Boys have generally excellent appetites. Oliver Twist and his companions suffered the tortures of slow starvation for three months: at last they got so voracious and wild with hunger, that one boy, who was tall for his age, and hadn't been used to that sort of thing (for his father had kept a small cookshop), hinted darkly to his companions, that unless he had another basin of gruel per diem, he was afraid he might some night happen to eat the boy who slept next to him, who happened to be a weakly youth of tender age. He had a wild, hungry eye; and they implicitly believed him. A council was held; lots were cast who should walk up to the master after supper that evening, and ask for more; and it fell to Oliver Twist.

The evening arrived; the boys took their places. The master, in his cook's uniform, stationed himself at the copper; his pauper assistants ranged themselves behind him; the gruel was served out; and a long grace was said over the short commons. The gruel disappeared; the boys whispered each other, and winked at Oliver, while his next neighbours nudged him. Child as he was, he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery. He rose from the table, and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said: somewhat alarmed at his own temerity:

'Please sir, I want some more.'

The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in stupefied astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds, and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the boys with fear.

'What!' said the master at length, in a faint voice.

'Please, sir,' replied Oliver, 'I want some more.'


Exerpt from Oliver Twist, by Charles D.ickens.


The sad fate that visited itself on many children before and during the Industrial Revolution and the hard times that followed it, always brings a lump to the throat if I think about it too much. Having children of my own has made my feelings towards the plight of children that much more acute. Children are still treated badly in many parts of the world, but I feel lucky that we live in a place in time and progress that means my children should hopefully never face the kind of deprivation that D.ickens so eloquently described.

(Thanks to everyone in the whole tourney for a great game, and to the organiser(s) for taking on this mammoth task!)

From "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand:

"The house on the sketches had been designed not by Roark, but by the cliff on which it stood. It was as if the cliff had grown and completed itself and proclaimed the purpose for which it had been waiting."

An author I really enjoyed in college. The passage was chosen for its ability to illustrate nature's power over man's perception of beauty.

"...The short girl was pixie like, thin in the extreme with small features. Her hair was deep black, cropped short and pointing in every direction. And yet they were all exactly alike. Every one of them was chalky pale. They all had very dark eyes despite the range in hair tones. They also had dark shadows under those eyes- purplish bruise-like shadows. As if they were all suffering from a sleepless night, or almost done recovering from a broken nose. Though their noses, all their features, were straight, perfect, angular." ~ Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer

This is one of my favorite book collections. Not because of the vampire theme but because of the love between two people from two separate walks of life. I particularly like this passage in the opening book of the series because this is where the infatuation begins not only with Edward but the beauty she finds in the differences of these people.

My passage is from 'Jessica' by Bryce Courtenay.

"Rusty's head is on his paws as though he is asleep in the shade of the old river gum. Jessica sits down slowly with her back against the rear of the gravestone...
...She has only enough strength to reach into her pinny and to open the back of the gold hunter Jack had left her as he lay dying. Then she takes the letter from her pocket and unfolds it, placing it on her lap with the beautiful old antique watch on top of it so the letter won't blow away. Her eyelids feel leaden and she closes her eyes. 'I loved you, Jack,' she whispers. 'I always did and I always will.'"

I chose this passage as it was the part of the book that really moved me the most. She had felt lonely, but at the same time, in the last moments, as the sun sets for the last time on her, she feels at peace. (I wish I could have quoted the entire last chapter!)


I must say, this tournament has been quite a journey for me... Thankyou to all my past competitors, and good luck to my current ones!