| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from My Antonia by Willa Cather: cautiously, then critically, blinking his eyes in the light.
His expression was droll; it dismissed me lightly.
`This old fellow is no different from other people.
He doesn't know my secret.' He seemed conscious of possessing
a keener power of enjoyment than other people; his quick recognitions
made him frantically impatient of deliberate judgments.
He always knew what he wanted without thinking.
After dressing in the hay, I washed my face in cold water at the windmill.
Breakfast was ready when I entered the kitchen, and Yulka was baking
griddle-cakes. The three older boys set off for the fields early.
Leo and Yulka were to drive to town to meet their father, who would
My Antonia |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Unconscious Comedians by Honore de Balzac: commercial property in Paris, and have ended by constituting a sort of
ensign of nobility. The present Marius, who takes pupils, has created,
he says, the leading school of hair-dressing in the world.
"I've seen, in coming through France," said Gazonal, "a great many
signs bearing the words: 'Such a one, pupil of Marius.'"
"His pupils have to wash their hands after every head," said Bixiou;
"but Marius does not take them indifferently; they must have nice
hands, and not be ill-looking. The most remarkable for manners,
appearance, and elocution are sent out to dress heads; and they come
back tired to death. Marius himself never turns out except for titled
women; he drives his cabriolet and has a groom."
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