| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: latter occupy the upper position, the Tarantula protects herself by
drawing up her legs, which keep the enemy at a distance. In short,
save for sharp scuffles when the two champions are in touch,
nothing happens that deserves attention. There is no duel to the
death in the narrow arena of the test-tube, any more than in the
wider lists afforded by the bottle. Utterly timid once she is away
from home, the Spider obstinately refuses the battle; nor will the
Bumble-bee, giddy though she be, think of striking the first blow.
I abandon experiments in my study.
We must go direct to the spot and force the duel upon the
Tarantula, who is full of pluck in her own stronghold. Only,
The Life of the Spider |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Heritage of the Desert by Zane Grey: Until the sheep were in the corral, every moment had its duty, from
camp-work and care of horses to the many problems of the flock, so that
they earned the rest on the rim-wall at sundown. Only a touch of hands
bridged the chasm between them. They never spoke of their love, of
Mescal's future, of Jack's return to hearth; a glance and a smile,
scarcely sad yet not altogether happy, was the substance of their dream.
Where Jack had once talked about the canyon and desert, he now seldom
spoke at all. From watching Mescal he had learned that to see was
enough. But there were moments when some association recalled the past
and the strangeness of the present faced him. Then he was wont to
question Mescal.
The Heritage of the Desert |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Maria, or the Wrongs of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft: I was surprised by a visit from my elder brother; who came in the
most abrupt manner, to inform me of the death of my uncle. He had
left the greater part of his fortune to my child, appointing me
its guardian; in short, every step was taken to enable me to be
mistress of his fortune, without putting any part of it in Mr.
Venables' power. My brother came to vent his rage on me, for having,
as he expressed himself, 'deprived him, my uncle's eldest nephew,
of his inheritance;' though my uncle's property, the fruit of his
own exertion, being all in the funds, or on landed securities,
there was not a shadow of justice in the charge.
"As I sincerely loved my uncle, this intelligence brought on
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