Conflict
For Todd’s Teaching Creative Writing class, Jonathan and I have teamed up to present a lesson plan on conflict within fiction. Here are some notes I’ve come up with from poking around on the internet:
Examples of character conflict plots
- Man against Man
- Man against Self
- Man against Nature
- Man against Society
- Man against Circumstances
- Man against Machine
- Man against God
- God against Everybody
Also consider these items as well:
The External struggle VS the Internal struggle.
- External: conflict with elements outside of one’s self (and often outside of one’s control).
- Internal: conflict within the psyche: is there an important decision to make? An urge/temptation to resist? Is there a decision to make?
The conflict suggests escalation of struggle into climax—so follow the potential for a story that the conflict suggests.
Crisis VS Conflict
This can go back to the premise of Situation VS Story.
- Crisis examples: a car accident, a sudden illness.
- Conflict examples: a young man is planning a trip to backpack across Europe and is hit by a car accident. He must decide whether or not he will go on the trip.
A Crisis might have potential for bringing action into a story, but a true conflict will force the character (and reader) into a bit of soul searching: reexamining values, introspection, reviewing ones choices, a shift in self and attitude.
Questions to consider:
What does your character want/desire?
What does your character need?
(Will Add to this post as Jonathan and I get more going)
Resources Used So Far:
- http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative/crisis-vs-conflict.htm
- http://www.blurtit.com/q726270.html
- http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1004812
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