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Written Report Types of Conflict Ver. 2.0
Written Report Types of Conflict Ver. 2.0
WRITTEN REPORT IN 21st CENTURY LITERATURE FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND THE
WORLD
A. Objectives:
To test the background or the stock knowledge of the students about the different
types of conflict and their meanings. Another objective is to engage the students in
participating in the discussion of the topic.
To explain and teach the students about the two types of conflict namely internal and
external conflict and their subcategories, modern type of conflicts and sample literary
pieces and works. Another objective is to explain and impart our knowledge about the
topic.
To evaluate and assess the students if they have learned something from the report.
C. Lecture
In literature, conflict is the central issue and makes the story move. Short stories
have one conflict, while novels have many. Literary conflict includes internal conflict, also
called man versus self-conflict, and external conflict which includes man versus man, man
versus nature, man versus society and man versus fate. The way conflict is used and how
the conflicts are resolved are all determined by the type of story being told. Conflict is a
literary element that involves a struggle between two opposing forces, usually a
protagonist and an antagonist.
TYPES OF CONFLICT
Internal Conflict
Man vs. Self - internal conflict is that which exists inside the character. Struggles
with morality, fate, desire and belief, to name a few. This form of conflict is central
to the character, or characters and must be resolved by the character alone. Every
good character suffers from the weight of internal conflict, it lends them an air of
complex believability. Internal conflict is also known as man versus self. Internal
conflict is necessary for good characters, but it’s the least complicated form of
conflict.
Examples: Tangled (Rapunzel cannot decide if she wants to stay in the
tower or defy her mother’s wishes), Lion King (Simba is debating whether
or not he should go back and be the king or stay with Simon and Pumba),
Love Simon
External Conflict
Unlike internal conflict, external conflict deals with the problems of the world. The
story's characters will struggle against the circumstances of external conflict, they may
even suffer internal conflict resulting from the issues of external conflict, but this is not as
simple as internal conflict. External conflict occurs when characters are involved in the
world's woes, such issues as community, nature, government and other characters are all
examples of external conflict. External conflict manifests itself as man versus man, man
versus nature, man versus society and man versus fate
Man vs. Man - is the most fundamental type of external conflict. This form of
external conflict occurs when a character struggles against another character.
These struggles may be born from moral, religious or social differences and may
be emotional, verbal or physical conflicts. Man versus man is almost always the
conflict present when a hero fights a villain. This form of conflict may present alone,
or in conjunction with other external conflicts. Star War's is an excellent example,
where Luke Skywalker's fight with Darth Vader is a man versus man conflict that
also treads into the realm of man versus fate.
Examples: Star Wars, Harry Potter, Les Miserables, Da Vinci Code,
Avengers: Infinity War, The Great Gatsby, Pride and Prejudice, Breaking
Bad, The Hunger Games, Powerpuff Girls, Kung Fu Panda
Man vs. Nature - occur when a character, or characters, find themselves at odds
with forces of nature. A character struck by lightning, characters whose boat sinks
in a storm and a character who struggles against hypothermia in a snow storm are
all characters experiencing man versus nature conflicts.
Examples: 2012, San Andreas, Titanic, Geostorm, Into the Storm, Pompeii,
Deep Water Horizon, Everest, Jaws, Blackwater
Man vs. Society - This external conflict exists when characters struggle against the
morays of their culture and government. Works where character's battle evil,
oppressive cultures are characteristic of man versus society conflict. One example
of man versus society is Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 a novel about a fireman
who, though it's his job to burn books, secretly collects them.
Examples: Avatar (man vs civilization of blue creatures), Life is Beautiful
(Jewish man vs German Nazis), Hunger Games (Katniss vs The Capital),
Romeo and Juliet (Romeo and Juliet vs the Montagues and Capulets),
Shrek (Shrek vs human beings), The Purge Movies
Man vs. Fate - occurs when a character is compelled to follow an unknown destiny.
Man versus fate conflict breeds internal conflict, while forcing a character to
consciously, or subconsciously, act on his or her fate. The Star Wars example
persists here because while Luke Skywalker chases his man versus man conflict,
he is also propelled into the life of a Jedi as his destiny, a destiny he is powerless
to resist.
Examples: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings (Frodo struggles to fulfill his destiny
to destroy the ring in the fires of Moredor), Harry Potter (Harry struggles to
fulfill his destiny as The Chosen One to destroy Voldemort)
Man vs. God or the Supernatural - This could be any supernatural force that is
outside the understanding of the protagonist, including monsters, aliens, or deities.
Examples: The Exorcist, Alien, Final Destination, The Shining, The War of
the Worlds, The Walking Dead, Ghostbusters, World War Z, Gremlins,
Jurassic World, The Lightning Thief, The Conjuring
Man vs. Machine/Technology - places a character against man-made entities
which may possess "artificial intelligence".
Examples: The Terminator, The Matrix, Transformers, Avengers: Age of
Ultron, Pacific Rim, Real Steel,
D. Quiz
Identification
1. It is a type of conflict wherein supernatural forces like monsters, aliens or deities are
the sources of conflict in the story. ANS: Man vs. God or the Supernatural
2. This form of external conflict occurs when a character struggles against another
character. ANS: Man vs. Man
3. This external conflict exists when characters struggle against the morays of their
culture and government. ANS: Man vs. Society
4. It places a character against man-made entities which may possess "artificial
intelligence". ANS: Man vs. Machine/Technology
5. This conflict struggles with morality, fate, desire and belief. ANS: Man vs. Self
E. References
Lavanya. (2013, August 25). Types of Conflict. Retrieved from Booksoarus:
http://www.booksoarus.com/types-of-conflict-literature-examples/
Literary Devices (2015). Literary Conflicts. Retrieved from Literary Devices:
http://www.literarydevices.com/conflict/
Scribendi. (2016). 7 Types of Conflict in Literature. Retrieved from Scribendi:
https://www.scribendi.com/advice/types_of_conflict_in_literature.en.html
Suite101.com. from http://www.suite101.com/content/writing-literature-types-of-conflict-
a267096 and http://www.wwph1079fm.com/download/laconfli.pdf