1. Conflict
What does the word conflict mean to
you? Define it in your own words.

2. Conflict
• Struggle between opposing forces
• Usually one central conflict
• Many stories have more than one

3. There are 2 kinds of Conflict
• External Conflict
• Internal Conflict

4. External Conflict
• A character struggles against an outside
force, such as nature, a physical obstacle,
or another character
• There are 3 kinds of External Conflict:
– Character vs. Character
– Character vs. Nature
– Character vs. Society

5. Character vs. Character
• An external conflict that involves a
struggle, mental or physical, between two
characters in the story

6. Character vs. Nature
• An external conflict that involves a
struggle between the character and the
elements of nature that beyond his/her
control.

7. Character vs. Society
• An external conflict that involves the
struggle between a character and the rules
or laws that govern the society in which
he/she lives.

8. Internal Conflict
• The struggle takes place within a
character’s mind, often as the character
chooses between two courses of action.
• There is 1 kind of Internal Conflict
– Character vs. Self

9. Character vs. Self
• An internal conflict that involves the
struggle between the character and his/her
conscience.

10. Just to sum it all up…
• Conflict is a struggle between opposing
forces
• Two kinds: external and internal
• 3 kinds of External?
• 1 Kind of Internal?