Conflict A literary element
five types of conflict are recognized throughout literature
Man vs. Man A conflict between two or more people. Example: two friends get in an argument and stop speaking to each other.
Man vs. Nature Example: a hiker gets lost in the mountains. A conflict between a person and an element of the natural world. Example: a hiker gets lost in the mountains.
Man vs. Self A conflict within a person. Example: a person struggles to overcome his fear of heights.
Man vs. Society A conflict between a person and the laws or beliefs of a group. Example: a person goes to the capital and protests a new law.
Man vs. Fate A conflict between a person and God or the gods. Example: a ancient Greek hero fights Poseidon, the god of the sea.
What kind of conflict is it? A family loses its home in a hurricane. Man vs. Nature
What kind of conflict is it? A person running from the police is caught and arrested. Man vs. Society
What kind of conflict is it? A superhero’s destiny is to fight against the bad forces. Man vs. Fate
What kind of conflict is it? A recent high-school graduate is struggling to decide which college to go to. Man vs. self
What kind of conflict is it? A teenager disagrees with her school’s dress code, so she organizes a letter- writing campaign against it. Man vs. Society