 Conflict

Do Now: Silently, write in your Notebook  What type of insult would most provoke you? Explain why.  One about your dress or appearance?  One about a friend or family member?  One about a hero or belief?  Suggest ways to deal with insults.

Conflict A struggle between opposing forces Characters in conflict form the basis for novels, short stories, and plays.

 External Conflict: a struggle between a character and an outside force.

Person vs. Person  The protagonist fights directly against another character with apparently opposing aims.

Person vs. Nature The protagonist fights directly against another character with apparently opposing aims.

Person vs. Society A character has a problem with a whole group of people or fights against the laws and rules of the society.

Person vs. Unknown  Is considered an External Conflict but usually prompts an Internal Conflict by raising questions  This conflict encompasses:  Man vs. Supernatural  Man vs. God

 Internal Conflict a struggle within a character’s mind.

Person vs. Self  Character struggles to overcome fear, addiction, emotional damage or other crippling personal issue.

Let’s Practice!  You’re taking a shortcut through the woods to your cousin’s house — with your five-year-old sister in tow. She scratches her leg on a bush and whines, then it begins to rain very hard. You want to make a run for it, but your sister refuses to budge. You’ve never seen it rain like this before, and you’ve never been in this part of the woods. Person vs. Nature

One more example…  Let’s look at page 6, and Scout’s description of her fight with Calpurnia:  “… our battles were epic and one-sided. Calpurnia always won, mainly because Atticus always took her side” (Lee 6) Step 1: What kind of conflict? Person vs. Person Step 2: Impact on the story? Calpurnia is a person who checks Scout’s behavior, is a mother figure, and disciplines her. Calpurnia is someone very important to Scout and her family.