| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Menexenus by Plato: out to battle, in case anything happened to them. I will tell you what I
heard them say, and what, if they had only speech, they would fain be
saying, judging from what they then said. And you must imagine that you
hear them saying what I now repeat to you:--
'Sons, the event proves that your fathers were brave men; for we might have
lived dishonourably, but have preferred to die honourably rather than bring
you and your children into disgrace, and rather than dishonour our own
fathers and forefathers; considering that life is not life to one who is a
dishonour to his race, and that to such a one neither men nor Gods are
friendly, either while he is on the earth or after death in the world
below. Remember our words, then, and whatever is your aim let virtue be
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Human Drift by Jack London: FITZSIMMONS. [Sternly.] I should say you ought to be. [Reaches
for telephone receiver.]
MAUD. [In rush of desperation.] Stop! I'm a--I'm a--a girl.
There! [Sinks down in chair, burying her face in her hands.]
[FITZSIMMONS, hanging up receiver, grunts.]
[MAUD removes hands and looks at him indignantly. As she speaks
her indignation grows.]
MAUD. I only wanted your cigarette case to prove to my brother
that I had been here. I--I'm Maud Sylvester, and you never took
me out once. And I'm not a black sheep. And I don't dress
loudly, and I haven't a--a tapeworm.
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane: der himself from dwelling upon it. He was de-
spondent and sullen, and threw shifting glances
about him. He looked ahead, often expecting to
hear from the advance the rattle of firing.
But the long serpents crawled slowly from
hill to hill without bluster of smoke. A dun-col-
ored cloud of dust floated away to the right.
The sky overhead was of a fairy blue.
The youth studied the faces of his compan-
ions, ever on the watch to detect kindred emo-
tions. He suffered disappointment. Some ardor
The Red Badge of Courage |
