| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from McTeague by Frank Norris: Through the windows outside McTeague observed a great number
of saddle horses tied to trees and fences. Each one of
these horses had a riata on the pommel of the saddle. He
sat down to the table, eating his thick hot soup, watching
his neighbors covertly, listening to everything that was
said. It did not take him long to gather that the country
to the east and south of Keeler was a cattle country.
Not far off, across a range of hills, was the Panamint
Valley, where the big cattle ranges were. Every now and
then this name was tossed to and fro across the table in the
flow of conversation--"Over in the Panamint." "Just going
McTeague |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young: pardon, and now that she had gotten ready she said: ``No, you didn't
mean to do it.''
Then the little girl stopped crying, too, and ran and caught Bessie
Bell's hand again and said to her again:
``I beg your pardon!
Grant me grace!
I hope the cat won't scratch your face!''
So they went skipping down the walk together just as they had gone
before. Then Sister Mary Felice and Sister Theckla both said:
``Well! Well!''
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