| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey: her faith were justified, if her churchmen were trying only to
intimidate her, the fact would soon be manifest, as would their
failure, and then she would redouble her zeal toward them and
toward what had been the best work of her life--work for the
welfare and happiness of those among whom she lived, Mormon and
Gentile alike. If that secret, intangible power closed its toils
round her again, if that great invisible hand moved here and
there and everywhere, slowly paralyzing her with its mystery and
its inconceivable sway over her affairs, then she would know
beyond doubt that it was not chance, nor jealousy, nor
intimidation, nor ministerial wrath at her revolt, but a cold and
Riders of the Purple Sage |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Herland by Charlotte Gilman: and masterful approach seemed to irritate them; his too-intimate
glances were vaguely resented, his compliments puzzled and annoyed.
Sometimes a girl would flush, not with drooped eyelids and inviting
timidity, but with anger and a quick lift of the head. Girl after
girl turned on her heel and left him, till he had but a small ring of
questioners, and they, visibly, were the least "girlish" of the lot.
I saw him looking pleased at first, as if he thought he was
making a strong impression; but, finally, casting a look at Jeff,
or me, he seemed less pleased--and less.
As for me, I was most agreeably surprised. At home I never
was "popular." I had my girl friends, good ones, but they were
Herland |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Secret Places of the Heart by H. G. Wells: month. It's amusing to find myself preaching forth to you. It
was just faith I had lost. Suddenly I had lost my power of
work. My confidence in the rightness of what I was doing
evaporated. My will failed me. I don't know if you will
understand what that means. It wasn't that my reason didn't
assure me just as certainly as ever that what I was trying to
do was the right thing to try to do. But somehow that seemed
a cold and personally unimportant proposition. The life had
gone out of it. . . . "
He paused as if arrested by a momentary doubt.
"I don't know why I tell you these things," he said.
|
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Just Folks by Edgar A. Guest: And his petty hates are vanquished and his heart is opened wide.
Oh, I don't know how to say it, but somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas man is almost what God sent him here to be.
The Little Army
Little women, little men,
Childhood never comes again.
Live it gayly while you may;
Give your baby souls to play;
March to sound of stick and pan,
In your paper hats, and tramp
just as bravely as you can
Just Folks |
