15. What are the other reasons for conflict are there? Do these reasons still apply to modern times?
Back to History 8 Fifth Mountain Readings The Fifth Mountain portrays many instances and reasons of conflict in the novel. These can easily be applied to modern times to to the nature of humanity and the repeating cycle of what happens in the past, can also happen in the future. Example 1
"At that moment, more than a woman's love was at stake-- his entire life, his faith in the Lord's designs... the idea that he had a mission and was capable of completing it(162)."
Elijah's moment of conflict was the struggle between protecting the person he loved, and following God's plans for his death. Because love is so powerful, he tried not to give in to his feelings so that he could do his job without any hinderances and with little otherworldly attachments. He was eager and willing to lay down his life before God, but still worried for the safety of his one true love. This shows the battle between secular desires and divine commandments. This can apply to modern times because often one's heart can get in the way of their responsibilities, and the struggle one must go through to push past those feelings and do what is right.
Example 2
"He must have been severely beaten before being brought here... 'We need an interpreter. He does not speak our language'(100-101)."
This shows a conflict between rationality and fear. When the general was brought to the governor bloodied and bruised, it was just because of a lack of communication. The guards beat him up on the assumption that he was someone bad simply due to the fact that they could not communicate. The state of fear they were in did not allow them to make proper judgement, and the proper use of mind over matter is needed in order to make rational decisions in times of great duress. This can apply to modern times because many times there has been alienation among various cultures and peoples due to a lack of communication or misunderstanding. What could be seen as sacred in one culture can be seen as barbaric or uncivilized in another.
Sources: The Fifth Mountain
Shelby Wilson
