Types of Conflict 29 April 2015

What is Conflict ?  A struggle or clash between opposing characters, forces, or emotions  In basic terms  The problem of the story that characters have to overcome  Introduced in the Rising Action of the story  Comes to a point during the Climax of the story  Resolved in the Falling action and Resolution of the story

People involved in a Conflict  Protagonist  Central character  Sometimes called a “hero”  This is a misnomer (bad name for it)  Not always a true “hero”  The story revolves around him or her  Antagonist  Character which opposes the protagonist  Creates the conflict  Does not have to be a separate character  Depends on the type of Conflict

6 Types of Conflict  Person vs. Person  Person vs. Self  Person vs. Society  Person vs. Nature  Person vs. Supernatural  Person vs. Technology

Person vs. Person (Or Person vs. Entity)  Central character clashes with another character  Does not always need to be a person  Could be an animal  Main thing is that it’s a single being or entity, as opposed to society  Example:  Perry the Platypus vs. Doofenshmirtz

Person vs. Self  Central character battles him or her self  This is an internal conflict  However, this may involve other characters  Other people may not be able to see the problem  Usually struggling with some difficult decision  May lack confidence or the ability to achieve something  Example:  Simba needing to work past his shame and return to the pride

Person vs. Society  Central character has to challenge a law, tradition, or institution  Usually leads to a change in society  Example:  Homosexual couples battling the Supreme Court for the right to marry

Person vs. Nature  Central character fights to endure or overcome the forces of nature  May need to survive harsh elements, navigate through a disaster, or meet basic needs  Usually occur in wilderness, can occur in urban settings  NOTE: A person vs. one animal is NOT this kind of conflict  Instead, that would be a person vs. person  Example:  People struggling to survive in Nepal after the earthquake

Person vs. Supernatural  Central character must challenge forces that are not a part of the central character’s world  Ghosts  Haunted houses  Aliens  If both the central character and his opponent are magical, it would still be Person vs. Person  Harry Potter is Person vs. Person  Example:  People in Paranormal Activity, Ghostbusters, or Alien

Person vs. Technology  Central character challenges technological forces  Could be fighting robots  Could have trouble adjusting to modern technology  Can easily be confused with Person vs. Supernatural  Example:  Old folks having trouble using a computer  I, Robot