Conflict

CONFLICT 

The plot of almost any story centers on conflict. A conflict is a struggle between opposing forces. 

There are two main kinds of conflict: external and internal. 

External Conflict

When a character faces an outside force this is known as external conflict. During the course of a story, characters may face numerous types of outside forces. The outside force may be another character, or a group of people promoting their beliefs, or even be the forces of nature (storm, plague, drought).   Man against Man   Man against Nature  Man against Society   Man against the Supernatural   Man against Technology  Man against the Unknown  Internal Conflict  A struggle that takes place in a character’s mind is called an internal conflict. They character has to make a moral decision—to choose between what is considered right and what is considered wrong. Sometimes a character has to make a choice where there are two equally unlikeable solutions but the choice has to be made. When a character experiences these emotions and feelings and must come to a decision on one’s own, he or she is experiencing an internal conflict.   Man against Himself  The Importance of Conflict  Without conflict there is no story!  Conflict is the driving force behind a story’s plot and creates the action, builds the suspense, and ultimately relieves the tension in a climatic turning point.  Conflict is absolutely necessary to every story.  In short stories, there is usually one major conflict.  In novels there could be several conflicts.  By the end of story, the complication or major conflict should be resolved. Either the protagonist has failed or succeeded in overcoming the obstacles set before him or her.  Discovering Conflict while Reading  1. Identify the main characters—protagonist, antagonist  2. Decide what the complication or major conflict(s) are  3. Look for steps the protagonist takes to resolve the conflict  4. Are there many minor or subsequent conflicts?  5. Watch for foreshadowing clues and try to predict what the characters will do  6. Enjoy the buildup of tension and suspense  7. Has the main character failed or succeeded?  8. Is the conflict finally resolved?