The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Youth by Joseph Conrad: without a redeeming point. What made them do it--
what made them obey me when I, thinking consciously
how fine it was, made them drop the bunt of the foresail
twice to try and do it better? What? They had no pro-
fessional reputation--no examples, no praise. It wasn't
a sense of duty; they all knew well enough how to shirk,
and laze, and dodge--when they had a mind to it--and
mostly they had. Was it the two pounds ten a month
that sent them there? They didn't think their pay half
good enough. No; it was something in them, something
inborn and subtle and everlasting. I don't say posi-
 Youth |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "my orders are imperative; there is to be no delay.
Xodar, come you also."
There was little of disrespect in the tone that the man used in
addressing either Xodar or myself. It was evident that he felt
less contempt for the former Dator since he had witnessed the
ease with which I disposed of the powerful Thurid.
That his respect for me was greater than it should have
been for a slave was quite apparent from the fact that
during the balance of the return journey he walked or stood
always behind me, a drawn short-sword in his hand.
The return to the Sea of Omean was uneventful. We dropped
 The Gods of Mars |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Fanny Herself by Edna Ferber: stenographer busy at her typewriter in the corner.
"You may leave that, Miss Mahin," Fanny said. Miss Mahin, a
comprehending young woman, left it, and the room as well.
Fenger sat down. He was under great excitement, though he
was quite controlled. Fanny, knowing him, waited quietly.
His eyes held hers.
"It's come," Fenger began. "You know that for the last year
Haynes has been milling around with a herd of sociologists,
philanthropists, and students of economics. He had some
scheme in the back of his head, but I thought it was just
another of his impractical ideas. It appears that it
 Fanny Herself |