| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from My Antonia by Willa Cather: any end to the work on a farm, and always so much trouble happens.
I'm going to be a dressmaker.'
`Well, there have to be dressmakers. It's a good trade. But I wouldn't
run down the farm, if I were you,' said Mrs. Harling rather severely.
`How is your mother?'
`Oh, mother's never very well; she has too much to do.
She'd get away from the farm, too, if she could.
She was willing for me to come. After I learn to do sewing,
I can make money and help her.'
`See that you don't forget to,' said Mrs. Harling sceptically,
as she took up her crocheting again and sent the hook in and out
 My Antonia |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Damnation of Theron Ware by Harold Frederic: that doctor's extravagant and incendiary talk. One thing
was certain--he would never be caught up at that house
beyond the race-course, with its reptiles and its Chinaman.
Should he ever even go to the pastorate again? He decided
not to quite definitely answer THAT in the negative,
but as he felt now, the chances were all against it.
Turning the corner, and walking off into the shadows
along the side of the huge church building, Theron noted,
almost at the end of the edifice, a small door--
the entrance to a porch coming out to the sidewalk--
which stood wide open. A thin, pale, vertical line
 The Damnation of Theron Ware |