| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe: that could conceal their distempers did it, to prevent their neighbours
shunning and refusing to converse with them, and also to prevent
authority shutting up their houses; which, though it was not yet
practised, yet was threatened, and people were extremely terrified at
the thoughts of it.
The second week in June, the parish of St Giles, where still the
weight of the infection lay, buried 120, whereof though the bills said
but sixty-eight of the plague, everybody said there had been 100 at
least, calculating it from the usual number of funerals in that parish,
as above.
Till this week the city continued free, there having never any died,
A Journal of the Plague Year |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce: banks of the stream, might have been statues to adorn the
bridge. The captain stood with folded arms, silent,
observing the work of his subordinates, but making no sign.
Death is a dignitary who when he comes announced is to be
received with formal manifestations of respect, even by those
most familiar with him. In the code of military etiquette
silence and fixity are forms of deference.
The man who was engaged in being hanged was apparently about
thirty-five years of age. He was a civilian, if one might
judge from his habit, which was that of a planter. His
features were good -- a straight nose, firm mouth, broad
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde: things that are right to say, but that may be said at the wrong
time and to the wrong people.
MRS. ARBUTHNOT. I heard what you said. I agree with it, Miss
Worsley.
HESTER. I didn't know you had heard it. But I knew you would
agree with me. A woman who has sinned should be punished,
shouldn't she?
MRS. ARBUTHNOT. Yes.
HESTER. She shouldn't be allowed to come into the society of good
men and women?
MRS. ARBUTHNOT. She should not.
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