Conflict

What does the word conflict mean to you? Define it in your own words.

Conflict

• Struggle between opposing forces

• Usually one central conflict

• Many stories have more than one

There are 2 kinds of Conflict

• External Conflict

• Internal Conflict

External Conflict

• A character struggles against an outside force, such as nature, a physical obstacle, or another character

• There are 3 kinds of External Conflict: – Character vs. Character– Character vs. Nature– Character vs. Society

Character vs. Character

• An external conflict that involves a struggle, mental or physical, between two characters in the story

Character vs. Nature

• An external conflict that involves a struggle between the character and the elements of nature that beyond his/her control.

Character 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.

Internal Conflict

• The struggle takes place within a character’s mind, often as the character chooses between two courses of action.

• There is 1 kind of Internal Conflict– Character vs. Self

Character vs. Self

• An internal conflict that involves the struggle between the character and his/her conscience.

Just to sum it all up…

• Conflict is a struggle between opposing forces

• Two kinds: external and internal

• 3 kinds of External?

• 1 Kind of Internal?