| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Land that Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs: I told him to wait until I gave the word; then we would fire
simultaneously, he at the heart and I at the spine.
"Hat the 'eart, sir--yes, sir," he replied, and raised his piece
to his shoulder.
Our shots rang out together. The thing raised its head and
looked about until its eyes rested upon us; then it gave vent to
a most appalling hiss that rose to the crescendo of a terrific
shriek and came for us.
"Beat it, Whitely!" I cried as I turned to run.
We were about a quarter of a mile from the rest of our party, and
in full sight of them as they lay in the tall grass watching us.
 The Land that Time Forgot |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: fender flicked a button on one man's coat.
"You're a rotten driver," I protested. "Either you ought to be more
careful, or you oughtn't to drive at all."
"I am careful."
"No, you're not."
"Well, other people are," she said lightly.
"What's that got to do with it?"
"They'll keep out of my way," she insisted. "It takes two to make an
accident."
"Suppose you met somebody just as careless as yourself."
"I hope I never will," she answered. "I hate careless people. That's why
 The Great Gatsby |