Internal/External Conflict in Literature

What are the two main types of conflict?

• Internal and External Conflict

• Plot and Conflict

• External and Inside Conflict

Which of the following is an example of character versus character?

• Trevonne got soaked by a rainstorm walking home from school.

• Briana stole Jack's cell phone from his locker.

• Lilly doesn't like to follow the rules of the school and is often sent to the office.

Which of the following is an example of Character versus Nature conflict? (External conflict)

• Sydney cannot decide which restaurant she wants to go to for dinner. 

• Ryan and his cousin Scott got into an argument on the phone.

• Janelle was walking down the long dirt driveway to her friend's house when a snake struck out at her feet.

The last type of external conflict is Character versus Society. Which of the following is a definition of Character versus Society?

• When a character struggles against another character in a story.

• When a character struggles/disagrees with rules and laws.

• When a character struggles with nature: animals, weather conditions, etc.

An internal conflict (character versus self) is when a character is struggling with an emotion/feeling or making a decision/thought. Which of the following is an example of an internal conflict?

• Keith cannot decide where he wants to go to school and leads to Keith feeling stressed out and upset.

• Carlos gets caught in a snowstorm while walking over to his friend Tony's house.

• Maria and Kylie get in an argument about who should be their volleyball team's captain.

What are the three types of external conflicts?

• character vs. character, character vs. nature, and character vs. society.

• character vs. self, character vs. character, and character vs. nature.

What is the only type of internal conflict?

• character vs. nature

• character vs. self

• character vs. character