Definition of Conflict in Literature

There are four types of conflict in literature. Characters might be pitted against each other, or they may be fighting something in nature.A character might be trying to solve a problem in society. A complex and subtle conflict occurs within the character himself, when he is fighting against contradictory views and deciding how to act.

Conflict as an Element of Fiction

Conflict in literature is part of the plot, one of the elements of fiction. Along with characterization, setting and theme, conflict within the plot creates the narrative. The story unfolds with the exposition, in which the author presents the main characters and describes the setting. The action rises to a climax or turning point, with conflict between two opposing forces. Action falls as the conflict is resolved, and the narrative ends with the denouement or resolution.

Man vs. Man

From the simplest stories to the most complex, you will find external conflict in the form of "man vs. man," a character in conflict with another character. Whether it is Jack from "Jack and the Beanstalk" against the giant, the good guys against the bad guys in old time Westerns, or Romeo against Tybalt in "Romeo and Juliet," protagonists (main characters) show their personalities as they fight against literary antagonists.

Man vs. Society

Just as in real life, characters sometimes struggle against society in literature. In George Orwell's "Animal Farm," the author creates a thinly veiled metaphor of the Russian Revolution. Here the farm owner represents the last tsar of Russia, Nicholas ll, and the pigs represent the Communists. Boxer the horse represents the exploited workers, and the sheep represent the masses at large. Readers can relate to this type of conflict when it symbolizes important situations in the real world.

.

Man vs. Nature

In today's world, people are particularly interested in conflict that pits the sympathetic protagonist against an occurrence in the natural world. Today, we are concerned about hard to control viruses, earthquakes, and severe weather. "The Andromeda Strain" by Michael Crichton is a techno-thriller that spotlights a team of scientists countering a fatal extraterrestrial organism. Novels such as this capture the reader's attention because the situation depicted is all too realistic.

Man vs. Self

The type of conflict that pits a person against himself is called internal conflict. In "Sophie's Choice," a Jewish woman is forced to decide which child to save and which child to give up to the Nazis during the Holocaust. This moral dilemma presents a heart wrenching struggle for the protagonist. The reader relates to internal conflict because we are sometimes faced with emotional challenges for which there is no clear solution.

References

• RSCC Online Writing Lab: Literary Analysis