HOW DOES CONFLICT LEAD TO
NEW UNDERSTANDING?
Proficiency Essay 5: Joint with History
ATTACK THE PROMPT
HOW DOES CONFLICT LEAD TO NEW
UNDERSTANDING?
1. Underline Key Words and Phrases in Prompt:
How does conflict lead to new
understanding?
2. Write everything you know about the underlined
words and phrases, focusing on connections to
these terms from your literature or history classes.
CONFLICT
Historical Conflicts
Wars
Sociological/Class Conflicts
Literary Conflicts
Person vs. Person
Person vs. Self
Economic Conflicts
Political Conflicts
Interactions with Nature
Person vs. Nature
Person vs. Society/Authority
Person vs. Technology
Cultural Conflicts
Internal vs. External Conflict
Conflicts are Resolved and relate
to themes in literature
NEW
UNDERSTANDING
Historic Context
Treaties/Pacts/
New Religions
Scientific Discovery
Conquest/Surrender/Imperialism
Cultural Shifts
Acceptance/Rejection of Change
Economic
Redistribution/Recovery/Loss
Literary Context
Character Development/Learning
Theme – Lessons for Audience
T-CHART FOR HISTORIC
EXAMPLE 1
Example/Name of Historic Conflict 1
Analysis Of Historic Conflict 1
Write one sentence that tells what
happened, who was involved, when the
event happened, and what those
involved learned as a result of the
conflict.
Write three or four sentences that tell
HOW this new understanding came
about, and what the impact was on
those who learned it (short term and
long term).
T-CHART FOR HISTORIC
EXAMPLE 2
Example/Name of Historic Conflict 2
Analysis Of Historic Conflict 2
Write one sentence that tells what
happened, who was involved, when the
event happened, and what those
involved learned as a result of the
conflict.
Write three or four sentences that tell
HOW this new understanding came
about, and what the impact was on
those who learned it (short term and
long term).
T-CHART FOR LITERARY
EXAMPLE PART 1
Title of Literature and Quote that
shows Conflict
Analysis Of Literary Conflict
Write a sentence that identifies the
conflict as it is presented in the
literature. Use a quotation from the
story or play that shows this conflict
from the perspective of a character.
Write two sentences that discusses how
this conflict affects the characters in
the story.
T-CHART FOR LITERARY
EXAMPLE PART 2
Title of Literature and Quote that
shows New Understanding
Analysis Of Literary Conflict
Write one sentence that tells what the
characters involved learn as a result of
the conflict. Use a quotation from the
story or play that shows how the
resolution of the conflict changed the
character or characters.
Write at least two sentences that
discusses how this resolution or new
understanding creates the theme of the
story that can be a universal lesson to
everyone.
CREATE A THESIS STATEMENT
The thesis statement needs to include:
• The titles, or names, of each example (at least two
historical conflicts and one literary piece) of conflict
that will be identified and discussed in the essay.
• An opinion statement of how these conflicts led to
new understanding for the people involved.
• A connection to the universality of conflict and the
lessons learned.
EXAMPLE THESIS STATEMENT
(DO NOT COPY!)
New understanding gained by individuals,
nations and cultures through the historical
examples of World War II and The Industrial
Revolution, as well as William Shakespeare’s
tragedy Macbeth, are lessons that carry on to
our modern world.
(I intentionally used examples that you are not going to use
because you cannot possibly copy them!)