Obstacles

Definition

Obstacles refer to the challenges or hindrances that characters face in achieving their goals within a narrative. These barriers can be internal, such as personal doubts or emotional conflicts, or external, like societal expectations or physical barriers. Understanding obstacles is crucial for creating depth in character development and driving the story forward.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Obstacles are essential for creating tension and engagement in a narrative, compelling characters to take action and evolve.
2. Both internal and external obstacles contribute to a character's emotional journey and can shape their motivations and decisions throughout the story.
3. Characters often experience growth through overcoming obstacles, leading to significant moments of realization or change.
4. The type and severity of obstacles can vary greatly depending on the character’s background, desires, and circumstances.
5. Effective storytelling often relies on a balance between the obstacles characters face and their resources or abilities to confront them.

Review Questions

• How do obstacles influence a character's development throughout a narrative?
  • Obstacles play a crucial role in shaping a character's development by forcing them to confront challenges that test their limits. As characters navigate these barriers, they often reveal deeper layers of their personality, leading to growth or change. Overcoming or failing to overcome these obstacles can lead to pivotal moments in the narrative, affecting both their personal journey and the overall storyline.
• In what ways do internal and external obstacles differ in their impact on a character's motivation?
  • Internal obstacles often stem from a character's own fears, insecurities, or emotional struggles, directly influencing their motivation by creating self-doubt or desire for change. In contrast, external obstacles usually arise from outside forces such as societal pressures or physical limitations, prompting characters to respond actively to their environment. Together, these types of obstacles create a richer narrative landscape that challenges characters in multiple ways.
• Evaluate how the resolution of obstacles can lead to a deeper emotional connection between characters and the audience.
  • When characters face and resolve obstacles, it creates moments of vulnerability and authenticity that resonate with the audience. This shared experience of struggle and triumph allows viewers to empathize with the characters' journeys. The emotional stakes involved in overcoming obstacles enhance the audience's investment in the story, making the characters' victories feel more significant and relatable, ultimately deepening the emotional connection between them.

Related terms

Conflict:

The struggle between opposing forces that creates tension in a story, often arising from obstacles faced by characters.

Character Arc: The transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a narrative, often influenced by their encounters with obstacles.

Motivation: The driving force behind a character's actions and decisions, which often directly relates to how they respond to obstacles.