Every story has its fair share of challenges; it’s what keeps readers hooked. One of the primary challenges in storytelling is external conflict. But what is it, really? What is the simple definition of external conflict, and how does it drive the flow of stories?
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What is External Conflict?
External conflict refers to a struggle that places a character directly against an outside force. This force can be another character, society, nature, or even technology. In literature, external conflict drives the plot and can be crucial to character development. It propels the action and creates tension, allowing readers to engage deeply with the story.
Types of External Conflict
To understand the concept of external conflict fully, it’s important to identify its types. Here are four common forms:
1. Character vs. Character
This type is perhaps the most recognizable form of external conflict. It pits one character against another. Think of every epic showdown you’ve read—whether it’s Harry Potter facing Voldemort or Katniss Everdeen battling the Capitol. These confrontations drive the plot forward and illustrate the characters’ motivations, desires, and moral choices.
Example: In Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” the feud between the Montagues and Capulets is a classic example of character vs. character conflict. Romeo and Juliet find their love thwarted by family rivalry, showcasing how their external circumstances shape their tragic fate.
2. Character vs. Nature
In this type of conflict, a character faces physical challenges posed by natural elements. These conflicts can showcase human perseverance against the forces of nature.
Example: In Jack London’s “To Build a Fire,” the protagonist faces extreme cold in the Yukon wilderness. His struggle against the elements illustrates both physical and psychological conflict as he fights for survival. This kind of conflict not only challenges the character but also emphasizes themes like isolation and the human spirit.
3. Character vs. Society
When characters confront societal norms, laws, or expectations, it constitutes a character vs. society conflict. This type often critiques social constructs, bringing essential issues to light.
Example: In “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood, Offred struggles against a totalitarian society that restricts her freedom and identity. This external conflict drives the plot and invites readers to reflect on issues of gender, power, and personal autonomy.
4. Character vs. Supernatural
Here, characters face forces beyond their control—often representing fears, myths, or even fate. This type of conflict adds an element of suspense and mystery.
Example: In Stephen King’s “The Shining,” Jack Torrance grapples with supernatural entities in the haunted Overlook Hotel. His external conflict with these forces leads to chaos. It reveals his unraveling mental state, providing a thrilling exploration of horror and human vulnerability.
The Role of External Conflict in Storytelling
External conflict is integral to storytelling as it generates action and excitement. Without it, plots can fall flat. Readers want to feel the tension of struggle, and external conflicts provide just that. These conflicts can showcase moral dilemmas and character flaws and spark growth, deepening story complexity, and enriching character development.
How External Conflict Enhances Character Development
Through external conflict, characters often reveal their true selves. How characters respond to obstacles reveals hidden strengths and weaknesses. This response draws readers closer, offering clear insight into each character’s real nature.
- Growth Through Struggle: Characters may evolve through their conflicts. For example, Khaled Hosseini illustrates this in The Kite Runner through Hassan. Hassan faces hatred yet stays honorable, loyal, and brave. Meanwhile, Amir’s guilt drives him to seek redemption, illustrating how external conflicts shape their destinies.
- Moral and Ethical Challenges: External conflict raises questions about right and wrong, pushing characters to make difficult choices. These choices can show the internal struggle as characters grapple with their morals against the backdrop of external pressures.
The Importance of Resolution in External Conflicts
While it’s essential to establish external conflicts, proper resolution is equally vital. A well-resolved conflict provides closure and gives your characters a sense of accomplishment or failure.
- Redemption Arcs: Sometimes, characters may emerge from their conflicts transformed. For instance, after battling external forces, they may gain newfound wisdom or resolve personal issues.
- Impact on Theme: How a conflict resolves can reinforce the story’s themes. A heroic character may succeed against overwhelming odds, embedding the idea of bravery and resilience. Meanwhile, a tragic failure may evoke themes of futility or loss.
Crafting External Conflict in Your Stories
Developing Multi-faceted Characters
Creating well-rounded characters is key to producing meaningful external conflict. Characters should possess desires and flaws that drive their actions and reactions. When their goals clash with outside forces, the story becomes richer and more engaging.
A writer crafting a story could develop a character who dreams of being a musician in a family that prioritizes academics. The conflict between the character’s passion and their family’s expectations creates both internal and external pressures, enriching the narrative.
Using Settings Creatively
Setting can drive external conflict. Whether it’s a dystopian world, a small town, or a bustling city, the environment impacts how the characters interact with external forces.
“The Road” by Cormac McCarthy introduces a ruined world that directly challenges the protagonist at every turn. Facing relentless hardship sharpens the resolve needed to continue forward in such bleak conditions. Survival expands past mere personal concerns, requiring profound perseverance against constant external threats.
Plotting the Rise and Fall of Tension
Effective external conflict often follows a trajectory of rising tension that peaks at a climax. By plotting how conflicts escalate, writers can maintain reader interest. Introduce smaller obstacles that build up to a significant confrontation, ensuring that readers are invested in the characters’ journeys.
In “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck, the Joad family’s struggles against poverty and societal injustice escalate throughout the narrative. Each hurdle they face adds to the intensity of their external conflict, culminating in a finale that resonates with the audience.
Analyzing External Conflict in Film
Visual Storytelling and External Conflict
The film often relies heavily on external conflict for visual storytelling. Directors utilize visual and auditory elements to heighten the impact of external conflicts. The immediacy of the film allows viewers to experience struggles in real time, creating visceral reactions.
For example, in “Mad Max: Fury Road,” the protagonists are pitted against a tyrannical warlord in a high-octane chase across a desolate landscape. The external conflicts manifest physically and visually, drawing viewers directly into the action and amplifying emotional response.
Heroes and Villains
In movies, external conflict is often enhanced through the clear delineation of heroes and villains. The struggle between these two forces creates a straightforward narrative arc that audiences can easily follow.
Consider the iconic battles in superhero films like “The Avengers.” The clash between heroes and antagonists establishes a clear external conflict that drives the plot, allowing audiences to root for their favorite characters through intense action sequences.
Practical Tips for Writers
Start with a Strong Premise
When developing a narrative, start by establishing the external conflict early on. A strong premise can hook readers, allowing them to understand what’s at stake for the characters right from the beginning.
Use Dialogue Effectively
Dialogue can be a powerful tool for showcasing external conflict. Characters can express their desires, frustrations, or confrontations through conversations, providing insight into their motivations and struggles.
Emphasize Stakes
Make the stakes clear early in the narrative. Readers should understand what the characters stand to lose or gain through their external conflicts, enhancing engagement and tension throughout the story.
Balance Internal and External Conflict
While external conflict is crucial, balancing it with internal conflict enriches characters’ arcs and gives depth to the narrative. When characters wrestle with both types of conflict, their journeys become more relatable and compelling.
Additional Information
External conflict is a core element of storytelling, yet there are fascinating aspects that many might overlook.
- Types of External Conflicts: External conflict isn’t just about the hero battling a villain; it includes various forms, such as man vs. nature, man vs. society, and man vs. technology. Each conflict type strengthens character development and deepens story events.
- Driving Character Development: External conflicts often force characters to confront their flaws and grow. This struggle not only pushes the story forward but also deepens the audience’s emotional connection to the characters.
- Influence on Themes: The nature of external conflict can highlight overarching themes in a narrative. For instance, a struggle against societal norms can explore themes of individuality and freedom. Meanwhile, a battle against nature can reflect survival and humanity’s place in the world.
- The Role of Setting: The setting can amplify external conflict. A looming storm or an oppressive city can become antagonistic forces in themselves, complicating scenarios for characters and enhancing the narrative tension.
- Secondary Conflicts: Often, external conflicts are layered with secondary conflicts that provide subplot richness. These can reveal different facets of characters and lead to unexpected plot twists.
- Motivation of Antagonists: Antagonists driving external conflict don’t have to be purely evil; they can have relatable motivations. This combination adds depth and complexity, making the conflict more engaging for readers.
- Resolution Techniques: The way external conflicts are resolved can vary widely. Some resolve through action and climax, while others may conclude with a more reflective or moral stance, leaving characters changed in unexpected ways.
- Cultural Impact: External conflicts are often shaped by cultural context, reflecting societal tensions and issues. These conflicts make them a powerful tool for commentary and can resonate with contemporary issues faced by readers.
- Long-term vs. Short-term Conflicts: Not all external conflicts are resolved quickly. Some can span the entire narrative or series, affecting character arcs and thematic depth over time.
- Reader Engagement: External conflict is crucial for keeping readers invested. It provides tension and stakes that encourage readers to turn the page, eager to see how characters navigate their challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Related to External Conflict Simple Definition
Q. What is external conflict?
A. External conflict refers to a struggle between a character and an outside force. This force could be another character, society, nature, or even a situation.
Q. Can you give an example of external conflict?
A. Sure! A classic example is a character fighting against a storm while trying to reach safety. Here, nature is the external force.
Q. How does external conflict differ from internal conflict?
A. External conflict involves outside forces affecting the character. Meanwhile, internal conflict happens within the character’s mind, like battling their fears or doubts.
Q. Why is external conflict important in a story?
A. External conflict drives the plot and develops characters by challenging them, which often leads to growth or change.
Q. What types of forces can create external conflict?
A. External conflicts can arise from various forces, such as other characters (antagonists), societal norms, natural disasters, or even technology.
Q. How can external conflict affect character development?
A. Characters often face challenges that force them to make choices, learn lessons, or change their beliefs, leading to deeper storytelling.
Q. Does every story include external conflict?
A. While many stories feature external conflict, not all do. Some focus primarily on internal conflicts instead.
Q. Can external conflict serve as a plot device?
A. Yes! External conflict often drives the narrative forward and creates suspense, helping to keep readers engaged.
Q. How do writers create external conflict in their stories?
A. Writers establish external conflict by introducing obstacles or antagonists that challenge the protagonist and elevate the stakes.
Q. Is external conflict always negative?
A. Not necessarily. External conflicts may present difficulty and strain, but they also open doors to positive endings, such as renewed unity or triumph.
Conclusion
External conflict is a key element in storytelling that drives the plot forward. It involves a character facing challenges from outside forces, whether it’s other characters, society, or nature. Understanding external conflict can enhance your appreciation of literature and improve your writing. By recognizing these struggles, you can create more engaging stories that resonate with readers. Embrace external conflict in your writing, and watch your characters come to life as they navigate the obstacles in their path.
