| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Marriage Contract by Honore de Balzac: The wealth of the Evangelistas, proverbial in Bordeaux, had remained
in Paul's mind as a memory of his childhood. Thus the pecuniary
conditions were known to him from the start, without necessitating
those discussions and inquiries which are as repugnant to a timid mind
as to a proud one. When some persons attempting to say to Paul a few
flattering phrases as to Natalie's manner, language, and beauty,
ending by remarks, cruelly calculated to deter him, on the lavish
extravagance of the Evangelistas, the Pink of Fashion replied with a
disdain that was well-deserved by such provincial pettiness. This
method of receiving such speeches soon silenced them; for he now set
the tone to the ideas and language as well as to the manners of those
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence: "Tha'll happen catch me up," said Barker, departing.
When he had gone, Morel, left alone, felt savage. He had
not finished his job. He had overworked himself into a frenzy.
Rising, wet with sweat, he threw his tool down, pulled on his coat,
blew out his candle, took his lamp, and went. Down the main road
the lights of the other men went swinging. There was a hollow
sound of many voices. It was a long, heavy tramp underground.
He sat at the bottom of the pit, where the great drops of water
fell plash. Many colliers were waiting their turns to go up,
talking noisily. Morel gave his answers short and disagreeable.
"It's rainin', Sorry," said old Giles, who had had the news
 Sons and Lovers |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: side to the shore, she ran along just by them, and poured in a
broadside among them, loaded with pieces of iron and lead, small
bullets, and such stuff, besides the great shot, which made a
terrible havoc among them.
When we were got on board and out of danger, we had time to examine
into the occasion of this fray; and indeed our supercargo, who had
been often in those parts, put me upon it; for he said he was sure
the inhabitants would not have touched us after we had made a
truce, if we had not done something to provoke them to it. At
length it came out that an old woman, who had come to sell us some
milk, had brought it within our poles, and a young woman with her,
 Robinson Crusoe |