He was conflicted about what he was seeing, a refracted version of his city, one where homes and trees were bisected and mirrored in this oddly calm body of water. the novelty of the new world brought forth the adventurer in him—he wanted to see it all, the whole city, what had become of it. but the builder in him thought of the damage, how long it would take to rebuild. years, maybe a decade. he wondered if the world at large could already see what he was seeing, a disaster mythical in scale and severity. what conclusion can readers draw about this character vs. self conflict? zeitoun recognizes the homes under the water. zeitoun acknowledges the tragedy and its potential. zeitoun contemplates risks associated with the passing of time. zeitoun considers the city's need for additional outside assistance.