Test Your Knowledge on Internal and External Conflict

Study Notes

Internal conflict: a struggle within a character's mind or heart, often involving emotions, thoughts, and desires
External conflict: a struggle between a character and an outside force, such as another person, nature, or society

Internal conflict: Hamlet's inner turmoil in William Shakespeare's Hamlet as he debates avenging his father's death
External conflict: The protagonist's battle against a monster in a horror story

Including both internal and external conflict in a story creates a more engaging and realistic narrative
Conflict drives the plot and character development, and allows characters to grow and change

Society conflict: a struggle between a character and the social norms, expectations, or institutions of their society
Characters may take action against their society due to feelings of oppression, moral obligation, or desire for change

A story can have multiple conflicts, which can intersect and influence each other
Multiple conflicts can create a more complex and nuanced narrative

Conflicts in literature can be resolved, but often the resolution is not straightforward or easy
Conflicts can also be left unresolved, leaving the reader to ponder the implications

Characters may take action against their society due to personal values, emotions, or a sense of justice
A character's motivations can be influenced by their internal conflict and external circumstances

Character vs. self: internal conflict, where a character struggles with their own thoughts, emotions, or desires
Character vs. nature: external conflict, where a character battles against natural elements or forces
Character vs. technology: external conflict, where a character confronts the consequences of technology
Character vs. supernatural: external conflict, where a character faces supernatural or paranormal forces
Character vs. society: external conflict, where a character challenges the social norms, expectations, or institutions of their society