speak well of them, with all
the strength I have. And whenever I take their sacred names to
witness, I do not wittingly falsify my word.
Then God be praised (said Socrates), if being what you are, you have
such friends; the gods themselves, it would appear, delight in
The Symposium |
