| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: love.
During those years she had more than once been sought in marriage,
but had steadily, though kindly, refused. Once, when the suitor
was a man whose character and position made the union very
desirable in Eli Mitchenor's eyes, he ventured to use his paternal
influence. Asenath's gentle resistance was overborne by his
arbitrary force of will, and her protestations were of no avail.
"Father," she finally said, in the tone which he had once heard and
still remembered, `thee can take away, but thee cannot give."
He never mentioned the subject again.
Richard Hilton passed out of her knowledge shortly after her
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs: combine their wits and their muscles against their savage
enemies, while the beasts, being unable to reason, would never
think of combining against the men. Otherwise, Tarzan of the
Apes, how long would you have lasted in the savage wilderness?"
"You are right, D'Arnot," replied Tarzan, "for if Kerchak
had come to Tublat's aid that night at the Dum-Dum, there
would have been an end of me. But Kerchak could never
think far enough ahead to take advantage of any such
opportunity. Even Kala, my mother, could never plan ahead.
She simply ate what she needed when she needed it, and if the
supply was very scarce, even though she found plenty for
Tarzan of the Apes |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: "Did you have a nice ride?"
"Very good roads around here."
"I suppose the automobiles----"
"Yeah."
Moved by an irresistible impulse, Gatsby turned to Tom, who had accepted
the introduction as a stranger.
"I believe we've met somewhere before, Mr. Buchanan."
"Oh, yes," said Tom, gruffly polite, but obviously not remembering.
"So we did. I remember very well."
"About two weeks ago."
"That's right. You were with Nick here."
The Great Gatsby |
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Virginian by Owen Wister: Left to myself I meditated for some time upon my lodging for the
night, and smoked a cigar for consolation as I walked about. It
was not a hotel that we had supped in. Hotel at Medicine Bow
there appeared to be none. But connected with the eating-house
was that place where, according to Steve, the beds were all
taken, and there I went to see for myself. Steve had spoken the
truth. It was a single apartment containing four or five beds,
and nothing else whatever. And when I looked at these beds, my
sorrow that I could sleep in none of them grew less. To be alone
in one offered no temptation, and as for this courtesy of the
country, this doubling up--!
The Virginian |
