| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: over the rail, was looking moodily down on the heap of rubbish
and broken bottles at the foot of the verandah.
"What was all that noise just now?" he growled peevishly, without
looking up. "Confound you and your mother! What did she want?
What did you come out for?"
"She did not want to let me come out," said Nina. "She is angry.
She says the man just gone is some Rajah. I think she is right
now."
"I believe all you women are crazy," snarled Almayer. "What's
that to you, to her, to anybody? The man wants to collect
trepang and birds' nests on the islands. He told me so, that
Almayer's Folly |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Nana, Miller's Daughter, Captain Burle, Death of Olivier Becaille by Emile Zola: "What is it?" said Mme Hugon in some surprise.
Then her instinct told her, and she felt indignant at such an
untoward invasion of her road.
"Oh, that woman!" she murmured. "Walk on, pray walk on. Don't
appear to notice."
But it was too late. The five carriages which were taking Nana and
her circle to the ruins of Chamont rolled on to the narrow wooden
bridge. Fauchery, Daguenet and the Muffat ladies were forced to
step backward, while Mme Hugon and the others had also to stop in
Indian file along the roadside. It was a superb ride past! The
laughter in the carriages had ceased, and faces were turned with an
|
