| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair: pointing excitedly across the street. Before they could gather the meaning
of his breathless ejaculations he had bounded away, and they saw him enter
a shop, over which was a sign: "J. Szedvilas, Delicatessen." When he came
out again it was in company with a very stout gentleman in shirt sleeves
and an apron, clasping Jonas by both hands and laughing hilariously.
Then Teta Elzbieta recollected suddenly that Szedvilas had been the name
of the mythical friend who had made his fortune in America. To find that
he had been making it in the delicatessen business was an extraordinary
piece of good fortune at this juncture; though it was well on in the
morning, they had not breakfasted, and the children were beginning to
whimper.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Betty Zane by Zane Grey: absolute indifference to his torture, which was the only way to appeal to the
savage nature, and if anything could, make the Indians show mercy. Or, if he
could taunt them into killing him at once he would be spared all the terrible
agony which they were in the habit of inflicting on their victims.
One handsome young brave twirled a glittering tomahawk which he threw from a
distance of ten, fifteen, and twenty feet and every time the sharp blade of
the hatchet sank deep into the stake within an inch of Isaac's head. With a
proud and disdainful look Isaac gazed straight before him and paid no heed to
his tormentor.
"Does the Indian boy think he can frighten a white warrior?" said Isaac
scornfully at length. "Let him go and earn his eagle plumes. The pale face
Betty Zane |
