Dealings in Conflict in Reality and Fiction Conflict is consistent throughout the world. It is seen everywhere: in the news to private life, in fiction to reality. This much conflict can be a burden, and oftentimes, it is hard to find a way to deal with conflict safely and effectively. To live responsibly and safely in a world with conflict, one must become aware of the situation, stand up for one’s beliefs regarding said situation, and exhibit empathy and support for others affected by the conflict. These methods of living in conflict are shown in real life as well as literature, such as in the novels “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens, and “A Separate Peace” by John Knowles. When a conflict first
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To make sure one makes good, commendable choices regarding the opposing opinions of the conflict, one must be sure of what to believe in and stand up for it. Standing up for one’s own beliefs can help ensure responsibility in conflict by providing a stable, confident footing for one’s stance. This theme of firmly rooted beliefs during conflict is present in literature and real life. One example is in the novel “A Tale of Two Cities,” by Charles Dickens. The novel is set during the French Revolution, a time where stating any opposition to the authority could have ended in death. In the novel, the protagonist, Charles Darnay, is wrongly accused of crimes that his old family committed. His friends— Jarvis Lorry, Sydney Carton, and Doctor Alexandre and Lucie Manette, to name a few— know these accusations are false, and fiercely fight for justice for Darnay. Doctor Alexandre Manette, most notably, uses his status as a former prisoner of the Bastille to encourage French revolutionaries to help Darnay as well. He arrives in France with the others after having learned of Darnay’s imprisonment. When telling his friends about his plan to get other French citizens to side with Darnay, he says, “My old pain has given me a power that has brought us through the barrier, and gained us news of Charles there, and brought us here. I knew it would be …show more content…
A person’s morale and mood can be significantly lowered while in a surrounding of conflict. This can lead to irrational decision making and unsafe action. To prevent this and keep responsibility, one must have empathy and support for others in order to uplift their emotional stability. This can be done by doing fun activities with others, helping them out, and being a shoulder to cry on if they are overwhelmed by the trouble of the conflict. An example of empathy like this is present in the novel “A Separate Peace” by John Knowles. The novel is set in the midst of World War II, at a boys’ private school. The students at the school are heavily stressed due to the war, but the protagonist, Phineas (AKA Finny), takes their stress in a playful and caring manner by playing games and being a source of joy for them. Gene describes Phineas’ joy as if he “could shine with everyone, he attracted everyone he met. (Knowles 17)” Later in the novel, Phineas organizes a winter carnival for the rest of the students. Gene describes this as a therapeutic escape from reality— a “liberation we had torn from the gray encroachments of 1943, the escape we had concocted, this afternoon of momentary, illusory, special and separate peace. (Knowles 72)” Phineas’ actions help the other characters remain happy and stable for some time, even when there is conflict around them. He gives their minds some relief from stress, taking
To make sure one makes good, commendable choices regarding the opposing opinions of the conflict, one must be sure of what to believe in and stand up for it. Standing up for one’s own beliefs can help ensure responsibility in conflict by providing a stable, confident footing for one’s stance. This theme of firmly rooted beliefs during conflict is present in literature and real life. One example is in the novel “A Tale of Two Cities,” by Charles Dickens. The novel is set during the French Revolution, a time where stating any opposition to the authority could have ended in death. In the novel, the protagonist, Charles Darnay, is wrongly accused of crimes that his old family committed. His friends— Jarvis Lorry, Sydney Carton, and Doctor Alexandre and Lucie Manette, to name a few— know these accusations are false, and fiercely fight for justice for Darnay. Doctor Alexandre Manette, most notably, uses his status as a former prisoner of the Bastille to encourage French revolutionaries to help Darnay as well. He arrives in France with the others after having learned of Darnay’s imprisonment. When telling his friends about his plan to get other French citizens to side with Darnay, he says, “My old pain has given me a power that has brought us through the barrier, and gained us news of Charles there, and brought us here. I knew it would be …show more content…
A person’s morale and mood can be significantly lowered while in a surrounding of conflict. This can lead to irrational decision making and unsafe action. To prevent this and keep responsibility, one must have empathy and support for others in order to uplift their emotional stability. This can be done by doing fun activities with others, helping them out, and being a shoulder to cry on if they are overwhelmed by the trouble of the conflict. An example of empathy like this is present in the novel “A Separate Peace” by John Knowles. The novel is set in the midst of World War II, at a boys’ private school. The students at the school are heavily stressed due to the war, but the protagonist, Phineas (AKA Finny), takes their stress in a playful and caring manner by playing games and being a source of joy for them. Gene describes Phineas’ joy as if he “could shine with everyone, he attracted everyone he met. (Knowles 17)” Later in the novel, Phineas organizes a winter carnival for the rest of the students. Gene describes this as a therapeutic escape from reality— a “liberation we had torn from the gray encroachments of 1943, the escape we had concocted, this afternoon of momentary, illusory, special and separate peace. (Knowles 72)” Phineas’ actions help the other characters remain happy and stable for some time, even when there is conflict around them. He gives their minds some relief from stress, taking