Conflict Narrative
Conflict narrative is the type of plot a story follows. Describing and writing for a type of conflict narrative is the driving force for the plot. Any show, movie, book, play - everything follows a type of conflict narrative or several conflict narratives.
This post will be explaining the several categories and then how to write for them.
Internal vs. External Conflicts
Internal : this is a conflict that happens within a character. It relates deeply to statc vs. dynamic characters, referring to my former post. It often leads to character development or the lack thereof, because the character(s) are actively fighting their own desires and beliefs.
External : this is set against the character(s). It’s a physical manifestation often, and the external forces stand in the way of a character(s)’s goals and dreams, creating tension and opposition.
Often, these come together and a story SHOULD include both to create an interesting and realitistic narrative. After all, real life always includes both internal and external conflicts.
Six types of Literary Conflicts
*side note : man refers to the human race (or whatever species the protagonist happens to be) and not the gender.
- Man vs. Self : It’s self-explanatory. This is an internal conflict where Man may be trying to decide what is morally correct in a situation or how to improve their mental health. (ex. Les Miserables or The Handmaid’s Tale.)
- Man vs. Man : It’s a direct competition between two characters. One Man’s wants is conflicting with another Man. This conflict can take the form as something small, such as a fist fight, or can encompass the entire plot as a fight for power. (ex. The Secret Garden or The Hunger Games.)
- Man vs. Nature : It’s also self-explanatory. It can be a survival situation where Man is striving to survive a tsunami, or it can be a Planet of the Apes situation. (ex. Moby Dick or Into the Wild.)
- Man vs. Supernatural : Man is fighting against something that is not manifested into out reality. This is usually used in horror and fantasy and science fiction. Man could be fighting ghosts to a big, murderous lizard. (ex. Scooby-Doo or It.)
- Man vs. Technology : In another form, it can be worded as tradition vs. progress, depending on the defition of ‘progress’ in the novel in question. It can be something science fiction-y such as fighting robots to a tell-tale about the importance of tradition. (ex. Farenheit 451 or A Wrinkle In Time.)
- Man vs. Society : This is where Man is going against a large, driving force that controls society. An example is the government, social norms, or traditions. They either are attempting to survive or fight against the external conflict. (ex. Lord of the Flies or 1984.)
How do you write and create conflicts?
It is good to note what type of genre it is and what the general plot will be. Usually, just from the gist, it is obvious what at least one conflict is. However, most books include at least two or three. when trying to conjure up the conflict, ask these questions :
- What is the protagonist(s)’s main desire?
- What is their unconcious desire?
- What is the worst thing that can happen to this character?
- What characters, institutions, or forces can bring this antagonism into relaity (if it isn’t already)?
- What is/are the character(s) like and how do they create friction in the conflict?
These genral questions will reveal a lot when it comes to the nature of the plot. you can read any book, watch any movie or show, play any video game, and ALL of them will exhibit at least two of the conflicts above and flesh it out (at least, if it’s a good form of entertainment).