Conflict in Literature

1
Conflict in Literature
2
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to

• Identify Conflict as it appears in literature.
• Distinguish between Internal and External
  conflict, and their sub categories.

3
Types of Conflict

• Internal Conflict -Man vs. Self
• External Conflict-
• Man vs. Man
• Man vs. Environment or Nature
• Man vs. Society

4
Internal Conflict

• Definition
• A struggle that takes place in a character's
  mind is called internal conflict.

5
Internal Conflict is

• NOT a visual or tangible opposition.
• A character dealing with his or her own mixed
  feelings or emotions.

6
Example of Internal Conflict

• A character may have to decide between right and
  wrong or between two solutions to a problem.
• Ex The Loisels in The Necklace try to decide
  what to do they wrestled with the decision to
  replace the necklace.

7
Internal ConflictSubcategory

• Man vs. Self
• Internal conflict is often referred to as man vs.
  self because the struggle is inside ones head.

8
Internal Conflict Self-Check

• Question 1
• Internal conflict is NOT
• a. visible
• b. difficult
• c. serious

9
Internal Conflict Self-Check

• Question 2
• Internal conflict is often referred to as
• a. man vs. man
• b. man vs. himself
• c. man vs. external forces

10
External Conflict

• Definition
• A struggle between a character and an outside
  force is an external conflict.

11
Example of External Conflict

• Characters may face several types of outside
  forces.
• The outside force may be another character. It
  may be the character and/or his or her community
  (society).
• The outside force may also be forces of nature or
  environment. For example, a story might be the
  main character struggling against the arctic
  cold.

12
External ConflictSubcategories

• Man vs. Man
• Man vs. Environment or Nature
• Man vs. Society

13
Man vs. Man

• This is mostly seen in the form of two characters
  against each other.
• It does not have to be a physical confrontation
  it can be a battle between two ideas.

14
Man vs. Man Examples

• Rainsford vs. Zaroff
• Fortunato vs. Montresor
• Harry Potter vs. Lord Voldemort

15
Man vs. Environment or Nature

• Environment is defined as anything surrounding a
  person.
• This can include weather, objects, activities.
• Basically anything external EXCEPT people.

16
Man vs. Community or Society

• In societies and communities there are a set of
  laws and rules that man must abide by.
• Some of these rules are enforced by laws and some
  are social rules that are a code of behavior.
• Man must follow these rules and laws in order to
  avoid conflict within his or her own community.

17
External Conflict Self-Check

• Question 1
• Which is NOT an example of external conflict?
• a. other characters
• b. forces of nature
• c. decisions

18
External Conflict Self-Check

• Question 2
• One subcategory of external conflict is
• a. man vs. man
• b. man vs. himself
• c. man vs. literature

19
External Conflict Self-Check

• Question 3
• Rainsford being stuck in quicksand is an example
  of
• a. man vs. mud
• b. man vs. environment
• c. man vs. supernatural

20
External Conflict Self-Check

• Question 4
• A conflict cannot be categorized as man vs. man
  when
• a. the struggle is with more than 1
• character.
• b. there is a physical confrontation.
• c. the opposition is not human.

21
Quick Review
Internal Conflict
MAN VS. HIMSELF
not tangible
in the mind
decisions, feelings, emotions, thoughts
22
Quick Review

• External Conflicts
• MAN VS. MAN MAN VS. NATURE
• other characters any
  outside force
• not just physical confrontation
  anything in surroundings
• opposing ideas
  weather, objects, activities
• MAN VS. SOCIETY
• rules/codes of conduct that man must follow/obey
• includes laws and social expectations within
  community

23
Quiz Time

• 1. Jim and Mac disagreed about where they should
  take the dog they found.
• A.) internal
• B.) external
• C.) both

• 2. Carley struggled to walk through the hot,
  blowing sand.
• A.) internal
• B.) external
• C.) both

24
Quiz Time

• 3. Sarah couldn't decide what to do that night.
  Should she study or should she go out?
• A.) internal
• B.) external
• C.) both

• 4. In the high winds, the crew was barely able to
  keep the ship from tilting sideways.
• A.) internal
• B.) external
• C.) both

25
Quiz Time

• 6. After Mary's brother teased her about being
  afraid, she decided to climb the cliff. Now she
  stood at the foot of the cliff, wishing she could
  figure out a way to back out.
• A.) internal
• B.) external
• C.) both

• 5. Hector thought, "Why did I ever agree to be in
  this play? I'll never have the nerve to act in
  front of an audience."
• A.) internal
• B.) external
• C.) both

26

• 7. Kim knew that the whole class was angry with
  her for reminding the teacher about the
  assignment. At the time, she knew she was doing
  the right thing. Now shes not sure.
• A. internal
• B.) external
• C.) both

• 8. The snarling dog placed himself between his
  master and the angry stranger.
• A.) internal
• B.) external
• c.) both

27

• 9. All the way home, Jeffrey felt angry with
  himself. "Why couldn't he open his mouth at a
  party? Why was he always so shy?"
• A.) internal
• B.) external
• C.) both

• 10. Violet wanted her friends to let the new girl
  join the club, but no one else agreed. Violet
  felt badly for the new girl, but she didn't know
  what to do about the problem.
• A.) internal
• B.) external
• C.) both