| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad: too, that I haven't the time to send them out of the country--
it's incredible!' `Hm'm. Just so,' grunted the uncle.
`Ah! my boy, trust to this--I say, trust to this.'
I saw him extend his short flipper of an arm for a gesture
that took in the forest, the creek, the mud, the river--
seemed to beckon with a dishonouring flourish before the sunlit
face of the land a treacherous appeal to the lurking death,
to the hidden evil, to the profound darkness of its heart.
It was so startling that I leaped to my feet and looked
back at the edge of the forest, as though I had expected
an answer of some sort to that black display of confidence.
Heart of Darkness |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lin McLean by Owen Wister: He whirled round and took both my shoulders. "Come walking!" he urged. "I
must talk some." So we followed the stream out of town towards the
mountains. "I came awful near asking her in the stage," said he.
"Goodness, Lin! give yourself time!"
"Time can't increase my feelings."
"Hers, man, hers! How many hours have you known her?"
"Hours and hours! You're talking foolishness! What have they got to do
with it? And she will listen to me. I can tell she will. I know I can be
so she'll listen, and it will go all right, for I'll ask so hard. And
everything'll come out straight. Yu' see, I've not been spending to speak
of since Billy's on my hands, and now I'll fix up my cabin and finish my
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