Conflict & Point of View

​Key Elements of a Literary Text

• Setting

• Plot

• Characterization

• Conflict

• Point of View

• Theme

• Tone

We must have a solid understanding of these foundational elements of fiction in order to understand how they add layers of meaning or style to the text.

What is Conflict?

• The conflict is the struggle in the story.

• Not all conflict is bad. Conflict can be productive and allows the story to build.

• In a story or novel, the actions that the characters take to solve the conflict or face the problem builds toward a climax

Two Types of Conflict:

• Internal is where a person struggles to overcome something or some idea within themselves.

• External is where the struggle is with some element outside of the character's person.

Conflict types

• Man vs. Man (Two characters have an issue that causes a difference of opinion.)

• Man vs. Nature (The character is in opposition to the forces of nature.)

• Man vs. Society (The character is in opposition to the expectations of society.)

• Man vs. Self (The character is in opposition with something inside themselves.)

• Man vs. Technology (The character is in opposition to a technological advance. This is mostly in science fiction.)

Poll

What was the last conflict you had?

• man vs. self

• man vs. nature

• man vs. man

• man vs. technology

• man vs. society

Open Ended

Name a text with man vs. man as a conflict in the plot.

Open Ended

Name a text with man vs. nature as a conflict in the plot.

Open Ended

Name a text with man vs. society as a conflict in the plot.

Open Ended

Name a text with man vs. supernatural as a conflict in the plot.

Multiple Choice

It's the year 3030 and society is completely dependent on computers and robots. A young boy named Domino is flying his hoverboard to school when all of the machines start acting up and attacking people due to a powerful computer virus. What will Domino do now that the machines that are supposed to help him have turned against him?

• man vs self
• man vs society
• man vs machine/technology
• man vs nature

Multiple Choice

Janie is on a whitewater-rafting trip along a choppy river when their guide suddenly has a heart attack. Now she and the other passengers must learn to work together to survive the treacherous rapids. As if things weren't bad enough, some of the passengers spotted a bear following the confused rafters along the shore. Will Janie make it home safely?

• man vs man
• man vs self
• man vs society
• man vs nature

Multiple Choice

Scott Martin is having a rough year. After a serious car accident, Scott is left in a wheelchair and has had to adjust his whole life. He has a hard time doing the things he once loved and he feels like a burden everywhere he goes. Scott's basketball coach urged him to still try out and that they can work together to ensure he can play. Now Scott has to make a decision for himself- will he decide to try out for the team?

• Individual vs. Individual

• Individual vs. Self

• Individual vs. Technology

• Individual vs. Nature

Match

Match the following conflicts with their types.

• Man vs. Self

• Man vs. Nature

• Man vs. Society

• Man vs. Technology

• Man vs. Man

Internal conflict

Conflict with elements of nature

Fight over social issues

Dependence on technology

Conflict between individuals

• Internal conflict

• Conflict with elements of nature

• Fight over social issues

• Dependence on technology

• Conflict between individuals

Point of View (Perspective)

1st person: There is a narrator who is telling the story. "I, me, we"

2nd person: Directions or instructions are 2nd person "you"

3rd limited: Not a part of the story, 3rd limited can only report what is
seen or heard, like a camera. ONLY 1 person's thoughts can be shown.

3rd omniscient: Also not a part of the story, 3rd omniscient is "all-
knowing" & can report on characters' thoughts/feelings/motivations

Why Perspective Matters

​The perspective that a text is told through can greatly alter your understanding of the text. Poe uses first person, so we only know what the protagonist tells us. This can give us insight into his motivations, but also limits our understanding of other characters. Third limited shows us what events are taking place, but we have no idea what anyone's thoughts or feelings are. Third omniscient gives us insight into what multiple characters are thinking or feeling, which can give us a more complete understanding of the events in the text.

Multiple Choice

"You need to try harder, Kyle, if you want to graduate," Mr. Jenkins intoned. Kyle nodded his head, but he wasn't really listening. He was picturing himself snowboarding down a mountain while Mr. Jenkins lectured him. Somehow, Kyle knew exactly where to put the "uh-huhs" even though he wasn't listening to a word that Mr. Jenkins was saying. "Do you want to graduate, Kyle?" Mr. Jenkins asked.
"Uh-huh," replied Kyle.
What is the point of view?

• first person
• second person
• third person limited
• third person omniscient

Multiple Choice

The moon was full. A chill settled in the woods. I was sharpening a stake by the fire. Mario was setting a fishing line around our camp. He strung the line with empty cans so that if anyone, or anything, crept up on us, we'd have a chance to act. Once the line was set, Mario joined me by the fire. "It's too short," he said. "Excuse me?" I responded. "Your stake is too short. You're not going to be able to pierce the rib cage with such a short stake. You need more leverage."

• First Person

• Second Person

• Third Person Limited

• Third Person Omniscient

Multiple Choice

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• First Person

• Second Person

• Third Person Limited

• Third Person Omniscient

Match

Match the following perspectives with their descriptions.

• First Person

• Second Person

• Third Person Limited

• Omniscient

Has a narrator "I, me, we"

Gives directions or instructions to you

Tells actions, not thoughts or feelings

All-knowing, tells many people's thought

• Has a narrator "I, me, we"

• Gives directions or instructions to you

• Tells actions, not thoughts or feelings

• All-knowing, tells many people's thought

Multiple Choice

Corman hit the garage door button. There was no response. This frustrated Corman, who hit the button several more times in a fit of rage. Still, there was no response. Kathy said, "Let me try, Corman." Kathy believed that Corman was a clumsy oaf and that he was hitting the button incorrectly. She tested her suspicions by hitting the button gently. The opener whirred and pulled up the garage door. Corman felt embarrassed. Kathy was happy that they would be able to leave the garage now.
What is the point of view?

• first person
• second person
• third person limited
• third person omniscient

​Work Period

​Please open Actively Learn to complete Conflict: "A H'ant". This is an excerpt from "Spunk" by Zora Neale Hurston. She is a legendary writer from Florida who spent some time in Jacksonville. Her writings have considerable use of dialect, or writing how people spoke, here in Florida. Notice how the text would be different if it was told from Joe's perspective. Or Lena's. Or Spunk's.

Exact Path: Perspective & Point of View