Visualizing

Good readers are constantly visualizing and creating their own mental movie while they

read.

You should always be imagining in your head what is going on and picturing what the characters and the scenery look like

because this allows you to better understand what they you reading!

Your mental movie should look like this…

Not like this…

* Word of the Day *

Helpless

unable to help yourself; weak or dependent on others

Helpless

The suffix –less means “without,” so this word means “without help.”

Helpless

Synonyms for helpless:

weak, powerless, unable

Antonyms for helpless:

independent, strong, powerful

Example:

Being unable to walk and talk would make me feel completely helpless because I couldn’t do

anything on my own.

Conflict

October 11, 2010

Conflict

Definition:

The main problem or struggle in a story.

Two Main Types of Conflict

Internal Conflicts

and

External Conflicts

Conflict

Why do you think conflict is important in literature?

Why is Conflict Important?

Without conflict, stories would be completely boring!

Story plots are completely built around conflicts

Conflict makes the reader be involved in the story.

Conflict makes characters more interesting! Without conflict, we may never get to see someone’s true nature!

Why is Conflict Important?

Think about some of the characters we’ve read about this year and what the conflicts they experienced showed us about them:

Sylvia in “The Lesson” Doodle’s older brother in “The Scarlet Ibis”

Internal Conflicts

“In-” is a prefix meaning “inside.”

Based on that, what do you think an internal conflict is?

Internal Conflicts

Definition:

When a character is struggling between opposite forces inside his or her self

This might be having to decide between right and wrong, how to solve a problem, or how they feel about something (mixed emotions)

Examples of External Conflicts:

A superhero deciding whether or not to fight crime anymore.

Deciding whether or not to go to a party with your friends where you know there will be alcohol and drugs.

Deciding whether or not to get out of bed in the morning and come to school if you are not a morning person.

Examples of Internal Conflicts:

Can you think of any more examples of internal conflicts from your own life, movies you’ve

seen, books you’ve read, etc.?

External Conflicts

“Ex-” is a prefix meaning “outside.”

Based on that, what do you think an external conflict is?

Internal Conflicts

Definition:

The struggle between a character/person and something outside of them

There’s only one kind of internal conflict, but there’s more types of external conflicts.

Person vs. Person Conflict

What do you think a person vs. person conflict is based on the name?

Person vs. Person Conflict

A person vs. person conflict is a conflict between two people/groups of people.

This conflict might be physical (a fight) or emotional (a disagreement).

Examples of Person vs. Person Conflicts:

A fist fight An argument between a mother and son A war The Sniper vs. his enemy Two rival gangs

Examples of Person vs. Person Conflicts:

Can you think of any more examples of person vs. person conflicts from your own life,

movies you’ve seen, books you’ve read, etc.?

Person vs. Society Conflict

What do you think a person vs. society conflict is based on the name?

Person vs. Society Conflict

Definition:

When a character struggles against social beliefs, traditions, ways of life, etc.

Examples of Person vs. Society Conflicts:

An individual fighting against slavery An individual fighting against racism A teenager feeling like she doesn’t fit in to

“normal” society An individual fighting for gay rights

Examples of Person vs. Society Conflicts:

Can you think of any more examples of person vs. society conflicts from your own life,

movies you’ve seen, books you’ve read, etc.?

Person vs. Nature Conflict

What do you think a person vs. nature conflict is based on the name?

Person vs. Nature Conflict

Definition:

When a character struggles against nature

Examples of Person vs. Nature Conflicts:

An individual struggling to survive in the wild An individual fighting against a killer shark A family trying to survive a hurricane A family hiding in their basement from a

tornado

Examples of Person vs. Nature Conflicts:

Can you think of any more examples of person vs. nature conflicts from your own life,

movies you’ve seen, books you’ve read, etc.?

Person vs. Circumstances Conflict

What do you think a person vs. fate conflict is based on the name?

Person vs. Circumstances Conflict

Definition:

When a character struggles against the circumstances of their life; struggle between what their life is and what they want their life

to be

Examples of Person vs. Circumstances Conflicts:

A boy whose parents want him to marry a Jewish girl, but he is in love with a Christian girl.

A boy who is handicapped but dreams of playing football

A boy whose family is part of the mob but he wants no part of it

Examples of Person vs. Circumstances Conflicts:

Can you think of any more examples of person vs. circumstances conflicts from your own

life, movies you’ve seen, books you’ve read, etc.?

Conflict in Images

For each image I show you, figure out what kind of conflict I am showing you and the reason you think it is that kind of conflict.

Conflict in Passages

Read each of the passages on your guided notes and determine what conflict that passage represents. Then explain WHY you think it represents that conflict.

Conflict Resolutions

Most conflicts in stories are resolved (fixed).

While sometimes conflicts go unresolved (unfixed), usually they are fixed because this makes the story more interesting and often teaches us something about the characters.

Conflict Resolutions

A conflict’s resolution (solution) is not always good or positive.

Sometimes a problem is resolved by someone dying, or a couple getting divorced, or the problem just simply ending.

Conflict Resolutions

Again, a resolution is not always positive.

It simply means that the problem is over.