| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: changed--he grew quieter and began to talk about the yellow car. He
announced that he had a way of finding out whom the yellow car belonged
to, and then he blurted out that a couple of months ago his wife had
come from the city with her face bruised and her nose swollen.
But when he heard himself say this, he flinched and began to cry "Oh,
my God!" again in his groaning voice. Michaelis made a clumsy attempt
to distract him.
"How long have you been married, George? Come on there, try and sit
still a minute and answer my question. How long have you been married?"
"Twelve years."
"Ever had any children? Come on, George, sit still--I asked you a
The Great Gatsby |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Herbert West: Reanimator by H. P. Lovecraft: moving his lips and whose voice seemed almost ventriloquially
connected with an immense black case he carried. His expressionless
face was handsome to the point of radiant beauty, but had shocked
the superintendent when the hall light fell on it -- for it was
a wax face with eyes of painted glass. Some nameless accident
had befallen this man. A larger man guided his steps; a repellent
hulk whose bluish face seemed half eaten away by some unknown
malady. The speaker had asked for the custody of the cannibal
monster committed from Arkham sixteen years before; and upon being
refused, gave a signal which precipitated a shocking riot. The
fiends had beaten, trampled, and bitten every attendant who did
Herbert West: Reanimator |
