Conflict

What is conflict?
• Conflict is an essential part of the plot.
Without conflict there is no plot. It is the
struggle between two or more opposing forces
which is the nucleus of the plot. It is the
opposition of forces which ties one incident to
another and makes the plot move.
 Two main types of conflict:

External Conflict Internal Conflict

• External conflict is a
struggle with a force outside
one‘s self.
• Internal conflict is the
character‘s struggle within
oneself. A person must make
some decisions, overcome
pain, quiet their temper,
resist anger, etc.
Human vs. human
(physical)
– the leading
character struggles
with his physical
strength against This scene from Spider Man 3 clearly
other men. depicts the concept of human vs.
human - Spider Man punches Sand
Man in a battle scene.
Human vs. society
(social)
– the leading character
struggles against
ideas,practices, or
customs of other people.
Quasimodo of ―The Hunchback of
Notre Dame is a clear example of a
character that experienced this kind
of conflict.
Human vs. nature
– the leading character
struggles the forces of
nature.

This scene from the sci -fi movie

―2012, clearly shows how horrible it
is to face nature as an opponent.
Human vs. God or
Supreme Being
- the leading character
struggles against
supernatural forces.

This scene is from the ―War of the

Worlds movie in 2005. This clearly
shows how struggle against the
forces of a supreme being.
 Human vs. self
(psychological)
– the leading character
himself/herself
struggles with his/her
own soul, ideas of right
or wrong,limitations, In the movie Ironman, Tony Stark
choices among others. has to choose between saving the
world and keeping his powers for
himself.
 Let’s have a QUIZ!

Identify what kind of conflict is present in each situation.

1. Scott Martin is having a rough year. After a serious car accident,

Scott was left in a wheel chair. Now he has sunk into a deep
depression. He is no longer interested in hanging out with his
friends and he feels like a burden everywhere he goes.
2. Annie and her family live on a farm in rural Kansas. When a huge
storm rolls in suddenly, she and her family must retreat to the
shelter, but all of the animals are out grazing. Worse still, a tornado
has been spotted in their area.
3. Max Schnell is a native German citizen wondering if
the world has gone mad around him. His Jewish friends
and neighbors have been forbidden to own businesses,
work in retail stores, drive cars, go to the movies, or
attend public schools.
4. A teacher is pressured by a student's parents to change
their child's grade because they donated money to the
school.
5. Unhappy with her appearance, a young girl struggles
with an eating disorder.