arg = argv[i];
...
length = strlen(arg);
...
c = arg[1];
if ((c == 'b') && (strncmp(argv[i], "-backwards", length) == 0)) {
    backwards = 1;
...
} else if ((c == 'f') && (strncmp(argv[i], "-forwards", length) == 0)) {
    backwards = 0;