Literary Conflict

Conflict the struggle between opposing forces.

Protagonist The main character Not always the good guy!

in conflict with the main character Antagonist in conflict with the main character

External Conflict takes place outside of the body

Character vs. Character (external) The struggle is between two or more characters in the story.

Character vs. Character Dodge Ball: In this film, Peter Le Flure owns a gym, and his arch enemy, White Goodman, threatens to take over Peter’s failing business. The entire plot is centered around the Peter vs. White conflict.

Character vs. Character Other popular examples include: Wyle Coyote vs. Road Runner Batman vs. Joker Austin Powers vs. Dr. Evil Edward vs. Jacob Cinderella vs. Stepmother

Character vs. Nature (external) pits a story's main character or characters against a natural force such as weather, aging, a predatory animal, or disease epidemic.

Character vs. Nature Survivor On this popular television show, individuals are forced to survive in the wilderness. Contestants are given the bare essentials for survival, and they must survive the weather, harsh conditions, and occasionally animals.

Character vs. Nature Other popular examples include: Bruce Almighty Hatchet Lost

Character vs. Society (external) the protagonist battles against an element of government, social traditions, culture, or a group of individuals (community)

Character vs. Society Shrek: In this film the protagonist, a very sweet but physically unattractive ogre, fights to change the kingdom’s mind about ogres…he wants humans to see that ogres aren’t all bad!

Character vs. Society Other examples include: The Wave Borat Schindler’s List The Hunger Games

Character vs. Machine/Technology (external) Between a character and an artificial entity, such as a robot or computer

Internal takes place inside of the body/mind, struggling with themselves (their own life)

Character vs. Supernatural/God (external but leads to internal) Usually prompts fear or indecisiveness. can produce joy Can have devastating effects Gods, ghosts, monsters, spirits, aliens, etc Scooby Doo: In this cartoon, Scooby and the gang are always in conflict with a supernatural being (ghost) of some sort

Character vs. Destiny/Fate (external and internal) The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing him/her.  You cant really decide what happens to you in the future, you cant change destiny or fate no matter how hard you try...  A character has to battle what seems to be an uncontrollable problem. Whenever the problem seems to be a strange or unbelievable coincidence, fate can be considered the cause of the conflict.

Character vs. Self (internal) struggle or opposition is within one character--making a tough decision, for example. A character struggling to overcome fear, addiction, emotional damage or other crippling personal issue.

Character vs. Self The Water Boy: Bobby Bouche, a sheltered “mama’s boy”, battles with himself over whether to disobey his mother and play football or obey his mother and remain the water boy for the team.

Character vs. Self Other Examples: Tommy Boy George in Of Mice and Men. Rocky in Rocky Balboa (all six movies center around Rocky’s internal struggle)

Practice Decide what type of conflict is being illustrated in the following pictures? Stand up when you think you know the answer

1. Man vs. ?

2. Man vs. ?

3. Man vs. ?

4. Man vs.

5. Man vs. ?

6. Man vs. ?

7. Man vs. ?

Now that you have mastered pictures, let’s try some text! Practice Now that you have mastered pictures, let’s try some text! Read each silently, and stand when you know the answer.

8. Man vs. ? “If she had only proceeded more slowly. If she had only taken the Southerly route, avoiding the icebergs. If only the watch had had a pair of binoculars.” (news story about the Titanic)

9. Man vs. ? Charles decided to break all the rules the day he decided to steal that car. He was immediately arrested and sent to jail to await his trial. He should have known better than to mess with the “rules.”

10. Man vs. ? “I don’t care who you talk to!” screamed Sarah to West. “I just wish I had never met you!”

11. Man vs. ? After the light in the cave was completely gone Tom began to stumble through the cave blindly cutting his hands on what appeared to be sharp rocks.

12. Man vs. ? Tom found a dry spot to sit down in the dark and began to feel guilty over an argument he had had earlier in the day with his mother in which he had said, “I hope I never see you again!”

13. Man vs. ? Tom’s mother was upset that he wanted to skip going to college in order to go exploring in all of the world’s greatest caves before he turned thirty. Tom didn’t understand what the big deal was and wanted to run his own life.