| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: white-whiskered creature who, like so many of his class,
was under the impression that inordinate joviality can atone for
an entire lack of ideas.
He was rather sorry he had come, till Lady Narborough,
looking at the great ormolu gilt clock that sprawled in gaudy
curves on the mauve-draped mantelshelf, exclaimed: "How horrid
of Henry Wotton to be so late! I sent round to him this morning
on chance and he promised faithfully not to disappoint me."
It was some consolation that Harry was to be there, and when the door opened
and he heard his slow musical voice lending charm to some insincere apology,
he ceased to feel bored.
The Picture of Dorian Gray |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from My Antonia by Willa Cather: We had begun to roll popcorn balls with syrup when we heard a knock
at the back door, and Tony dropped her spoon and went to open it.
A plump, fair-skinned girl was standing in the doorway.
She looked demure and pretty, and made a graceful picture
in her blue cashmere dress and little blue hat, with a plaid
shawl drawn neatly about her shoulders and a clumsy pocket-book
in her hand.
`Hello, Tony. Don't you know me?' she asked in a smooth, low voice,
looking in at us archly.
Antonia gasped and stepped back.
`Why, it's Lena! Of course I didn't know you, so dressed up!'
My Antonia |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from House of Mirth by Edith Wharton: being importunate." Selden continued with a smile: "You see no
such scruples restrained me; but then I haven't as much to risk
if I incur your displeasure."
Lily answered his smile. "You haven't incurred it as yet; but I
have an idea that you are going to."
"That rests with you, doesn't it? You see my initiative doesn't
go beyond putting myself at your disposal."
"But in what capacity? What am I to do with you?" she asked in
the same light tone.
Selden again glanced about Mrs. Hatch's drawing-room; then he
said, with a decision which he seemed to have gathered from this
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