Chapter 15
Dangerous Desires and Fateful Meetings
He was a handy man at his trade, an all-round man, as artizans in country-towns are apt to be. In London the man who carves the boss or knob of leafage declines to cut the fragment of moulding which merges in that leafage, as if it were a degradation to do the second half of one whole. When there was not much Gothic moulding for Jude to run, or much window-tracery on the bankers, he would go out lettering monuments or tombstones, and take a pleasure in the change of handiwork. The next time that he saw her was when…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Strip Away the Noble Language
Think of a recent decision you made that you justified as being 'for someone else's good' or 'the right thing to do.' Write down your official reason, then dig deeper and identify what you actually wanted from the situation. Don't judge yourself—just get honest about the real motivation underneath the acceptable explanation.
Consider:
- •Consider how you felt when making the decision—excited, anxious, or conflicted feelings often signal mixed motives
- •Ask yourself what you would have lost or missed out on if you hadn't taken that action
- •Notice if you had to convince yourself or others that your reasons were pure—that's often a red flag
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you eventually realised your 'noble' motivations were covering something more selfish. What did you learn about yourself, and how did that awareness change how you approach similar situations?
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