What Are the Internal and External Conflicts in the Story? Understanding the Core of Every Narrative
Conflicts are at the heart of every story. They drive characters, shape plots, and engage readers. But what exactly are internal and external conflicts? Why do they matter so much in storytelling? In this article, we’ll dive deep into both types of conflicts, using examples and personal insights to help you understand how they work in any narrative.
What Is Internal Conflict?
Internal conflict is the battle that happens within a character's mind. It's deeply personal, often involving emotions, values, or moral dilemmas. When a character struggles with something inside themselves, that's internal conflict at play.
Types of Internal Conflict
There are a few different forms of internal conflict, each playing a unique role in a story.
Moral dilemmas: This is where a character faces a difficult choice between right and wrong. It often involves self-questioning, guilt, or fear of making the wrong decision. Think of Hamlet agonizing over whether or not to kill Claudius. His internal struggle is one of the most iconic in literature.
Emotional conflict: Here, the character may struggle with feelings of love, hate, anger, or fear. I recently read a book where the protagonist, feeling unworthy of love, pushes away the people who care for her, even though she deeply desires connection. That’s a great example of emotional internal conflict.
Identity crisis: Sometimes, the internal conflict revolves around a character’s sense of self. They might question who they are or where they fit in the world. This often happens in coming-of-age stories where characters are transitioning from adolescence to adulthood.
The Impact of Internal Conflict on a Story
Internal conflicts are important because they humanize characters. They make them relatable. Who hasn’t struggled with a moral choice or battled feelings of self-doubt? These types of conflicts create tension, and it’s this tension that makes characters’ journeys compelling. Personally, I’ve noticed how a good internal conflict makes me root for a character even more because I’m witnessing their growth and transformation.
What Is External Conflict?
External conflict, on the other hand, is the struggle a character faces against an outside force. These forces can be other people, society, nature, or even the supernatural. It’s often the most obvious kind of conflict in many stories.
Types of External Conflict
External conflicts can take on various forms, and they often shape the overall plot of the story.
Character vs. character: This is a classic external conflict. Think of every great villain-hero duo you’ve ever encountered—Harry Potter vs. Voldemort, for instance. The conflict is obvious, and it drives the entire plot.
Character vs. society: In this type of conflict, a character is up against societal norms, expectations, or rules. A perfect example of this is The Hunger Games, where Katniss Everdeen fights against a corrupt government.
Character vs. nature: This type of external conflict occurs when the character is up against the elements, animals, or anything natural that presents a threat. Into the Wild is a great example of this, where the protagonist faces the wilderness in his search for meaning.
Why External Conflicts Matter
External conflicts typically make a story more action-driven and visible. They create a clear antagonist or force to overcome. Without them, a story might feel too introspective or stagnant. These conflicts often provide the character with the opportunities to act, grow, or even fail. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on the edge of my seat, rooting for a character to overcome an impossible external obstacle.
How Internal and External Conflicts Work Together
The most powerful stories blend both internal and external conflicts seamlessly. Think of a character who is dealing with an emotional or moral issue (internal conflict) while also battling a physical threat, like an enemy or a storm (external conflict). These intertwined struggles provide depth and complexity to the narrative.
A Personal Example
Let me tell you about a book I recently read where the main character, a soldier returning from war, faces both internal and external conflict. Externally, he’s battling PTSD and his feelings of isolation (that’s the internal part). But externally, he’s also dealing with the challenge of reintegrating into a society that doesn’t understand his pain. Watching him try to navigate both of these made his journey so much more moving.
The Importance of Balancing Both Conflicts
If a story relies too heavily on one conflict over the other, it can feel incomplete. A plot that’s just about external conflict can come off as superficial, while one that’s all about internal conflict might feel slow or introspective. Balancing the two creates a more dynamic, compelling narrative. It’s like having two layers of tension that keep you hooked – the visible, immediate struggles (external), and the deep, personal battles (internal) that shape the character’s decisions and growth.
Conclusion: The Heart of Every Story
In any great story, both internal and external conflicts play a crucial role in creating tension, engagement, and emotional depth. They force characters to evolve, push boundaries, and ultimately change. Whether it’s a hero fighting an external villain or a character struggling with their own identity, these conflicts are what make stories come to life. Next time you’re reading or writing a story, take a moment to look for these conflicts – you’ll see just how essential they are to the plot.
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Is 172 cm good for a man?
Yes it is. Average height of male in India is 166.3 cm (i.e. 5 ft 5.5 inches) while for female it is 152.6 cm (i.e. 5 ft) approximately. So, as far as your question is concerned, aforesaid height is above average in both cases.
Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?
Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.