| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe: sluggish, faintly discernible, and leaden-hued.
Shaking off from my spirit what must have been a dream,
I scanned more narrowly the real aspect of the building. Its
principal feature seemed to be that of an excessive antiquity.
The discoloration of ages had been great. Minute fungi
overspread the whole exterior, hanging in a fine tangled web-work
from the eaves. Yet all this was apart from any extraordinary
dilapidation. No portion of the masonry had fallen; and there
appeared to be a wild inconsistency between its still perfect
adaptation of parts, and the crumbling condition of the
individual stones. In this there was much that reminded me of
The Fall of the House of Usher |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from My Antonia by Willa Cather: `A Ferris wheel,' Rudolph entered the conversation in a deep baritone voice.
He was six foot two, and had a chest like a young blacksmith.
`We went to the big dance in the hall behind the saloon last night,
mother, and I danced with all the girls, and so did father.
I never saw so many pretty girls. It was a Bohunk crowd, for sure.
We didn't hear a word of English on the street, except from the show people,
did we, papa?'
Cuzak nodded. `And very many send word to you, Antonia.
You will excuse'--turning to me--`if I tell her.' While we walked
toward the house he related incidents and delivered messages
in the tongue he spoke fluently, and I dropped a little behind,
My Antonia |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Forged Coupon by Leo Tolstoy: campment. The son of a millionaire exempted
from military duty, while the only support of a
large family is forced to serve. The university:
a teacher relieved of military service, while the
most gifted musicians are compelled to perform
it. Soldiers and their debauchery--and the
spreading of disease.
Then a soldier who has made an attempt to
desert. He is being tried. Another is on trial
for striking an officer who has insulted his mother.
He is put to death. Others, again, are tried for
The Forged Coupon |
