Let’s keep it simple! Conflict = a problem. Two broad types Internal – a conflict that takes place INSIDE a character External – a conflict caused by.

Let’s keep it simple!

Conflict = a problem

Two broad types• Internal – a conflict that takes

place INSIDE a character

• External – a conflict caused by something OUTSIDE a character

Six specific types• Man vs. Self• Man vs. Man• Man vs. Society• Man vs. Nature• Man vs. God/the gods/Fate• Man vs. Machine

Internal conflictOnly one type!Man vs. Self – a character has a

conflict with himself

Ex 1: Larry can’t decide if he should date Karen or Betty.

Ex 2: Larry is super shy and so he has trouble asking a girl out on a date.

Internal conflict

Ex 3: Larry had a nightmare and now he can’t go back to sleep.

Ex 4: Larry wants to run faster, but his legs will only move as fast as they’re already moving.

Your Example

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

External conflicts

• FIVE types!

• Man vs. Man

• Man vs. Society

• Man vs. Nature

• Man vs. God/the gods/Fate

• Man vs. Machine

Man vs. Man – a character has a conflict with another character

Ex 1: Larry and Karen get into an argument about where to eat.

Ex 2: Karen and Betty get into a fist fight over Larry.

Man vs. Man – a character has a conflict with another characterEx 3: Karen hates that Larry is

dating Betty, so she spreads rumors that Betty is cheating on Larry.

Ex 4: Larry refuses to put the milk back in the fridge, so Betty gets mad at him.

Your Example

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Man vs. Society – a character has a conflict

with the society as a whole (laws, established

authority, schools, etc.) or the most powerful group in a society at any given time

Man vs. SocietyEx 1: Larry got caught

speeding down the interstate at 106 mph so he went to jail.

Ex 2: Karen refuses to follow the dress code, and so she gets sent to safe.

Man vs. Society

• Ex 3: Barry is a cannibal.

• Ex 4: Betty protests against a school policy.

Your Example

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Man vs. Nature – a character has a conflict with nature –

weather, animals, etc.• Ex 1: A hurricane sinks a boat

with Larry on it.

• Ex 2: A meteor crashes into Cynthiana and everyone (including Betty) must flee.

Man vs. Nature – a character has a conflict with nature –

weather, animals, etc.• Ex 3: A bear sneaks into

Barry’s campsite and chases him into a pond.

• Ex 4: Karen’s cats wake her up at 2 a.m.

Your Example

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Man vs. God/the gods/fate – a character has a conflict with God,

the Greek gods or goddesses, or ‘Fate’

Man vs. God/the gods/fateEx 1: God told Jonah to go to Ninevah

and he didn’t, so God put him in the belly of a whale.

Ex 2: Icharus was told by his father, Helios, the Greek sun god, not to fly too close to the sun, but Icharus disobeyed, and so Helios punished him (ultimately plummeting him to his death in the sea).

Man vs. God/the gods/fate

Ex 3: Larry gets saved, but then sins and feels guilty for it.

Ex 4: Oedipus was fated to sleep with his mother and kill his father.

NOTE: FATE WILL RARELY BE AN ANSWER.

Your Example

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Man vs. Machine – a character has a conflict with some sort of man-made ‘machine’ – real machinery or things that work as machines (i.e. a window)

Man vs. Machine Ex 1: Karen is frustrated

because the window in her room is stuck and it’s too hot.

Ex 2: Barry’s car won’t start so he is late to work.

Man vs. MachineEx 3: Larry’s gun misfires and he shoots his toe off.

Ex 4: Betty’s computer won’t save to a disk or print.

Your Example

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________