| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom by William and Ellen Craft: afterwards carried. The landlady, observing that I
took an interest in the baggage, became some-
what uneasy, and went into my wife's room, and said
to her, "Do you know the dark man downstairs?"
"Yes, he is my husband." "Oh! I mean the
black man--the NIGGER?" "I quite understand
you; he is my husband." "My God!" exclaimed
the woman as she flounced out and banged to the
door. On going upstairs, I heard what had taken
place: but, as we were there, and did not mean
to leave that night, we did not disturb ourselves.
Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy: poor old chap. But if he does, he won't be likely to
find me."
Jude stood pale and fixed.
"Why the devil didn't you tell me last, night!" he said.
"Well--I didn't.... Won't you make it up with me, then?"
"So in talking of 'your husband' to the bar gentlemen you meant him,
of course--not me!"
"Of course.... Come, don't fuss about it."
"I have nothing more to say!" replied Jude. "I have nothing
at all to say about the--crime--you've confessed to!"
"Crime! Pooh. They don't think much of such as that over there!
Jude the Obscure |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad: without reflection. But all unconscious alertness had abandoned me.
I had to make an effort of will to recall myself back
(from the cabin) to the conditions of the moment.
I felt that I was appearing an irresolute commander to those
people who were watching me more or less critically.
And, besides, there were the scares. On the second day out,
for instance, coming off the deck in the afternoon (I had straw
slippers on my bare feet) I stopped at the open pantry door and spoke
to the steward. He was doing something there with his back to me.
At the sound of my voice he nearly jumped out of his skin,
as the saying is, and incidentally broke a cup.
The Secret Sharer |
