CHARACTER CONFLICT

Examine the types on conflicts characters face.

INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL?Character is in conflict with himselfInternal dialogue in your headDecisionsGood vs. evilRight vs. wrongChoice vs. peer pressure

Always refer to man vs. man

Character is in conflict with a force outside of himselfAnother characterA groupThe standards or expectations of a group

NatureForces outside human control or understanding

Fate

MAN VS. MANSimba returns to Pride Rock to fight his Uncle Scar for leadership of the pride.

MAN VS. MAN

One character battles another character of the same species (or basic type –human vs. human, animal vs. animal, ect.)This usually involves some kind of fight, verbal or physical.

MAN VS. SELFAs Kronk is trying to decide whether or not to rescue Kuzco, his shoulder angel and demon personify his inner conflict.

MAN VS. SELF

A man struggles internally to make a decision.This cannot involve anyone else, unless it is a figment of the character’s imagination (or takes place inside the person’s head).Kronk and the shoulder angel and demonIn Nemo, Marlin has to face his own fear and insecurity in order to save his son.

MAN VS. SOCIETYRobin Hood faces off alone against Prince John’s guards when discovered at the archery tournament.

MAN VS. SOCIETY

A person decides to go against……his own group…an opposing group…the expectations of a group…the expectations of society (north vs. south, racial/ethical cultures, worldly vs. otherworldly)

Example: Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant

MAN VS. NATUREAs Snow White runs fearfully away from the huntsmen and the evil queen, she feels attacked by the trees.

MAN VS. NATURE

A man decides to test himself against the forces of nature, which are often considered dominant.Example: The Old Man and the Sea, Call of the Wild, Life of Pi

MAN VS. SUPERNATURAL

The crew attempts to escape from an exploding Treasure Planet.

MAN VS. SUPERNATURAL

“Supernatural” here refers to anything beyond human control or understandingFantasy (Lord of the Rings)Technology -robots, computers (Treasure Planet, Tron Legacy)Deities –God, angels, demons. This one can sometimes create confusion with Man vs. Fate

MAN VS. FATEWhen Rafiki presents Simba to the Pride Lands, does it automatically become his hate that he will one day save them all?

MAN VS. FATE

This type on conflict is often included with other types.For example, if a man is struggling against the expectations of his parents to be a doctor just like them, he may be struggling against society, “man” (his parents), as well as fate.

If a man is struggling against God, this could be considered a man vs. supernatural conflict and a man vs. fate.

In its most basic form, this kind of conflict involves the struggle between choice and fate. We continuously ask ourselves if we determine our own destinies or if fate determined it all before we were born.

LET’S TALK ABOUT CHARACTER FOILS….In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character.The purpose of a foil is to highlight certain qualities of a character.Examples: Curley and George in Of Mice and Men, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter series, Scar and Mufasa from The Lion King.