| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad: smiles and frowns chasing each other over that open
countenance like sunshine and shadow on a wind-swept plain.
`Look out, captain!' he cried; `there's a snag lodged in here
last night.' What! Another snag? I confess I swore shamefully.
I had nearly holed my cripple, to finish off that charming trip.
The harlequin on the bank turned his little pug-nose up to me.
`You English?' he asked, all smiles. `Are you?' I shouted
from the wheel. The smiles vanished, and he shook his head
as if sorry for my disappointment. Then he brightened up.
`Never mind!' he cried encouragingly. `Are we in time?'
I asked. `He is up there,' he replied, with a toss of
Heart of Darkness |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The American by Henry James: and having arrived there he wished he had stayed away.
He had nothing to do, his occupation was gone, and it seemed to him
that he should never find it again. He had nothing to do here,
he sometimes said to himself; but there was something beyond
the ocean that he was still to do; something that he had left
undone experimentally and speculatively, to see if it could
content itself to remain undone. But it was not content:
it kept pulling at his heartstrings and thumping at his reason;
it murmured in his ears and hovered perpetually before his eyes.
It interposed between all new resolutions and their fulfillment;
it seemed like a stubborn ghost, dumbly entreating to be laid.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Cromwell by William Shakespeare: GARDINER.
Here's honors, titles, and promotions:
I fear this climbing will have a sudden fall.
NORFOLK.
Then come, my Lords; let's altogether bring
This new made Counselor to England's King.
[Exit all but Gardiner.]
GARDINER.
But Gardiner means his glory shall be dimmed.
Shall Cromwell live a greater man than I?
My envy with his honour now is bred;
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