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Plot
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Conflict
There are four reasons that conflict is essential in a story.
- Conflict drives the story—Which is the effect that events have on a character: Conflict occurs when a character's desires or wants are out of alignment with something or someone in their world. Conflict can occur within the character, with other characters in the story, or with the character's environment or world.
- Conflict defines your characters: Conflict is an opportunity for the character to learn more about himself or herself and take control of the situation.
- Conflict forces your characters to make choices: The choices a character makes helps them grow or develop. Their actions and reactions to conflict in the story can make them stronger or weaker. Experience changes people, and it must change your characters too, especially the main character.
- Conflict is both internal and external: Whether conflict is internal or external, there will always be elements of both, like there is in real life. Sometimes we don't realize it, but we experience conflict all of the time. The impact of conflict on character creates the story. When conflict is both internal and external, your story and characters will be well-rounded.
Adapted from Voisin, L. (2012, Sept. 14) Fiction Friday: 4 Reasons Conflict is an Essential Tool for Your Characters.
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
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Read An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce.
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