Conflict Application (Flocabulary)

In literature, conflict is the struggle or problem a character must overcome. It's one of the five elements of a story; the others are plot, character, setting, and theme. Conflict is used to drive and direct the plot of the story. The point of the plot is to resolve the conflict. As the conflict grows, the tension and drama build. The climax of the story is the turning point of the conflict. That's when one character defeats another character or makes a choice or a change. When the conflict is resolved, the action can wind down. Conflict creates all the action in a story. Without conflict, characters would just float around aimlessly, and the story wouldn't be very interesting.

Based on the passage, which of the following is NOT a role that conflict plays?

• guiding plot

• adding tension and action

• changing the reader's mind

• making the story more interesting

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.5.7

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.9

A book, film or play usually has one central conflict that drives the plot. In the central conflict, the protagonist, or main character, is pitted against the antagonist. The antagonist is often another character, but it can also be any force that works against the protagonist. Weather, the environment, religion and societal norms can act as antagonists. Sometimes, if the character is struggling inside his or her mind, the protagonist can also be the antagonist.

According to the passage, the main antagonist always...

• is another character in the story.

• acts against the protagonist.

• loses in the central conflict.

• has an evil plan.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

Character vs. character may be the easiest conflict to recognize. Think Batman vs. the Joker. Matilda vs. Miss Trunchball or Harry Potter vs Voldemort. These are the classic conflicts we see in books and film. In this type of external conflict, one character struggles, fights or has a problem with another character. This gives the author and reader a chance to explore two opposing viewpoints, opinion or ideas. Character vs. character conflicts are often, but not always, a battle of good against evil.

Which of the following is a character vs. character conflict?

• Frodo and Same set out on a journey together through Middle Earth.

• A powerful tornado whisks Dorothy and Toto away to the land of Oz.

• After visiting the neighbors, Beth gets a severe case of scarlet fever.

• The queen is so jealous of Snow White that she gives her a poisoned apple.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

When a character struggles against the forces of the natural world, it's call character vs. nature. Natural forces include weather, climate, environment, wild animals, disease and other elements the character cannot control. This type of external conflict is central to the novel Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. In the book, 13-year-old Brian is stranded in the forest and must learn to survive on his own. He faces natural hazards like wolves, a bear, a tornado and more. He eventually develops skills that help him deal with these forces of nature.

Which of the following is NOT an example of a character vs. nature conflict?

• Amrita was camping in the woods when she had a big fight with her friend Priya.

• Grace wanted to reach the mountaintop, but the strong wind made it hard.

• A hurricane threatened to take the roof off my family's house.

• James got drenched in the sudden thunderstorm.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

Character vs. society is another type of external conflict. A character stands against the dominant religion, morals, culture, rules or beliefs of the people around him or her. One example of character vs. society appears in the novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor. The protagonist, Cassie, and her family struggle against racism in their Mississippi society during the Great Depression. They face injustice from their neighbors, teachers and the law.

A character vs. society conflict...

• is a type of internal conflict.

• can only take place in a work of historical fiction.

• involves a person or small group standing against the majority.

• happens when two characters have differing morals or cultures.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

Internal conflict, also known as character vs. self, occurs inside a character's mind. This is the only type of conflict where they protagonist and antagonist are the same person. The "protagonist" and "antagonist" viewpoints represent two different ways of looking at an issue. For example, in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, Katniss wavers between her romantic feelings for Peeta and Gale. The part of her mind that favors Peeta works against the part of her mind that favors Gale, leaving her unable to make a decision. This is one of the smaller conflicts in the trilogy.

Which of these characters faces an internal conflict?

• Daniel is so angry that he pushes Nathan into a locker. In response, Nathan gathers his strongest friends and tries to fight Daniel after school.

• Ana must decide if she should keep her promise and not tell anyone Jeremiah's secret or break her promise to help him stay safe.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

What is conflict?

• the main character in a story

• where and when a story takes place

• a struggle or problem that needs to be solved

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.5.5

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

What is the main role of conflict in a story?

• It keeps the plot moving and evolving.

• It reveals the author's opinion of the characters.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

In Peter Pan, who is the protagonist?

• Peter

• Captain Hook

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.5.7

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.9

What is the purpose of the antagonist in a story?

• to challenge the main character

• to battle the forces of nature

• to stand up to social norms

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3