| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: death must come, but I do fear that once this war is over, we will
never get back to the old times. And I belong in those old times.
I do not belong in this mad present of killing and I fear I will
not fit into any future, try though I may. Nor will you, my dear,
for you and I are of the same blood. I do not know what the
future will bring, but it cannot be as beautiful or as satisfying
as the past.
"I lie and look at the boys sleeping near me and I wonder if the
twins or Alex or Cade think these same thoughts. I wonder if they
know they are fighting for a Cause that was lost the minute the
first shot was fired, for our Cause is really our own way of
Gone With the Wind |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Charmides by Plato: Charmides. His love of reputation is characteristically Greek, and
contrasts with the humility of Socrates. Nor in Charmides himself do we
find any resemblance to the Charmides of history, except, perhaps, the
modest and retiring nature which, according to Xenophon, at one time of his
life prevented him from speaking in the Assembly (Mem.); and we are
surprised to hear that, like Critias, he afterwards became one of the
thirty tyrants. In the Dialogue he is a pattern of virtue, and is
therefore in no need of the charm which Socrates is unable to apply. With
youthful naivete, keeping his secret and entering into the spirit of
Socrates, he enjoys the detection of his elder and guardian Critias, who is
easily seen to be the author of the definition which he has so great an
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave by Frederick Douglass: and the colored ones were walking behind, as if tied.
I watched them a few moments till they got up to
our lane gate. Here they halted, and tied the colored
men to the gate-post. I was not yet certain as to
what the matter was. In a few moments, in rode
Mr. Hamilton, with a speed betokening great excite-
ment. He came to the door, and inquired if Master
William was in. He was told he was at the barn. Mr.
Hamilton, without dismounting, rode up to the barn
with extraordinary speed. In a few moments, he and
Mr. Freeland returned to the house. By this time,
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave |
