Internal conflict

Definition

Internal conflict refers to the psychological struggle within a character, often characterized by opposing desires, beliefs, or emotions that create tension and drive the narrative forward. This type of conflict can manifest as a character grappling with personal dilemmas, ethical choices, or emotional turmoil, which adds depth to storytelling and enriches character development.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Internal conflict is crucial for character development as it allows readers to see the complexity of a character's thoughts and emotions.
2. Writers often use internal conflict to create tension in the narrative, making readers more invested in the character's journey and decisions.
3. This type of conflict can be sparked by various factors such as moral dilemmas, love interests, or traumatic past experiences.
4. Internal conflicts can lead to significant changes in a character's behavior, beliefs, and relationships as they navigate their struggles.
5. Well-developed internal conflicts can evoke empathy from the audience, allowing them to relate to the character’s emotional challenges.

Review Questions

• How does internal conflict enhance character development in storytelling?
  • Internal conflict enhances character development by providing insight into a character's thoughts, emotions, and motivations. It allows readers to witness the struggles a character faces when confronted with difficult choices or moral dilemmas. This struggle adds complexity to the character and makes their eventual decisions more impactful, as readers understand the depth of what they have gone through.
• Discuss the role of internal conflict in driving the plot forward in creative writing.
  • Internal conflict plays a critical role in driving the plot forward by creating tension and obstacles that characters must navigate. As characters wrestle with their own fears and desires, their actions become unpredictable, influencing how they interact with other characters and external events. This struggle not only propels the narrative but also engages readers by keeping them invested in the outcome of these internal battles.
• Evaluate how contrasting internal conflict with external conflict can deepen thematic elements in storytelling.
  • Contrasting internal conflict with external conflict deepens thematic elements by highlighting the complexities of human experience. While external conflicts can showcase action and drama, internal conflicts reveal the personal stakes involved. By juxtaposing these two types of conflict, writers can explore themes such as identity, morality, and resilience, showing how characters' inner struggles influence their responses to the challenges they face in the outside world.

Related terms

character arc: The transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story, often influenced by their internal conflicts.

motivation: The underlying reasons or desires that drive a character's actions and decisions, often revealed through their internal struggles.

external conflict: The conflict that occurs between a character and outside forces, such as other characters, society, or nature, often contrasting with internal conflict.