| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Dracula by Bram Stoker: as they sailed across. For a moment or two I could see nothing,
as the shadow of a cloud obscured St. Mary's Church and all around it.
Then as the cloud passed I could see the ruins of the abbey coming into view,
and as the edge of a narrow band of light as sharp as a sword-cut moved along,
the church and churchyard became gradually visible. Whatever my
expectation was, it was not disappointed, for there, on our favorite seat,
the silver light of the moon struck a half-reclining figure, snowy white.
The coming of the cloud was too quick for me to see much, for shadow shut
down on light almost immediately, but it seemed to me as though something
dark stood behind the seat where the white figure shone, and bent over it.
What it was, whether man or beast, I could not tell.
Dracula |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave by Frederick Douglass: by the name of "Frederick Bailey." I started from
Baltimore bearing the name of "Stanley." When I
got to New York, I again changed my name to "Fred-
erick Johnson," and thought that would be the last
change. But when I got to New Bedford, I found it
necessary again to change my name. The reason of
this necessity was, that there were so many Johnsons
in New Bedford, it was already quite difficult to
distinguish between them. I gave Mr. Johnson the
privilege of choosing me a name, but told him he
must not take from me the name of "Frederick."
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe: In the head and face every organ and lineament expressive of brutal
and unhesitating violence was in a state of the highest possible
development. Indeed, could our readers fancy a bull-dog come unto
man's estate, and walking about in a hat and coat, they would have
no unapt idea of the general style and effect of his physique.
He was accompanied by a travelling companion, in many respects an
exact contrast to himself. He was short and slender, lithe and
catlike in his motions, and had a peering, mousing expression about
his keen black eyes, with which every feature of his face seemed
sharpened into sympathy; his thin, long nose, ran out as if it was
eager to bore into the nature of things in general; his sleek,
Uncle Tom's Cabin |
