Conflict

Definition

Conflict is a struggle between opposing forces that drives the narrative and creates tension within a story. It can arise from internal struggles within a character or external challenges they face, and is essential for character development, plot progression, and audience engagement. It can manifest in various forms, including interpersonal disagreements, societal issues, or personal dilemmas, and is pivotal in maintaining dramatic momentum.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Conflict is essential for developing multi-dimensional characters as it reveals their motivations, fears, and growth throughout the narrative.
2. The resolution of conflict often serves as a pivotal moment in episodic structures, allowing for character evolution and plot advancement.
3. Supporting and recurring characters often enhance the main conflict by providing additional perspectives and stakes that complicate the protagonist's journey.
4. Effective dialogue can highlight conflicts through subtext, allowing characters to express their differences while maintaining surface-level civility.
5. In historical dramas, conflict can also stem from societal norms and historical events that impact character decisions and relationships.

Review Questions

• How does conflict shape the development of multi-dimensional characters throughout a narrative?
  • Conflict serves as a catalyst for character development by pushing individuals to confront their fears, make difficult choices, and reveal their true selves. As characters navigate through conflicts—whether internal struggles or external challenges—they evolve in response to these pressures. This growth can lead to richer, more relatable characters as audiences witness their journey through adversity.
• In what ways do supporting and recurring characters contribute to the central conflict of a story?
  • Supporting and recurring characters often add depth to the central conflict by introducing new perspectives, challenges, or alliances that affect the protagonist's journey. Their interactions with the main character can create additional layers of tension or complicate existing conflicts. By doing so, they enrich the narrative and provide opportunities for character exploration and development.
• Analyze how dialogue can be used to convey conflict without overt confrontation in a scene.
  • Dialogue can subtly convey conflict through tone, choice of words, and pacing. Characters may engage in seemingly polite conversations that mask underlying tensions or disagreements. By using subtext—where what is unsaid carries more weight than what is said—writers can create layers of conflict that keep audiences engaged. This technique allows for dramatic irony as viewers recognize the tension that characters themselves may not openly acknowledge.

Related terms

Protagonist:

The main character in a story who faces conflict and drives the narrative forward.

Antagonist:

The character or force that opposes the protagonist, creating tension and conflict within the story.

Tension:

The emotional strain or suspense created by conflict, keeping the audience engaged and invested in the outcome.