| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum: brought some strangers home with me. I am
going to take them to see Dorothy."
"One moment, please," said the soldier, barring
their way as they started to enter the gate. "I am
on duty, and I have orders to execute. Is anyone
in your party named Ojo the Unlucky?"
"Why, that's me!" cried Ojo, astonished at
hearing his name on the lips of a stranger.
The Soldier with the Green Whiskers nodded. "I
thought so," said he, "and I am sorry to announce
that it is my painful duty to arrest you."
The Patchwork Girl of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift: deer, he conceived that the want of venison might be well
supply'd by the bodies of young lads and maidens, not exceeding
fourteen years of age, nor under twelve; so great a number of
both sexes in every country being now ready to starve for want of
work and service: And these to be disposed of by their parents if
alive, or otherwise by their nearest relations. But with due
deference to so excellent a friend, and so deserving a patriot, I
cannot be altogether in his sentiments; for as to the males, my
American acquaintance assured me from frequent experience, that
their flesh was generally tough and lean, like that of our
school-boys, by continual exercise, and their taste disagreeable,
A Modest Proposal |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Art of War by Sun Tzu: metaphor indicating the utmost secrecy and concealment, so that
the enemy may not know his whereabouts."]
he who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the topmost
heights of heaven.
[Another metaphor, implying that he falls on his adversary
like a thunderbolt, against which there is no time to prepare.
This is the opinion of most of the commentators.]
Thus on the one hand we have ability to protect ourselves; on the
other, a victory that is complete.
8. To see victory only when it is within the ken of the
common herd is not the acme of excellence.
The Art of War |
