| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: torments invented, as she thought, for her especial punishment by
the good Mother Superior in case of the loss of the above charm,
were Mrs. Almayer's only theological luggage for the stormy road
of life. Mrs. Almayer had at least something tangible to cling
to, but Nina, brought up under the Protestant wing of the proper
Mrs. Vinck, had not even a little piece of brass to remind her of
past teaching. And listening to the recital of those savage
glories, those barbarous fights and savage feasting, to the story
of deeds valorous, albeit somewhat bloodthirsty, where men of her
mother's race shone far above the Orang Blanda, she felt herself
irresistibly fascinated, and saw with vague surprise the narrow
Almayer's Folly |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum: "Who are you, what are your names, and where
do you come from?" demanded the soldier.
"You wouldn't know if we told you," returned the
sailor, "seein' as we're strangers in a strange land."
"Oh, if you are strangers you will be permitted to
enter," said the soldier, lowering his lance. "His
Majesty is very fond of strangers."
"Do many strangers come here?" asked Trot.
"You are the first that ever came to our country," said
the man. "But his Majesty has often said that if
strangers ever arrived in Jinxland he would see that they
The Scarecrow of Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Pathology of Lying, Etc. by William and Mary Healy: institution for delinquents, then having run away from home,
``picked up'' a man on the street and stayed all night in a hotel
with him. At the institution the girl became very nervous and
behaved badly and the authorities decided it was a poor place for
her. The father, who at first wanted her placed there, very soon
decided that she should be removed. It is very likely his
attitude had something to do with her behavior there.
About this time Annie worked in a millinery shop where she proved
herself quick and skilful. There she told stories again defaming
herself. She said she had had a baby and went into complete
details, such as giving the name of the nurse who had taken care
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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 Proposed Roads To Freedom by Bertrand Russell: lack of will, and violent passions. These we
will call ``evils of character.'' Third come those
that depend upon the power of one individual or
group over another: these comprise not only obvious
tyranny, but all interference with free development,
whether by force or by excessive mental influence
such as may occur in education. These we will call
``evils of power.'' A social system may be judged
by its bearing upon these three kinds of evils.
The distinction between the three kinds cannot
be sharply drawn. Purely physical evil is a limit,
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