Conflict
What’s the problem?
Conflict
the dramatic
struggle between
two forces in a
story.
sometimes
referred to as the
problem the
protagonist must
overcome.
used to move the
story along and
keep the reader
interested.
More on Conflict
The main character is usually on one side
of the central conflict.
On the other side, the main character may
struggle against:
another important character,
the forces of nature,
against society,
an alien or scientific force
or even against something inside himself
or herself (feelings, illness, etc.)
Types of Conflict
Man vs. Man
Man vs. Nature
Man vs. Society
Man vs. Self
Man vs. Technology or Fate or
Machines
In Twilight,
Edward
Cullen
fights James
to
protect his
love,
Bella.
Man vs. Man
Most common and most obvious literary conflict
Occurs when a character has a fight,
disagreement, or other kind of “argument” with
another character
Man vs.
Nature
When a
character has a
conflict with an
outside force
such as
weather,
animals, land, In Hatchet, Brian fights to survive when his
plane crashes in the forest of the Canadian
etc.
wilderness.
Man vs.
Society
Occurs when a
character
disagrees with
the government,
rules of society,
laws or beliefs
and fights against
them.
In The Hunger Games, Katniss must
fight against the Capital, a government
that forces people to follow them
blindly
and fight to the death in a televised
tournament.
Man vs. Self
Occurs when a
character develops
an internal struggle
between his thoughts
& ideas.
This can be a result
of one of the other
types of conflicts
mentioned.
In Uglies, Tally struggles to decide
whether she will turn her friends in to
the government and be turned pretty
or live in the outside world and remain
ugly forever. This is a result of a man
vs. society conflict.
Man vs.
Technology, Fate
or Machines
Covers many different
areas such as:
 technological advances
machines
In Terminator, in the year 2029, the
ruling super-computer, Skynet, sends
fate
an indestructible Cyborg back in time
to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor before
she can fulfill her destiny and save
mankind.
Review of Conflict Types
Man vs. Man
Man vs. Nature
Man vs. Society
Man vs. Self
Man vs. Technology, Fate or Machines