| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: sad horns around the floor.
Through this twilight universe Daisy began to move again with the
season; suddenly she was again keeping half a dozen dates a day with
half a dozen men, and drowsing asleep at dawn with the beads and
chiffon of an evening dress tangled among dying orchids on the floor
beside her bed. And all the time something within her was crying for a
decision. She wanted her life shaped now, immediately--and the decision
must be made by some force--of love, of money, of unquestionable
practicality--that was close at hand.
That force took shape in the middle of spring with the arrival of Tom
Buchanan. There was a wholesome bulkiness about his person and his
The Great Gatsby |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey: vine-clad stone house. In the music of the singing birds, in the
murmur of the running water, he heard an ominous sound. Quiet
beauty--sweet music--innocent laughter! By what monstrous
abortion of fate did these abide in the shadow of Dyer?
Venters rode on and stopped before Tull's cottage. Women stared
at him with white faces and then flew from the porch. Tull
himself appeared at the door, bent low, craning his neck. His
dark face flashed out of sight; the door banged; a heavy bar
dropped with a hollow sound.
Then Venters shook Black Star's bridle, and, sharply trotting,
led the other horses to the center of the village. Here at the
Riders of the Purple Sage |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: all, everyone being allowed to take what he wishes without price. He
had no money, therefore, and so he turned away to seek hospitality
elsewhere. Looking through an open window into one of the rooms of
the Inn, as he passed along, he saw an old man counting on a table a
big heap of gold pieces, which Kiki thought to be money. One of these
would buy him supper and a bed, he reflected, so he transformed
himself into a magpie and, flying through the open window, caught up
one of the gold pieces in his beak and flew out again before the old
man could interfere. Indeed, the old man who was robbed was quite
helpless, for he dared not leave his pile of gold to chase the magpie,
and before he could place the gold in a sack in his pocket the robber
The Magic of Oz |
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 Chouans by Honore de Balzac: to my humble labors than the bishopric of Rennes which you--"
The abbe dared say no more, for the marquis smiled bitterly at his
last words. However, the young chief instantly repressed all
expression of feeling, his brow grew stern, and he followed the Abbe
Gudin into a hall where the worst of the clamor was echoing.
"I recognize no authority here," Rifoel was saying, casting angry
looks at all about him and laying his hand on the hilt of his sabre.
"Do you recognize that of common-sense?" asked the marquis, coldly.
The young Chevalier de Vissard, better known under his patronymic of
Rifoel, was silent before the general of the Catholic armies.
"What is all this about, gentlemen?" asked the marquis, examining the
The Chouans |
