The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from My Antonia by Willa Cather: thought of how she used to run barefoot over the prairie until after the snow
began to fly, and how Crazy Mary chased her round and round the cornfields.
It seemed to me wonderful that she should have got on so well in the world.
Certainly she had no one but herself to thank for it.
`You must feel proud of yourself, Lena,' I said heartily.
`Look at me; I've never earned a dollar, and I don't know
that I'll ever be able to.'
`Tony says you're going to be richer than Mr. Harling some day.
She's always bragging about you, you know.'
`Tell me, how IS Tony?'
`She's fine. She works for Mrs. Gardener at the hotel now.
 My Antonia |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela: metrio said jokingly one morning after the daily treat-
ment. He had begun to like this tenderfoot. From then
on, Demetrio began gradually to show an increasing in-
terest in Cervantes' comfort. One day he asked him if
the soldiers gave him his daily ration of meat and milk;
Luis Cervantes was forced to answer that his sole nour-
ishment was whatever the old ranch women happened to
give him and that everyone still considered him an in-
truder.
"Look here, Tenderfoot, they're all good boys, really,"
Demetrio answered. "You've got to know how to handle
 The Underdogs |
The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving: stupendous brass buttons, and their hair generally queued in the
fashion of the times, especially if they could procure an eelskin
for the purpose, it being esteemed throughout the country as a
potent nourisher and strengthener of the hair.
Brom Bones, however, was the hero of the scene, having come
to the gathering on his favorite steed Daredevil, a creature,
like himself, full of mettle and mischief, and which no one but
himself could manage. He was, in fact, noted for preferring
vicious animals, given to all kinds of tricks which kept the
rider in constant risk of his neck, for he held a tractable,
wellbroken horse as unworthy of a lad of spirit.
 The Legend of Sleepy Hollow |
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 Mysterious Island by Jules Verne: be a surer retreat, for it would be as well defended against enemies from
the interior as those from outside."
"That is true, Cyrus," replied the reporter, "but we have already
examined all that mass of granite, and there is not a hole, not a cranny!"
"No, not one!" added Pencroft. "Ah, if we were able to dig out a dwelling
in that cliff, at a good height, so as to be out of the reach of harm, that
would be capital! I can see that on the front which looks seaward, five or
six rooms--"
"With windows to light them!" said Herbert, laughing.
"And a staircase to climb up to them!" added Neb.
"You are laughing," cried the sailor, "and why? What is there impossible
 The Mysterious Island |