1. What is conflict? A struggle between two opposing forces.
As a literary term, conflict refers to the problem the protagonist must overcome.
In every story, the main character faces a problem or challenge of some sort; without this conflict, there is no story.

2. Types of Conflict Man vs. Self
An internal conflict that involves the struggle between the character and his/her conscience.
Example: A man tries to decide whether to stay with his family or move to another state to take a better paying job.

3. Man vs. Nature
An external conflict that involves a struggle between the character and the elements of nature that are beyond his/her control.
Example: A family is stranded in a snowstorm.

4. Man vs. Man
An external conflict that involves a struggle, mental or physical, between two characters in the story.
Example: A boss fires an employee.

5. Man vs. Society
An external conflict that involves the struggle between a character and the rules or laws that govern the society in which he/she lives.
Example: A man stands up for what he believes is right, even though almost everyone else disagrees with him.

6. Man vs. Supernatural
An external struggle that occurs between the protagonist and any supernatural force (i.e. demons, aliens, gods) that the character doesn’t understand.
: A person is supposed to be in a car, but at the last minute changes his mind. Everyone in that car dies in a crash. The person not in the car tries to outrun a supernatural force that is trying to kill him, since he was supposed to be in the car.

7. Brief Write (10-15 min.)
Recall a time in which you had a conflict with a family member, friend, significant other, etc. Discuss what happened and how it was resolved (or was it?). Were you happy with the outcome? Then, try to explain the situation from the other person’s perspective. After visiting both sides, who do you think was right?

8. Group activity: In your groups, come up with at least two different ways to resolve your assigned conflict.
Group 1: You are working on a project for school that requires significant amounts of out-of-class work. Each group member has a very busy schedule between sports, clubs, jobs, and family matters (you decide who has what). Two group members do not have internet at home, and only one of those two has a study hall. The project is worth a major grade. What do you do?
Group 2: During a hall sweep, someone sneaks into the teacher’s bag and snaps a picture of the midterm exam. Some of you saw who did it, but no one wants to be known as “the snitch.” The teacher explains that the exam will be significantly harder, and the entire class will lose five points if no one comes clean. A few of you still insist that you should not rat out your classmate. Now what?
Group 3: You’re all mutual friends with a couple who is dating. You’ve just learned that one of the parties is not being loyal to the other. They’re both your friends, so whose side do you take?
Group 4: You’ve been a tight-knit group of friends since sixth grade, and now you’re juniors. Your group of friends merges with a “cool crowd,” and now two members of your close group are being excluded. They start saying mean things about them and to them. You want to be accepted but you also don’t want to leave your friends you’ve known for years—you’re also afraid the same might happen to you. Which way do you go?