| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas: "I was about to be mustered into the Royal Marines when he
fell."
"It is reported your political opinions are extreme," said
Villefort, who had never heard anything of the kind, but was
not sorry to make this inquiry, as if it were an accusation.
"My political opinions!" replied Dantes. "Alas, sir, I never
had any opinions. I am hardly nineteen; I know nothing; I
have no part to play. If I obtain the situation I desire, I
shall owe it to M. Morrel. Thus all my opinions -- I will
not say public, but private -- are confined to these three
sentiment, -- I love my father, I respect M. Morrel, and I
The Count of Monte Cristo |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from My Antonia by Willa Cather: water over the glasses, laughing excitedly. `Oh, I can
take care of myself! I'm a lot stronger than Cutter is.
They pay four dollars there, and there's no children.
The work's nothing; I can have every evening, and be out a lot
in the afternoons.'
`I thought you liked children. Tony, what's come over you?'
`I don't know, something has.' Antonia tossed her head and set her jaw.
`A girl like me has got to take her good times when she can.
Maybe there won't be any tent next year. I guess I want to have my fling,
like the other girls.'
Mrs. Harling gave a short, harsh laugh. `If you go to work for the Cutters,
My Antonia |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from La Grenadiere by Honore de Balzac: picturesque landscape, listening to the sound of her children's voices
as they laughed at their own laughter, to the little quarrels that
told most plainly of their union of heart, of Louis' paternal care of
Marie, of the love that both of them felt for her. They spoke English
and French equally well (they had had an English nurse since their
babyhood), so their mother talked to them in both languages; directing
the bent of their childish minds with admirable skill, admitting no
fallacious reasoning, no bad principle. She ruled by kindness,
concealing nothing, explaining everything. If Louis wished for books,
she was careful to give him interesting yet accurate books--books of
biography, the lives of great seamen, great captains, and famous men,
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