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In literature, conflict is the inherent incompatibility (struggle) between the objectives of two or more characters or forces. Conflict is unstable; to create a satisfying story, one side must always win out in the end For authors and readers, instability is desirable, as it keeps the readers interested in the story

External – Character vs. Character – Character vs. Nature – Character vs. Society – Character vs. Supernatural Internal – Character vs. Self

Intrapersonal Conflict (Character vs. Self) – A person is battling his or her own Demons Problems Shortcomings – In order to reach a goal

– This type of conflict finds the main character in conflict with another character, human or not human – This is the most common type of conflict Hero vs. villain Domestic struggles

A character has a struggle with another character who has an authority role over him or her Characters challenge set notions of authority/subservient roles – Cops and Robbers – Apprentice vs. Master

A character – (usually a protagonist/hero) fights alongside the established legal system to bring criminals to justice. – Most detective stories fit this mold. – Many superhero stories emerge from this type of conflict.

this conflict emerges between two different ideologies – where the difference between the characters are fundamental belief systems. War stories Science Fiction Battles between Religious Groups

– In this conflict, a character is not fighting man, but nature. – Characters battle storms, tornados, cold, or even terrain. A character may be attempting to traverse mountains or oceans, or attempting to survive in a stormy sea. This conflict can be seen in any survivals story where nature truly becomes a character and a force that the protagonist must overcome One key concept of this particular battle is the inhuman, impersonal nature of nature; The weather does not care about the character and can change quickly. “In the battle with mother nature, man seldom wins.”

In this conflict, characters are often battling a machine – Oftentimes they created the machine they battle They wrestle with machines that do not perform as they should – Often the machine has imagined or real intelligence. “These duels with machines reflect our fear that our children will become powerful and turn against us.“ – They bring up our monster fears from childhood This conflict is seen an many futuristic science- fiction stories and in most robot stories.

In this conflict an intelligent being from some other place or existence fights the character in the story. “With powers unknown and beyond our own, they make impenetrable enemies whose motivations are often uncertain and have abilities which are frankly terrifying.” Supernatural stories tap into deep and primeval fears and it is not surprising that many horror stories are based in supernatural conflict The Greeks and Romans told tales of Gods and spirits, and through the ages since myths about

Intrapersonal Conflict - Character vs. Self Character vs. Character Conflicts with Authority Figures Conflicts with Criminals International or Intergalactic Conflict Conflict with the Supernatural Conflict with a Machine