Internal & External Conflicts Flashcards

Study Notes

Internal Conflict

Involves a struggle occurring within a character's mind.
Represents emotional or psychological battles that affect a character's decision-making and behavior.

External Conflict

Defined as a struggle between a character and an outside force.
This force can be another character, society, or natural elements.

Types of External Conflicts

Character vs. Character: Conflict occurring between two characters.
Character vs. Society: A character’s beliefs or behaviors conflict with societal norms and expectations.
Character vs. Nature: A character faces challenges posed by natural forces like weather or wildlife.

Internal vs. External Conflict

Internal conflict focuses on struggles within a character, impacting their thoughts and feelings.
External conflict involves interactions with outside forces, highlighting struggles against other characters or societal expectations.

Conflict Types Defined

Character vs. Character: External conflict arising between two distinct characters.
Character vs. Self: An internal struggle where a character faces personal dilemmas or moral quandaries.
Character vs. Society: A scenario where the character's beliefs clash with societal norms.
Character vs. Nature: External conflict involving a character contending with natural elements.

General Conflict

Conflict is essentially the problems or challenges that characters encounter throughout a narrative.

Key Type of Internal Conflict

Character vs. Self: The primary form of internal conflict where the character grapples with personal issues or identity crises.

Description

Test your knowledge on internal and external conflicts with these flashcards. Learn the definitions, types, and key differences between these two fundamental concepts in literature. Perfect for students looking to deepen their understanding of character struggles.