The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: is, as much a gentleman as many a country squire: rather slovenly,
perhaps, yet not looking amiss with his negligence, because he has
an erect and handsome figure; and rather morose. Possibly, some
people might suspect him of a degree of under-bred pride; I have a
sympathetic chord within that tells me it is nothing of the sort:
I know, by instinct, his reserve springs from an aversion to showy
displays of feeling - to manifestations of mutual kindliness.
He'll love and hate equally under cover, and esteem it a species of
impertinence to be loved or hated again. No, I'm running on too
fast: I bestow my own attributes over-liberally on him. Mr.
Heathcliff may have entirely dissimilar reasons for keeping his
 Wuthering Heights |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad: As I approached the glow from the dark I found myself at the back of
two men, talking. I heard the name of Kurtz pronounced, then the words, `take
advantage of this unfortunate accident.' One of the men was the manager.
I wished him a good evening. `Did you ever see anything like it--
eh? it is incredible,' he said, and walked off. The other man remained.
He was a first-class agent, young, gentlemanly, a bit reserved,
with a forked little beard and a hooked nose. He was stand-offish
with the other agents, and they on their side said he was the manager's
spy upon them. As to me, I had hardly ever spoken to him before.
We got into talk, and by and by we strolled away from the hissing ruins.
Then he asked me to his room, which was in the main building of the station.
 Heart of Darkness |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "Terkoz did," said Tarzan, grimly.
Jane shuddered and looked fearfully up at the giant figure
beside her, for she knew that he meant the great anthropoid
he had killed in her defense.
"This is not the African jungle," she said. "You are no
longer a savage beast. You are a gentleman, and gentlemen
do not kill in cold blood."
"I am still a wild beast at heart," he said, in a low voice,
as though to himself.
Again they were silent for a time.
"Jane," said the man, at length, "if you were free, would
 Tarzan of the Apes |