| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: your old age. What have I been? A slave all my life, and I have
cooked rice for a man who had no courage and no wisdom. Hai! I!
even I, was given in gift by a chief and a warrior to a man that
was neither. Hai! Hai!"
She wailed to herself softly, lamenting the lost possibilities of
murder and mischief that could have fallen to her lot had she
been mated with a congenial spirit. Nina bent down over Mrs.
Almayer's slight form and scanned attentively, under the stars
that had rushed out on the black sky and now hung breathless over
that strange parting, her mother's shrivelled features, and
looked close into the sunken eyes that could see into her own
Almayer's Folly |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Apology by Plato: appeal. Speak then, you who have heard me, and tell your neighbours
whether any of you have ever known me hold forth in few words or in many
upon such matters...You hear their answer. And from what they say of this
part of the charge you will be able to judge of the truth of the rest.
As little foundation is there for the report that I am a teacher, and take
money; this accusation has no more truth in it than the other. Although,
if a man were really able to instruct mankind, to receive money for giving
instruction would, in my opinion, be an honour to him. There is Gorgias of
Leontium, and Prodicus of Ceos, and Hippias of Elis, who go the round of
the cities, and are able to persuade the young men to leave their own
citizens by whom they might be taught for nothing, and come to them whom
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart: moved out here for the summer. My city home is dismantled and in
the hands of decorators. I have been here one week, during which
I have had not a single night of uninterrupted sleep, and I
intend to stay until I have recuperated. Moreover, if Mr.
Armstrong died insolvent, as I believe was the case, his widow
ought to be glad to be rid of so expensive a piece of property."
The lawyer cleared his throat.
"I am very sorry you have made this decision," he said. "Miss
Innes, Mrs. Fitzhugh tells me Louise Armstrong is with you."
"She is."
"Has she been informed of this--double bereavement?"
The Circular Staircase |
